Plane and Solid Geometry Essentials

About the Book

In one textbook, Plane and Solid Geometry Essentials presents all the foundational materials of a semester and a half of high school geometry! It incorporates the impressive teaching methods of Professors H. Fawcett and George Polya plus suggestions from the fifth and thirteenth yearbooks of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the 1950's yearbook of Central Association of Science and Math Teachers (now School Science and Mathematics Association). This text prepares students with the Plane and Solid Geeometry needed for the for the first year calculus as well the trades and decision making. James Elander's career of high school and college teaching provides insight into what students and teachers need to make learning enjoyable, gratifying, and learn the skills of decision-making!

About the Author

Jim Elander, after serving in World War II, attended Western Illinois University under the GI bill. He began his teaching career at a small school in Mazon, Illinois, where he taught all the math courses plus Physics and Chemistry. He learned a lot about teaching at this small school of 120 students!

After a few years, he completed a post graduate math degree at Illinois State University. He then taught one year at Dixon, Illinois (home town of President Ronald Reagan) followed by a summer General Electric Math fellowship for teachers at Purdue University. Jim accepted a wonderful opportunity to teach math at Oak Park and River Forest High School, Oak Park, Illinois, a school of 2,500 to 4,000 students. While at Oak Park, he was president of two professional Math organizations, Metropolitan Mathematics Club of Chicago, and the Central Association of Science and Mathematics Teachers (now SSMA). While at Oak Park, he attended three National Science programs at Western Michigan University, and was appointed Chairman of the Math Department for the rest of his high school teaching career.

In the 1980’s, Jim accepted a position in the Math Department at North Central College, and published an innovative Geometry Text (1992) that capitalized on the recommendations of the 5th and 13th yearbooks of the National Council Teachers of Mathematics. This new geometry text teaches the essentials of Plane and Solid Geometry in one year, plus Critical Thinking skills. The teaching of critical thinking was the original function of teaching GEOMETRY by the ancient Greeks in Athens.

After first retiring to Missoula, Montana, Jim is now enjoying living in Naples, Florida.