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Fact Sheet 07
College of Arts and Sciences
www.wcupa.edu/_ACADEMICS/sch_cas/
Revised June 2007
Elementary School Mathematics Minor
Mathematics holds a vital place in elementary and middle school curricula. In terms of time devoted to instruction, it ranks second only to the language arts; in terms of utility, understanding mathematics is essential for later success in secondary school mathematics, science, and technology courses. Consequently, school districts prefer to hire prospective elementary and special education teachers with proven ability to teach elementary and middle school mathematics.
Minor Program
West Chester University provides all of its elementary and special education majors with a good foundation in mathematics content and pedagogy. Beyond this, the Department of Mathematics also offers you, as elementary and special education majors, the opportunity to complete a minor in elementary school mathematics (K-8) designed to give you the additional preparation in mathematics, mathematics education, and technology you need to become mathematics lead teachers, district specialists, middle school mathematics teachers, or simply better mathematics teachers.
As an elementary and special education major, you must complete the following mathematics content courses as part of the general education requirements:
MAT 101 Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I (3 semester hours)
MAT 102 Mathematics for Elementary Teachers II (3 semester hours) PREREQ: MAT 101
In addition, if you are in elementary or special education, you must take one of the following methods courses, depending on your major, as part of your specialized preparation:
MAT 351 Teaching Mathematics in Elementary Schools I (3 semester hours) (elementary education majors) PREREQ:
MAT 101-102
or
MAT 357 Teaching Mathematics to the Handicapped (3 semester hours) (special education majors) PREREQ: MAT 101-102
Required Courses
The minor consists of the five courses listed below, totaling 15 semester hours, along with their prerequisites. You can find descriptions of these courses in the current Undergraduate Catalog.
MAT 330 Using Technology in Teaching Elementary School Mathematics (3 semester hours)
MAT 121 Statistics I (3 semester hours) [no prerequisites]
MAT 312 Algebra for Elementary Teachers (3 semester hours) PREREQ: MAT 102
MAT 313 Geometry for Elementary Teachers (3 semester hours) PREREQ: MAT 102
MAT 352 Teaching Mathematics in Elementary Schools II (3 semester hours) PREREQ: MAT 351
Related Student Activities
The Department of Mathematics also sponsors the Mathematics Club for Elementary Education Majors, which is open to all students in the College of Education who are interested in finding out more about the teaching and learning of mathematics.
For More Information
You can obtain further information about this program from the contact person below.
Dr. Kathleen Jackson, Coordinator
Department of Mathematics
329 Anderson Hall
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
E-mail: kjackson@wcupa.edu
Office: 610-436-3465
Department: 610-436-2440
Department fax: 610-436-2165