The Geffen Academy Mathematics Department program is based on the following pillars.
We teach mathematics in depth. This means that we explain concepts with proofs and we require students to think conceptually and to understand proofs. Students are trained to derive mathematical formulas from founding principles rather than simply to memorize them.
Our approach to teaching math is holistic: we show that algebra, geometry, combinatorics, number theory, etc. are not separate subjects but rather different faces of the same structure. Our general courses bear standard names--Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Geometry, and so forth--but we teach them holistically and with proofs. Students find quite a bit of Geometry in our Algebra courses and vice versa.
We thoroughly prepare our students for standardized tests, including the SAT and ACT.
Our Advanced Calculus courses bridge the gap between secondary school and college, as they are college-level courses taught at a secondary-school pace with much more attention to students than colleges can typically offer.
We accommodate students with different preparation skills and enthusiasm for math. While an initial class determination is based on a comprehensive placement test, the math department educators regularly evaluate our students’ progress and needs.