Putting Essential Understanding of Functions Into Practice in Grades 9-12


Book Description

Do your students think that the vertical line test is indispensable and foolproof for determining whether a relationship is a function? Do they believe that every function can be modeled by an equation? Do they interpret the graph of a function as the function itself? What tasks can you offer - what questions can you ask - to determine what they know or don’t know - and move them forward in their thinking? This book focuses on the specialized pedagogical content knowledge that you need to teach functions effectively in grades 9–12. The authors demonstrate how to use this multifaceted knowledge to address the big ideas and essential understandings that students must develop for success with functions - not only in their current work, but also in higher-level mathematics and a myriad of real-world contexts. Explore rich, research-based strategies and tasks that show how students are reasoning about and making sense of functions. Use the opportunities that these and similar tasks provide to build on their understanding while identifying and correcting misunderstandings that may be keeping them from taking the next steps in learning. You have essential understanding. It’s time to put it into practice in your teaching. The Putting Essential Understanding into Practice Series moves NCTM’s Essential Understanding Series into the classroom. The new series details and explores best practices for teaching the essential ideas that students must grasp about fundamental topics in mathematics - topics that are challenging to learn and teach but are critical to the development of mathematical understanding. Classroom vignettes and samples of student work bring each topic to life, and questions for reader reflection open it up for hands-on exploration. Each volume underscores connections with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics while highlighting the knowledge of learners, curriculum, instructional strategies, and assessment that pedagogical content knowledge entails. Resources and tasks are available at nctm.org/more4U. Maximize the potential of student-centered learning and teaching by putting essential understanding into practice.




Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Teaching Secondary Math


Book Description

Let’s face it, teaching secondary math can be hard. So much about how we teach math today may look and feel different from how we learned it. Teaching math in a student-centered way changes the role of the teacher from one who traditionally "delivers knowledge" to one who fosters thinking. Most importantly, we must ensure our practice gives each and every student the opportunity to learn, grow, and achieve at high levels, while providing opportunities to develop their agency and authority in the classroom which results in a positive math identity. Whether you are a brand new teacher or a veteran, if you find teaching math to be quite the challenge, this is the guide you want by your side. Designed for just-in-time learning and support, this practical resource gives you brief, actionable answers to your most pressing questions about teaching secondary math. Written by four experienced math educators representing diverse experiences, these authors offer the practical advice they wish they received years ago, from lessons they′ve learned over decades of practice, research, coaching, and through collaborating with teams, teachers and colleagues—especially new teachers—every day. Questions and answers are organized into five areas of effort that will help you most thrive in your secondary math classroom: How do I build a positive math community? How do I structure, organize, and manage my math class? How do I engage my students in math? How do I help my students talk about math? How do I know what my students know and move them forward? Woven throughout, you′ll find helpful sidebar notes on fostering identity and agency; access and equity; teaching in different settings; and invaluable resources for deeper learning. The final question—Where do I go from here?— offers guidance for growing your practice over time. Strive to become the best math educator you can be; your students are counting on it! What will be your first step on the journey?




Developing Essential Understanding of Expressions, Equations, and Functions for Teaching Mathematics in Grades 6-8


Book Description

Why do some equations have one solution, others two or even more solutions and some no solutions? Why do we sometimes need to ""switch"" the direction of an inequality symbol in solving an inequality? What could you say if a student described a function as an equation? How much do you know...and how much do you need to know? Helping your students develop a robust understanding of expressions, equations and functions requires that you understand this mathematics deeply. But what does that mean? This book focuses on essential knowledge for teachers about expressions, equations and functions. It is organised around five big ideas, supported by multiple smaller, interconnected ideas - essential understandings. Taking you beyond a simple introduction to expressions, equations and functions, the book will broaden and deepen your mathematical understanding of one of the most challenging topics for students - and teachers. It will help you engage your students, anticipate their perplexities, avoid pitfalls and dispel misconceptions. You will also learn to develop appropriate tasks, techniques and tools for assessing students' understanding of the topic. Focus on the ideas that you need to understand thoroughly to teach confidently.




The Common Core Mathematics Companion: The Standards Decoded, High School


Book Description

Your User’s Guide to the Mathematics Standards When it comes to mathematics, standards aligned is achievement aligned... In the short time since The Common Core Mathematics Companions for grades K–2, 3–5 and 6–8 burst on the scene, they have been lauded as the best resources for making critical mathematics ideas easy to teach. With this brand-new volume, high school mathematics success is at your fingertips. Page by page, the authors lay out the pieces of an in-depth explanation, including The mathematical progression of each conceptual category, starting with modeling as a unifying theme, and moving through number & quantity, algebra, functions, geometry, and statistics and probability, building from the 8th grade standards The mathematics embedded in each conceptual category for a deeper understanding of the content How standards connect within and across domains, and to previous grade standards, so teachers can better appreciate how they relate How standards connect with the standards for mathematical practice, with a focus on modeling as a unifying theme Example tasks, progressions of tasks, and descriptions of what teachers and students should be doing to foster deep learning The Common Core Mathematics Companion: The Standards Decoded, High School has what every high school teacher needs to provide students with the foundation for the concepts and skills they will be expected to know .




Your Mathematics Standards Companion, High School


Book Description

Transforming the standards into learning outcomes just got a lot easier In this resource, you can see in an instant how teaching to your state standards should look and sound in the classroom. Under the premise that math is math, the authors provide a Cross-Referencing Index for states implementing their own specific mathematics standards, allowing you to see and understand which page number to turn to for standards-based teaching ideas. It’s all here, page by page: The mathematical progression of each conceptual category, starting with modeling as a unifying theme and moving through number and quantity, algebra, functions, geometry, and statistics and probability, building from eighth-grade standards The mathematics embedded in each conceptual category for a deeper understanding of the content How standards connect within and across domains and to previous grade standards, so teachers can better appreciate how they relate How content standards connect with the standards for mathematical practice, with a focus on modeling as a unifying theme Example tasks, progressions of tasks, and descriptions of what teachers and students should be doing to foster deep learning Your Mathematics Standards Companion is your one-stop guide for teaching, planning, assessing, collaborating, and designing powerful high school mathematics curriculum in any state or district.




Concept-Based Mathematics


Book Description

Give math students the connections between what they learn and how they do math—and suddenly math makes sense If your secondary-school students are fearful of or frustrated by math, it’s time for a new approach. When you teach concepts rather than rote processes, you help students discover their own natural mathematical abilities. This book is a road map to retooling how you teach math in a deep, clear, and meaningful way to help students achieve higher-order thinking skills. Jennifer Wathall shows you how to plan units, engage students, assess understanding, incorporate technology, and there’s even a companion website with additional resources.







Principles to Actions


Book Description

This text offers guidance to teachers, mathematics coaches, administrators, parents, and policymakers. This book: provides a research-based description of eight essential mathematics teaching practices ; describes the conditions, structures, and policies that must support the teaching practices ; builds on NCTM's Principles and Standards for School Mathematics and supports implementation of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics to attain much higher levels of mathematics achievement for all students ; identifies obstacles, unproductive and productive beliefs, and key actions that must be understood, acknowledged, and addressed by all stakeholders ; encourages teachers of mathematics to engage students in mathematical thinking, reasoning, and sense making to significantly strengthen teaching and learning.




Teaching Mathematics in Grades 6 - 12


Book Description

Teaching Mathematics in Grades 6 - 12 by Randall E. Groth explores how research in mathematics education can inform teaching practice in grades 6-12. The author shows preservice mathematics teachers the value of being a "researcher—constantly experimenting with methods for developing students' mathematical thinking—and connecting this research to practices that enhance students' understanding of the material. Ultimately, preservice teachers will gain a deeper understanding of the types of mathematical knowledge students bring to school, and how students' thinking may develop in response to different teaching strategies.




Standards for Preparing Teachers of Mathematics


Book Description

Also available in a black + white version AMTE, in the Standards for Preparing Teachers of Mathematics (SPTM), puts forward a national vision of initial preparation for all Pre-K–12 teachers who teach mathematics. SPTM contains critical messages for all who teach mathematics, including elementary school teachers teaching all disciplines, middle and high school mathematics teachers who may teach mathematics exclusively, special education teachers, teachers of emergent multilingual students, and other teaching professionals and administrators who have responsibility for students’ mathematical learning. SPTM has broad implications for teacher preparation programs, in which stakeholders include faculty and administrators in both education and mathematics at the university level; teachers, principals, and district leaders in the schools with which preparation programs partner; and the communities in which preparation programs and their school partners are situated. SPTM is intended as a national guide that articulates a vision for mathematics teacher preparation and supports the continuous improvement of teacher preparation programs. Such continuous improvement includes changes to preparation program courses and structures, partnerships involving schools and universities and their leaders, the ongoing accreditation of such programs regionally and nationally, and the shaping of state and national mathematics teacher preparation policy. SPTM is also designed to inform assessment practices for mathematics teacher preparation programs, to influence policies related to preparation of teachers of mathematics, and to promote national dialogue around preparing teachers of mathematics. The vision articulated in SPTM is aspirational in that it describes a set of high expectations for developing a well-prepared beginning teacher of mathematics who can support meaningful student learning. The vision is research-based and establishes a set of goals for the continued development and refinement of a mathematics teacher preparation program and a research agenda for the study of the effects of such a program. SPTM contains detailed depictions of what a well-prepared beginning teacher knows and is able to do related to content, pedagogy, and disposition, and what a strong preparation program entails with respect to learning experiences, assessments, and partnerships. Stakeholders in mathematics teacher preparation will find messages related to their roles. Standards for Preparing Teachers of Mathematics includes standards and indicators for teacher candidates and for the design of teacher preparation programs. SPTM outlines assessment practices related to overall quality, program effectiveness, and candidate performance. SPTM describes specific focal practices by grade band and provides guidance to stakeholders regarding processes for productive change.