Data from large-scale assessments must be used with caution when making judgments about individual student performance because of the narrow constraints of the types of knowledge and skills that can be assessed through such a format.
Procedural fluency is a critical component mathematical proficiency and is more than memorizing facts and procedures.
Algebra is not confined to a course or set of courses but is a strand that unfolds across a pre-K–12 curriculum.
Practices
that support access and equity require comprehensive understanding and require
being responsive to students’ backgrounds, experiences, cultural
perspectives, traditions, and knowledge.
Young learners’ future understanding of mathematics requires
an early foundation based on a high-quality, challenging, and accessible
mathematics education.
Mentorship
is important in shaping and developing the next generation of teachers,
particularly as expectations for students become more rigorous.
The Common Core State Standards offer a foundation for the
development of more rigorous, focused, and coherent mathematics curricula,
instruction, and assessments that promote conceptual understanding and
reasoning as well as skill fluency.
Computer science should be incorporated into the curriculum in a way that enhances, rather than limits, students’ college and career readiness in mathematics.
For too long, our educational systems have privileged some students in the mathematics classroom while marginalizing others.
Professional
development courses and workshops for future and current teachers need to model
effective pedagogies for teaching statistics, in addition to focusing on
developing understanding of statistical concepts, mastery of statistical
content, and knowledge of the essential ideas of statistical thinking and
problem solving. (A
joint position statement of the American Statistical Association and the
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.)
Collaboration between researchers and school personnel
provides integrated perspectives for addressing critical issues in mathematics
teaching and learning.
The
ultimate goal of the K–12 mathematics curriculum should not be to get students
into and through a course in calculus by twelfth grade but to have established
the mathematical foundation that will enable students to pursue whatever course
of study interests them when they get to college. (A joint
position statement of the Mathematical Association of America and the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics.)
Large-scale mathematics assessments should not be used as the sole source of information to make high-stakes decisions about schools, teachers, and students.
Much of the achievement gap in mathematics is a function of
differential instructional opportunities. All students should have the opportunity to receive high-quality
mathematics instruction, learn challenging grade-level content, and receive the
support necessary to be successful.
To teach mathematics with high expectations means that teachers recognize that each and every student, from prekindergarten through college, is able to solve challenging mathematical tasks.
Calculators in the elementary grades serve as aids in advancing student understanding without replacing the need for other calculation methods.
Students need to develop an understanding of metric system
units and relationships, as well as fluency in applying the metric system to
real-world situations.
This updated joint position of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE), the Association of State Supervisors of Mathematics (ASSM), NCSM: Leadership in Mathematics Education (NCSM) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) calls for elementary mathematics specialists to help ensure equitable and effective mathematics learning for each and every student.
A coherent, well-articulated curriculum is an essential tool for guiding teacher collaboration, goal-setting, analysis of student thinking, and implementation.
Professional growth and support should be the foremost goals of any teacher evaluation process, which should be led by those knowledgeable about effective mathematics instruction.
Students with exceptional mathematical promise must be engaged in enriching learning opportunities to allow them to pursue their interests, develop their talent, and maintain their passion for mathematics.
Students
need a strong mathematics foundation to succeed in STEM fields and to make
sense of STEM-related topics in their daily lives.
Technology is a catalyst for change and innovation in our global society. Technology advancements allow for building mathematical models as well as exploring large data sets in ways that seemed inconceivable even a decade ago. Such advances in technology must be reflected in mathematics programs and class- rooms in ways that are thoughtful and keep the learning of mathematics at the forefront of students’ experiences.