Program Type
Bachelors of Science
Estimated Time to Complete
Four Years
Format
On Campus, Off Campus and Hybrid
Program Description
A Bachelor of Science in Secondary Mathematics Education is designed to produce graduates qualified to pursue careers as math teachers in grades 5-12 in the Turtle Mountain area or across North Dakota and the United States. Candidates who complete the program will have passed all Praxis examinations and completed student teaching, becoming highly-qualified, licensed math teachers. Graduates will be fully equipped to engage students with Indigenous ways of teaching and learning, as well as Indigenous math, in balance with the Western perspective, to advance opportunities for all students.
Students entering the 4-year program should declare a B.S. in Secondary Math Education in their freshman year. Candidates will take approximately two math courses each semester, beginning in their freshman year, and two education courses each semester, beginning in their sophomore year. A cohort structure begins in the junior year, with each cohort capped at 15 students. Cohorts begin every two years. The program is designed to ensure candidates take the required courses in 8 semesters.
Mission
Before colonization and assimilation, Indigenous communities had their own mathematics system, but today, various communities have limited knowledge about Indigenous math. The mission of the Bachelor of Science in Secondary Mathematics Education degree program at Turtle Mountain College is to prepare future middle school and high school math teachers with content and pedagogical knowledge from a balanced perspective of Western and Indigenous ways of knowing – two-eyed seeing. “We have come to understand that Western mathematics and Indigenous mathematizing can be viewed as having complementary strengths. Recognizing the strengths of each will maximize mathematical learning for all students” (Sterenberg & O’Conner, 2018, p.185, cited in Meyer & Aikenhead, 2021, p.129-130). Further, strong K-16 math eduction is essential for economic and political self-determination of Native nations.
Application Deadline
Review the TMC Academic Calendar for admissions & registration deadlines for each semester.
Interested students are encouraged to contact the Secondary Math Education faculty/advisor to learn more about the cohort system.
Career Outlook
The goal of this program is for students to earn their degree and become highly qualified, fully licensed secondary math teachers in the school or community where they grew up. They will be prepared to teach students from a balanced perspective integrating Western math, Indigenous Math, Western ways of teaching and learning, and Indigenous ways of teaching and learning. They will be prepared to teach secondary math anywhere in the United States and beyond.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the program will be proficient in six Program Learning Outcomes that align with the Indigenous Math Education Framework. Each of the six Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) has a one-sentence description, an assessment plan, and a list of the core courses designed/assigned for students to reach proficiency in that PLO.
Figure: Indigenous Math Education Framework
Western Math PLO:
- Students will demonstrate proficiency in the North Dakota required math content standards.
- Assessment – Praxis II results, ND ESPB Standards 11010.1-5
- Core Courses – MATH 366, MATH 380, MATH 480
Indigenous Math PLO:
- Students will articulate Indigenous mathematics that is place-based and language-specific.
- Assessment – Indigenous Math Community Presentations
- Core Courses – MATH 172, MATH 272, MATH 372
Two-Eyed Balanced Math PLO:
- Students will articulate the connections between Indigenous Math and the North Dakota secondary math content standards.
- Assessment – Instructional Tools Portfolio, When Will I Ever Use This Math Portfolio
- Core Courses – MATH 341, MATH 342, MATH 364
Western Ways of Teaching & Learning PLO:
- Teacher candidates will demonstrate proficiency in the North Dakota required pedagogical standards.
- Assessment – Praxis II results, ND ESPB Standards 11010.6-7, InTASC Assessments 1-10
- Core Courses – EDUC 299, EDUC 329, EDUC 353, EDUC 414/415, EDUC 472
Indigenous Ways of Teaching & Learning PLO:
- Teacher candidates will implement Indigenous ways of teaching, learning, and knowing (e.g. decolonizing, community, and place-based education).
- Assessment – Indigenous Math Community Presentations
- Core Courses – MATH 172, MATH 272, MATH 372
Two-Eyed Balanced Education PLO:
- Teacher candidates will implement pedagogical practices at the intersection of Western education and Indigenous ways of teaching, learning, and being (e.g. collaborative, student-centered, equitable, and caring pedagogical practices).
- Assessment – Unit Plan, Instructional Tools Portfolio, When Will I Ever Use This Math Portfolio
- Core Courses – EDUC 320, EDUC 472, MATH 341, MATH 342, MATH 364
Credit Hours
Total Credits for the 4-year Program: 120
- Breakdown for General courses: 34
- Breakdown for EDUC courses: 38
- Breakdown for MATH courses: 48
Admissions Requirements
Program Degree Graduation Requirements:
- Cumulative GPA of at least 2.75
- Teaching Specialty (Math Prefix Courses) GPA of at least 2.75
- Pass All Courses
- Pass Praxis I/Core, Praxis II PLT, and Praxis II Math
Requirements
Requirements
Program Required Courses
Program Requirements
Program of Study
This is only a template, not a required schedule to follow:
Total Credits Required: 121