Exploring Mathematics

Exploring Mathematics: Investigations for Elementary School Teachers is a text designed to give readers a highly conceptual understanding of mathematics topics essential for Common Core Standards-based elementary school teaching.

In this book, the development of mathematical concepts, methods, and skills takes place through discussions and analyses of alternative solutions to engaging problems and activities with the use of manipulatives, visual models, and technology. Prospective teachers are expected to make sense of the problems and activities, communicate and articulate their ideas, critique the reasoning of others, and persevere solving problems using appropriate tools.

Special features of the book include "Polya's corners" for challenging problems with multiple access points, chapter reflection writing assignments, individual and group project descriptions, and extensive problem sets.

The material in Exploring Mathematics is extensively classroom-tested, making this book an ideal, practical text for upper-division mathematics courses for pre-service elementary school teachers. The book not only shows ideas for implementing the eight standards of mathematical practices described in the common core standards into elementary teaching, but also allows the readers to actually experience those practices in their own learning process.

Rajee Amarasinghe received his Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from Indiana University. He is a professor in the Mathematics Department at California State University, Fresno. He directs professional development workshops for teachers locally and internationally.

Lance Burger received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from Oregon State University. He is an assistant professor in the Mathematics Department at California State University, Fresno. His research interests are mathematics education and linear algebra, with a particular focus on how students transfer familiar knowledge when they solve problems in unfamiliar contexts.

Maria Nogin received her Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Rochester. She is an associate professor in the mathematics department at California State University, Fresno.

Agnes Tuska received her Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from Ohio State University. She is a professor in the mathematics department at California State University, Fresno, where she teaches a variety of courses. In addition, she teaches courses and conducts workshops for prospective and in-service teachers and their students. She has collaborated on the use of GeoGebra in the international teaching community.

Oscar Vega received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Iowa. He is an assistant professor in the mathematics department at California State University, Fresno.

Dr. Rajee Amarasinghe is a professor in the mathematics department at California State University, Fresno. He has directed and conducted many professional development workshops for teachers locally and internationally. He received his Ph.D. in mathematics education from Indiana University in 2000. Dr. Lance Burger is an associate professor in the mathematics department at California State University, Fresno. He received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from Oregon State University in 2009 and conducts his research in mathematics education and linear algebra, with particular interest in studying how students transfer familiar knowledge during problem solving in unfamiliar contexts. Dr. Maria Nogin is an associate professor in the mathematics department at California State University, Fresno. She received her Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Rochester in 2003. She loves teaching problem solving. Dr. Agnes Tuska is a professor in the mathematics department at California State University, Fresno. She has instructed a large variety of mathematics courses and workshops for prospective and in-service teachers and their students, and has collaborated on lesson study and on the use of GeoGebra in the international mathematics teacher community. She received her Ph.D. in mathematics education from The Ohio State University in 1992. Dr. Oscar Vega is an associate professor in the mathematics department at California State University, Fresno. He received his Ph.D. in mathematics in 2006 from the University of Iowa.