Enhancing Classroom Practice with Research behind Principles to Actions

For many mathematics educators, research might seem remote from their day-to-day activities. This book makes research about the big ideas in Principles to Actions concrete by offering examples, from classroom practice, of best practices in action.

The book summarizes and synthesizes the research behind the guiding principles and essential elements that form the heart of Principles to Actions, NCTM’s statement on best practices in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Then, linking research to practice, it gives readers a flavor of what a principle or an element might look like in practice, in a classroom.

School- and university-based mathematics educators collaborated in writing this book, combining and integrating their expertise. The result is a text that reflects a balance of research and practice examples.

The powerful combination of research and classroom examples makes this book a useful resource for many audiences.

• Classroom teachers: Gain insights into enhancing their practice by experimenting with the ideas presented in the various chapters.
• Administrators: Get a sense of what to expect to see in mathematics classrooms.
• Professional development providers: Use this book as a springboard for discussion among groups of teachers or suggest particular chapters to individual teachers seeking to improve a particular aspect of practice.
• Teacher educators: Make use of references and examples in course with preservice and in-service teachers to help them understand the research base for the best practices in teaching.