PUMP Algebra's Philosophy:

The PUMP curriculum has been developed collaboratively between Bill Hadley and the other teachers in the Pittsburgh Urban Mathematics Project.

PUMP Principles

• Learning occurs best through dialogue, discussion, and interaction
• Students must be actively involved in the process
• A variety of models must be used to meet the needs of all students (e.g. working individually, in pairs, and in cooperative groups)
• Students benefit from reading, critiquing, and revising each others work
• A discovery approach to learning engages the learner and allows him or her to own the process
• The discovery approach should lead to creating the rules, language and structure of mathematics.

Underlying Assumptions

• Algebra for ALL Students
• Functional Approach
• Students Constructing Own Knowledge
• Modeling "Real World" Problems
• "Doing" Mathematics
• Problem-Solving
• Multiple Representations
• Macro-Procedures
• Integration of Mathematical Concepts
• Student-Centered Classroom
• Cooperative Learning
• Reading, Writing and Presenting to Learn Mathematics
• Teacher as Facilitator
• Multiple Types of Assessments
• Use of Tools - Calculators, Manipulatives, etc.