Curriculum Topic Study Narrative

Algebra 1 (9th - 12th Grade)

Quadratic Equations
The nature of education in the twenty-first century is changing. Today, students must be challenged to analyze, explore, and therefore thoroughly engage in the concept matters presented to them. Problem-solving skills are necessary for students to develop and enhance as they progress throughout their educational journey and requires critical thinking skills. The onus of accomplishing these goals rightfully rest on the teacher. It is incumbent upon the teacher to develop thought-provoking lessons that keep students engaged, explorative and always ready to explain their mathematical reasoning. It is also incumbent upon the teacher to create interactive and informative activities that allow students to show how well they understand and can apply the material. One way to accomplish this important goal is for teachers to create Project Based Instruction (PBI) units. In order for the PBI unit to successfully reach students, teachers must thoroughly plan, understand and incorporate necessary curricula topics that drive students to answer a central question. By utilizing the latest research, mastering the concept matter and understanding students misconceptions and learning potential, teachers can utilize the PBI approach to teach twenty-first century students. This curriculum topic study process has provided a number of key points that will guide the development of the PBI unit I will developed for the Algebra I students I teach. A reoccurring theme throughout this process was building new knowledge on top of prior knowledge by keeping students engaged. The key to keeping students engaged is to develop a unit that challenges and intrigues their interests. Therefore, it is important to develop a unit that incorporates a review of prior knowledge, poses questions that students can relate to and understand, and keep students involved in the process by using technology to model their outcomes. It is first important to make sure that students misconceptions do not hinder their ability to grasp the material, that students have a basic understanding of quadratic equation and that the unit allows them to understand the applicability of quadratic equations and how to solve them. It is a process that requires a number of steps, however the curriculum topic study, through the researched arguments presented, show that by thoroughly understanding what students should know and using the latest approaches in presenting the topic, the hard part is to create an encompassing driving question. The Curriculum Topic Study process is can be arduous and requires a strong effort to engage in the material and make the best sense of the presented research. However, I have gained some important insight from following this process. First, students need to analytically think, rationalize, make connections, explore, engage in real-world problem solving and interact with technology to enhance their learning experience. However, students also need the necessary background information to have the confidence and competence engage in those tasks. As a teacher, it is important to know what students should have learned at different stages of the educational journey and prepare them for what they need to know in adulthood. This new insight further justifies the need to always keep students engaged through classroom discourse and interactive activities. It is also important to make sure students have a firm grasp of mathematical

symbols, vocabulary, implications and therefore teach to remove misconceptions and develop an appreciation for the applicability of mathematics in everyday life. Throughout this process, my ideas have not drastically changed. I have followed the CTS process before and recognize the purpose and power this level of research can have in shaping a well-rounded and useful lesson. Instead, I have gained additional information to develop a lesson that reaches students interests and challenges them to deeply engage and struggle with the concept matter to better appreciate and learn math, in particular, quadratic equations. Effective instructional practices matters because teaching for conceptual change and understanding matters. Solving quadratic equations can be a difficult topic to understand as well as convincing students that this is a topic with real-world implications. Nevertheless, teaching is not an easy task and finding the best way to teach and motivate students explains that difficulty. However, now that I am equipped with what researchers suggests students should know, know how students best learn, and what they should have learned, I can develop a lesson that keeps students engaged, explorative and equipped to explain how they can solve quadratic equations.

Sources: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2000). Principles and standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Project 2061 (American Association for the Advancement of Science). (2001). Atlas of science literacy. Washington, DC: American Association for the Advancement of Science. Paulos, J. A. (1991). Beyond numeracy: Ruminations of a numbers man. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Project 2061 (American Association for the Advancement of Science). (1993). Benchmarks for science literacy. New York: Oxford University Press. Project 2061 (American Association for the Advancement of Science). (1990). Science for all Americans. New York: Oxford University Press.