Connecting Math for Elementary Teachers

This book provides general descriptions of children’s learning and is intended to help show how children approach mathematics differently than adults. By connecting children’s thinking to your own learning, we hope that this book will improve your understanding of both mathematics and children’s thinking, thereby enhancing your teaching of mathematics to children. The more you understand mathematics and how children think about mathematics, the better teacher you will be! Each chapter section contains insights and examples of how children come to understand mathematics. Many of the descriptions of how children learn are based on research, but some are based on the authors’ personal experiences with helping children learn mathematics. As appropriate, the authors also include information on the ";why"; behind certain mathematical topics, how to incorporate manipulatives into the classroom, and some activities to try. Each section also has ";

David Feikes earned a Bachelor's degree from Ball State University, a Master's degree from Purdue University North Central, and a Doctorate in Mathematics Education from Purdue University.  At Purdue University North Central, he teaches mathematics content courses, mathematics methods courses, and graduate mathematics education courses for elementary teachers.  His research interests are on how children learn mathematics and how teachers, preservice teachers, and parents can use this knowledge to help children learn mathematics.  In his spare time he coaches youth soccer and builds houses.

 

Keith Schwingendorf earned a B.S. degree in mathematics with honors, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mathematics from Purdue University. He taught mathematics at Purdue University West Lafayette, 1971-1992. He moved on to the Purdue University North Central campus to teach mathematics as an Associate Professor of Mathematics in 1992. He was promoted to Professor of Mathematics in 1996. Dr. Schwingendorf has collaborated on four National Science Foundation (NSF) Calculus Reform grants totaling $994,000, 1988-1997, which resulted in the publication of two calculus texts, a pre-calculus text, numerous research papers, and many other publications. He earned three outstanding teaching awards: one at Purdue West Lafayette, where was also named a top ten teacher in the School of Science three times; and two awards at Purdue North Central. He Chaired the Mathematics, Statistics, and Physics Department, January 2002 - June 2006. He has been Dean of the College of Science since July 1, 2006. He and Dr. David Feikes collaborated on two NSF grants, totaling $375,000, 2002-2007, to research how children learn and understand mathematics concepts in order to help pre-service elementary education majors enhance their teaching of and understanding of children’s learning of mathematics. The most significant result of their teamwork is their book Connecting Mathematics for Elementary Teachers (CMET) published in July 2008 by Pearson Education. Dr. Schwingendorf enjoys golf, walking, swimming, traveling and spending time with his family, and he is an enthusiastic Purdue sports fan.