Algebra for Secondary Mathematics Teaching builds deep pedagogical content knowledge for M.A. Mathematics Education candidates — algebra's conceptual underpinnings, common misconceptions, and historical/cultural context.
What C880 covers
The course explores important conceptual underpinnings, common misconceptions and students' ways of thinking, appropriate use of technology, and instructional practices to support and assess the learning of algebra. Secondary teachers should understand algebra as an extension of number, operation, and quantity; equivalence; patterns of change as covariation; connections between representations; and the historical development of content and perspectives from diverse cultures.
The course focuses on deeper understanding of rational numbers, ratios and proportions, meaning and use of variables, functions, and inverses. Calculus I is a prerequisite for this course.
The C880 performance assessment
Expect a performance assessment requiring you to identify a common algebra misconception and design instruction that directly addresses it using multiple representations.
Key topics in C880
- Algebra as extension of number and operation
- Common student misconceptions
- Multiple representations (tables, graphs, equations)
- Historical/cultural perspectives on algebra
Writing tips for C880
Follow the task instructions and rubric line by line
WGU performance assessments for C880 are graded against a fixed rubric — every rubric line has to be visibly addressed, usually with a labeled heading that mirrors the rubric language. Skipping a rubric point because it seems minor is the single most common reason a competent submission comes back "Not Yet Competent" for revision.
Ground every claim in a specific classroom scenario, not teaching in the abstract
Education courses like C880 typically ask you to apply theory to a specific grade level, subject, or student population rather than write about teaching generically. Evaluators are checking whether your reasoning fits that concrete classroom situation.
Because WGU is self-paced, don't let "no deadline pressure" become no submission
There's no weekly due date forcing progress, which means procrastination costs more at WGU than at a traditional term-based school — a stalled task can quietly eat weeks of a term. Treat your own target date for each C880 assessment as a real deadline.
Stuck on your C880 task?
Our writers know WGU's competency-based format and this course's performance assessment. Get an original, properly cited paper matched to your task instructions.
Why students seek help with C880
Candidates sometimes design instruction without explicitly identifying and addressing a specific common misconception — the rubric typically wants that misconception named and directly targeted.
How GradeEssays helps with C880
Share your algebra topic and rubric, and your writer will build instruction that explicitly identifies and addresses a specific common student misconception.
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Place Your Order View All ServicesPrerequisites and program context
C880 requires Calculus I as a prerequisite.
- Master of Arts in Mathematics Education (Middle Grades)
- Master of Arts in Mathematics Education (Secondary)