Welcome to NJCU Math 205 Problem Solving

Welcome to the 2010 Summer Session of Math 205 (Problem Solving). I will be using this blog as a means of communicating with you outside of class and posting important resources that you might need.

The goal of this class is two-fold with both aspects being of equal importance.
1) We want to spend time solving problems (individually and cooperatively) that may be typical of what students in elementary, middle and high school might encounter in their mathematics classes. We not only want to learn to arrive a correct answers, but to put ourselves in the students shoes and consider the problems as they might, solving them using the resources that students have available to them.
2) We want to prepare each student in the class to pass the mathematics section of the particular Praxis test that each will be taking.

Because we have only 10 sessions, attendance is critical and in class we will emphasize cooperative work as well as individual performance, so it is essential that students work together in a mutually supportive atmosphere.

Class activities will include:
1) Quizzes (formative assessments) [10%]
2) Group explorations and presentations [10%]
3) Presentation of new material with Q&A [participation 10%]
4) Tests (Mid-Term on 6/14 and Final on 6/28) [10% each]

Outside of class activities will include:
1) Homework (smaller assignments during the week and larger assignments on weekends [50%]