Making Sense of the Math
Common Core in Practice
November 12, 2014
This special report鈥攖he latest in an ongoing series on high-priority issues in K-12 education鈥攍ooks at how the Common Core State Standards are changing instruction in mathematics. It explores how schools and teachers are adjusting their practices and shows where there are gaps in support and understanding.
- Standards & Accountability News in Brief Where's the Training?The United States has produced plenty of inspiring, fresh approaches to teaching math. The problem is that it has dropped the ball on implementing them.Standards & Accountability News in Brief 'Plus' Standards Spur Course ChangesClose readers of the common-core standards for math will notice that in the high school section, some items are marked with a plus sign (+). Those are the so-called "plus standards," designed to go beyond the general expectations and prepare students for advanced math courses.Standards & Accountability News in Brief Math Instructional Materials VettedA new group billing itself as a "Consumer Reports for school materials" will soon begin posting free online reviews of major textbooks and curricula that purport to be aligned to the Common Core State Standards鈥攁n effort, some say, that has the potential to shake up the market.Standards & Accountability News in Brief NCTM Issues Practice Guide for TeachersThe National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has released a document that aims to describe in detail what teachers and education leaders need to do in practice to help students meet the expectations of the Common Core State Standards for math.Standards & Accountability News in Brief Researcher Isolates Common-Core Math Implementation ProblemsIn a recent talk for education journalists, William Schmidt, a researcher and education professor at Michigan State University, in East Lansing, laid out what he sees as the four major problems with how the Common Core State Standards for math are being implemented in schools.Standards & Accountability Fractions by Grade Level Under the Common CoreUnder the Common Core State Standards in mathematics, fractions instruction extends across grades 3 through 6.Federal Math-Exam Performance Tasks Ratchet Up Expectations, AnxietyThe state consortia charged with developing common-core-aligned assessments take steps to address concerns about potential bias and difficulty level in the performance-based questions.
Standards & Accountability Common Core Redoes the Math69传媒 and teachers face complex challenges and competing demands as they work toward implementing the new math standards.Standards & Accountability Approach to Fractions Seen as Key Shift in Common StandardsThe common core's emphasis on fractions as points on a number line offers a window into the framework's divergence from past conventions.
Standards & Accountability Under Common Core, Teachers Band Together to Build Math 'Coherence'The common standards for math put a heavy emphasis on coherent instruction, prompting efforts to familiarize teachers with standards for grade levels beyond their own.Standards & Accountability In Light of Common Core, Ed. 69传媒 Look to Transform Math-Teacher PrepA unique partnership of education schools is exploring ways to adapt secondary-math training programs to the new math standards.
Standards & Accountability In Transition to Common Core, Some High 69传媒 Turn to 'Integrated' MathLong a staple of the high school curriculum, the mathematics-course sequence of Algebra 1, geometry, and Algebra 2 is facing a budding challenge as schools transition to the Common Core State Standards.
Standards & Accountability Q&A Q&A: Behind the Math StandardsWilliam G. McCallum, a lead writer of the common-core math standards, discusses the aims, effects, and criticism of the framework.
Standards & Accountability Common-Core Math Standards Put New Focus on English-LearnersWith their heightened emphasis on language and explication, the new math standards pose unique challenges for students who are not fully proficient in English.
Coverage of efforts to implement college- and career-ready standards for all students is supported in part by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, at www.gatesfoundation.org. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.