Poučavanje algebre iz perspektive učitelja.

The diploma thesis addresses the topic of teaching algebra from the teacher’s perspective. It answers the questions that math teachers encounter in teaching algebra. The matter of initial motivation of students and examples that can be presented as arguments in support of usefulness and interestingness of algebra were being addressed. The thesis further deals with specifics of teaching algebra and the particular category of knowledge that algebra teacher must possess and that is a combination of professional mathematical knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. The thesis advocates for teaching algebra using authentic examples from real life, which it titles as algebra in context. Relationship between automatic problem solving, or usage of standardised methods, and flexible algebraic thinking is being considered which concludes on the need for both skills to be mastered. It reflects on the most common student mistakes in algebra, their causes and learning opportunities that are opened by them. The thesis also touches on the proofs in teaching algebra and their utility in development of critical thinking in students, but also in motivation that the intellectual reward in proving brings. At the very end of the thesis, through two examples, one can see how to connect pattern search with the functions, and a way to introduce domain, codomain and range function into classes.