Supporting Math Foundational Skills in the Primary Grades

(Grades K-3) / Flex Course

PDI Course Number: 108T02 / UCSD Course Number: EDUC40223

Course Description

Do you find that your K-3 students often struggle with the most basic of mathematical principles? Do you want to find a way to better support those students as they learn to unlock the gift of mathematics? The intent of this course is to provide a toolbox of both information and activities that K-3 teachers can use to support students who struggle to understand and grasp both the meaning and the manipulation of basic math principles. Some of the topics include counting and cardinality, counting objects, rote counting, number sense of quantity, counting on and back, operations of addition and subtraction, composing and decomposing numbers, the application of mathematical foundational skills within the problem-solving process, and guiding students to use their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to make real-world connections. Teachers will also learn how to determine student levels and how to choose and design assessments to best utilize the resources that are available within a typical math curriculum. As teachers work through this course, they will learn how to create meaningful and engaging activities in order to promote student ownership, and they will learn how to establish home connections so that those mathematical habits of mind can flourish. By the end of this course, teachers will feel like they have the tools and strategies needed to effectively teach math foundational skills. This course is worth 3 ⅓ semester units/5 quarter units (50 hours of training) from University of California San Diego (UCSD) Division of Extended Studies. For detailed information on university credit, click here.

"The content and resources were thorough and helpful. I was able to use a lot immediately in my classroom." - Jessica Cullen