The extensive programs offered through RUSMP are unified through a common philosophy of curriculum and instruction. This philosophy is summarized in RUSMP's teaching goals and is enacted through the curriculum and the RUSMP Learning Plan.
RUSMP's Teaching Goals:
- Develop important mathematical concepts
- Emphasize student thinking, activities, creativity, and products
- Make connections with the real world, with other disciplines, and in particular, with science
- Integrate manipulatives, calculators, and computers
- Foster discovery and group activities
RUSMP developed a curriculum framework that supports student creativity and active learning in all of our programs. This curriculum rests on an underlying philosophy of how children learn mathematics and is coherent with guidelines developed by NCTM. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, when school reform was at a peak, Jerome Bruner suggested that for children to learn a discipline such as history or mathematics, schools should design curricula that have children doing what the professionals in the discipline do. The RUSMP curriculum embodies this approach with a focus on mathematical content and processes. Here, content is defined as what mathematicians know and process as what mathematicians do.
RUSMP Learning Plan
The way mathematics is taught depends on beliefs about the nature of mathematics and assumptions about how students learn. To address these issues, RUSMP has designed a Learning Plan for organizing classroom instruction.
Curriculum Matrices
An outline of the content and material developed for the RUSMP summer and urban programs.
The Geometry Module
RUSMP developed the Geometry Module as a comprehensive teacher training module with funding from the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Geometry Module effectively assists teachers in developing a deeper understanding of the underlying concepts that support the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in Geometry and helps teachers develop the pedagogical tools necessary to provide their students the opportunity to meet Texas’ challenging state content and student performance standards. The Math Forum recognized RUSMP's Geometry Module as exemplary mathematics curriculum for mathematics educators.
Elaine Young, Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, has developed activities for The Geometer's Sketchpad correlated to the Geometry Module with funding from the Texas Teacher Quality grant program.
Measure IT!
RUSMP developed this measurement unit for grades 3-5. Both student and instructor documents are available. This project was funded in part by the Education Foundation of Harris County and the Harris County Department of Education.
Polyhedra: Learning by Building
RUSMP supported the development of the "Polyhedra: Learning by Building" project. In this project large, brightly colored triangles are used to create polyhedra.
Algebra Online
RUSMP in collaboration with the Houston Independent School District produced 23 videos on algebra for teachers. These videos are aired weekly on cable television in the Houston area and are designed to provide support for teachers as they plan instruction of important concepts in mathematics.
Action Algebra
During the 2005-2006 school year, RUSMP's Director in collaboration with the Houston Independent School District produced the cable television show, Action Algebra. Action Algebra, HISD's live, interactive, after-school math show appeared every Wednesday 3:45-4:45 p.m., on Warner cable, channel 18. On-air teachers presented a 15-20 minute lesson and then took calls from students.
Mathematics Assessment Project
A joint collaboration of RUSMP, the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) and the Alief ISD. This document includes mathematical assessments, answer keys and rubrics for grades 5-12. It also includes an annotated bibliography of assessment resources and a list of assessment related websites.
Instructional Resources
Links to instructional resources that have been developed by RUSMP