SCHOOL OF SCIENCE
Secondary Mathematics Education Major Program Chair: Dr. Danielle Goodwin |
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Penn State Behrend’s new Bachelor of Science program in Secondary Mathematics Education prepares students for careers as mathematics teachers in secondary schools by providing both a strong foundation in mathematics content and hands-on experience in the classroom. The program stresses the teaching philosophies of the National Council of the Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), which students then put into practice in internships supervised by highly qualified, experienced teachers.
The degree is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teaching Education (NCATE), and graduates meet all academic requirements for the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Instructional I certificate.
Analysts project that there will be a need for 240,000 new mathematics and science teachers in middle and high schools over the next decade, and this shortage is considered to be a growing problem in the United States.
Students in the program will:
- Get hands-on experience with real middle and high school students under the supervision of highly qualified, experienced teachers.
- Understand deeply the mathematics they are teaching.
- Become familiar with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards and Principles, so they do not inhibit students' natural inclination to understand.
- Use and compare different assessment techniques and know that they should be continually gathering information about their students.
- Appropriately and responsibly use technology to ensure that the technology is enhancing students' mathematical thinking.
- Have numerous and varied experiences related to the cultural, historical, and scientific evolution of mathematics.
- Learn to use their knowledge flexibly in authentic situations.