Mathematics

We strive to educate students in all levels of mathematics. Our goal is to teach students to be fluent in numbers and also to understand the nuances of mathematics and its role in our culture. We believe that mathematics is a universal language and mastering its many aspects is necessary to be a productive global citizen.

The Math department at University Prep combines a traditional curriculum and innovative teaching styles. In the Middle School we fuse the two by using an inquiry, project-based approach in the 6th and 7th grade, which is supplemented by traditional skill building. This allows students to learn concepts through a variety of methods, ensuring that the lessons are accessible to all students. It also means that students can also do the math that they understand so well.

In the Upper School, we follow a very traditional algebraic curriculum focusing on the fundamentals. In geometry, however, our program is a technology-based geometry program, which allows our students to learn geometry and model mathematical ideas through dynamic sketches. This experience gives the students the ability to think at a deeper level about mathematics than the static approach of more traditional geometry. This perspective is one that stays with them throughout our math sequence, as algebra and geometry come together in Pre-Calculus and Calculus.

We use a variety of assessments in all of our classes. In Middle School, especially in 6th and 7th grade, assessment tends to be project based. While students still take the traditional tests and quizzes, there are many more opportunities for them to delve deeper into the material using a more hands-on approach. Some recent projects have included, writing a math children's book to solidify prior knowledge, learning percents through sports and creating a Sports Center video, using Geometer Sketchpad to create tessellation designs, designing and drawing their dream house to learn proportions, and collecting and analyzing their daily garbage to understand statistics.

In the Upper School, most of our major assessments are traditional tests and quizzes. However, we do many other types of assessment to allow students to show what they know in a variety of ways. These include posters, presentations, experiments with write-ups, and oral tests. In the Upper School, classes end the semester with a cumulative final exam.


Faculty

Puma Pride:


“U Prep is a fun and inclusive environment where you get what you need in order to do the best that you can.”   Robert, eighth grade