NCTM New and Noteworthy

Do your students suppose that 1/3 is greater than 1/2, since 3 is greater than 2? Do they believe that having “halves” means having two, and only two, congruent “pieces” of a whole? This book focuses on the specialized pedagogical content knowledge that you need to teach fractions effectively in grades 3–5. The authors demonstrate how to use this multifaceted knowledge to address the big ideas and essential understandings that students must develop for success with fractions—not only in their current work, but also in higher-level mathematics and a myriad of real-world contexts. Read more.

 NCTM’s Essential Understanding Series allows teachers to reinforce their content knowledge through clear, concise explanations of the “big ideas”—mathematical statements of overarching concepts that are central to a mathematical topic—and “essential understanding”—smaller, more concrete ideas associated with each big idea. Learn more about these new books in the Essential Understanding Series: Developing Essential Understanding of Algebraic Thinking for Teaching Mathematics in Grades 3–5 and Developing Essential Understanding of Multiplication and Division for Teaching Mathematics in Grades 3–5. 
 

What happens when you form partnerships between researchers and mathematics education professionals? Disrupting Tradition: Research and Practice Pathways in Mathematics Education offers insights into, and examples of, the role that research plays in supporting and improving school mathematics while raising valuable questions for the education community. What lessons have been learned from collaborations? What forms have research and practice activities taken?

Can you explain why order matters in subtraction but not in addition? Or why it is false to assert that the sum of any two whole numbers is greater than either number? Learn why—and more—with Developing Essential Understanding of Addition and Subtraction for Teaching Mathematics in Pre-K-Grade 2. The book is organized around two big ideas supported by smaller, more specific, interconnected ideas (essential understandings). Gaining an understanding about addition and subtraction is essential as they are the foundation for students’ later learning of multiplication and division.