Becoming a Mathematics Teacher
at Huntington University

Graciela Chichilnisky, a mathematician/economist from Columbia University states,  “Mathematics is the raw material … it’s the energy that drives the [current] system.  Mathematics is like the fossil fuel of the industrial society.  Now to get energy we don’t burn fossil fuels.  Now to get knowledge we burn mathematics … we use mathematics.”  (quoted from Life By the Numbers: A New Age)  According to her assessment of modern society, mathematics is the essential “fuel” to drive our system.  To do this effectively, our society needs effective, well prepared mathematics teachers.

Huntington University provides excellent preparation for those aspiring to teach in mathematics.  Students seeking to be certified in teaching mathematics for the middle and high school grades start by taking a major in mathematics education.  This major will provide the essential aspects of the regular mathematics major while also adding the course work required by the teacher education program.  Usually during a student’s sophomore year, he/she will take Introduction to Education.  This course will introduce the student to the field of education as well as the requirements of Huntington University’s teacher education program.  Following Introduction to Education, students will take a variety of education courses to better prepare the future educator, including courses in psychology, curriculum, management, and methods. 

An essential part of the preparation to teach is practical experience.  Throughout the teacher education program, students will gain experience in the classroom.  During the sophomore year, students are asked to take the sophomore practicum experience.  This experience will give students an initial opportunity to explore the teaching career.  Students will have in-class experiences in their content methods course (ED 410 MAT) as well as full time experience in a January term prior to the student teaching semester.  Classroom practicums will span both high school and middle school as well as city and small town experiences.  The culminating experience is the semester long student teaching where the student will receive full responsibilities for a classroom for at least 6 weeks.

To be admitted to the teacher education program, students apply during their sophomore year.  The application process requires passing scores on the Praxis II exams (information about these exams can be obtained from the education office or online at www.ets.org/praxis -- passing scores are 172 in writing, 175 in mathematics, and 176 in reading), a university GPA of 2.5 or above, a major GPA of 2.5 or above, positive recommendations, and an interview that requires an initial portfolio check.  Students begin to create a portfolio in their sophomore year that will be completed during their student teaching semester.  The portfolio is used to provide a snapshot of the future teacher’s views on philosophy of education, classroom management, learning, effective means of instruction, and so on.  Documents for the portfolio will come from various course work throughout the preparation.

During the junior year, the student will apply for student teaching through the education department.  To gain a student teaching placement, all requirements for admittance to the teacher education program must be maintained.  Also, the student must pass the Praxis II exam (information about this exam can be obtained from the education office or online at www.ets.org/praxis ), which is a content examination in mathematics.  Passing of this exam also meets the graduation requirement for the mathematics department. 

The Secondary Mathematics Methods course (ED 410 MAT) is the primary course for development of instructional techniques in mathematics.  In this course future teachers will explore current national and state standards for teaching while implementing innovative instructional techniques in a lab-type setting.  Currently the math education majors work with home-schooled students during classes while also gaining experience in the local public schools.  As a part of the course, students will gain membership to and attend the Indiana Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) conference.  Membership in ICTM and NCTM (the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) is highly encouraged for all future math teachers.  These professional organizations provide a forum for continued development as a teacher beyond the undergraduate degree.

In recent years we have begun recommending math education majors to take the Elementary Mathematics courses required for elementary education majors (MA 111 and MA 112).  In these courses arithmetic and geometry are analyzed and instructional methodologies for teaching these areas are explored.  MA 111 primarily focuses on arithmetic while MA 112 focuses on geometry and statistics.  Students may take these courses for credit or as audit.  The courses will show on your university transcripts as elective credits.  Often student teachers who have taken the courses will remark on how much better prepared they were in certain areas because they elected to take these courses.

Teaching is a wonderful mission that provides many challenges and opportunities.  By touching the lives of a classroom full of students, you could, in effect, be touching thousands of lives.  At Huntington University we seek to help our mathematics education graduates excel in their fields.  Huntington University graduates fill many classrooms throughout the Midwest and beyond, maintaining high standards professionally while touching the lives of many students.