Prof. Lynn Arthur Steen and reform mathematics

Dave Marain at MathNotations has conducted an online interview with Prof.
Steen, one of the principal architects of the original NCTM Standards
and one of the most highly respected voices in reform mathematics
today.

This is how Dave describes the interview:

His replies to my questions are thoughtful, honest and
provocative.

Regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with Prof.
Steen's views, we need to open up this kind of dialog in order to end
the Math Wars and move on in the best interests of our children.

In this first part of the interview, prof. Steen talks about for example the incoherency of math standards in various states learning basic arithmetic facts.

Prof. Lynn Arthur Steen and reform mathematics

Dave Marain at MathNotations has conducted an online interview with Prof.
Steen, one of the principal architects of the original NCTM Standards
and one of the most highly respected voices in reform mathematics
today.

This is how Dave describes the interview:

His replies to my questions are thoughtful, honest and
provocative.

Regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with Prof.
Steen's views, we need to open up this kind of dialog in order to end
the Math Wars and move on in the best interests of our children.

In this first part of the interview, prof. Steen talks about for example the incoherency of math standards in various states learning basic arithmetic facts.

Curriculum development news article

Just sort of interesting:

Can Less Equal More? - Proposal to teach math students fewer concepts in greater depth has divided Md. educators.

Maryland currently has between 50 and 60 math objectives for each grade.

"The State Department of Education is now meeting with math supervisors in each jurisdiction around the state to get a consensus on whether they should follow the Focal Points."

If you remember, Curriculum Focal Points is a fairly new document released by the NCTM. It identifies three most important subject areas or 'focal points' for each grade.

Note it idenfities ONLY THREE major objectives per grade. Contrast that to typical state math curriculum objectives list...

(I don't think they mean that's the only mathematics content for each grade, just that those are the most important critical areas that teachers should put a lot of emphasis on.)

Like I've said before, the focal points document is good reading for teachers and homeschoolers alike. You can try keep those three major goals or focal points in mind as you go thru school year and plan your lessons and various activities.

See also my earlier post on this.

Curriculum development news article

Just sort of interesting:

Can Less Equal More? - Proposal to teach math students fewer concepts in greater depth has divided Md. educators.

Maryland currently has between 50 and 60 math objectives for each grade.

"The State Department of Education is now meeting with math supervisors in each jurisdiction around the state to get a consensus on whether they should follow the Focal Points."

If you remember, Curriculum Focal Points is a fairly new document released by the NCTM. It identifies three most important subject areas or 'focal points' for each grade.

Note it idenfities ONLY THREE major objectives per grade. Contrast that to typical state math curriculum objectives list...

(I don't think they mean that's the only mathematics content for each grade, just that those are the most important critical areas that teachers should put a lot of emphasis on.)

Like I've said before, the focal points document is good reading for teachers and homeschoolers alike. You can try keep those three major goals or focal points in mind as you go thru school year and plan your lessons and various activities.

See also my earlier post on this.

Curriculum focal points

I'm going to talk again about the new report released by NCTM, Curriculum Focal Points.

For each grade, it describes THREE focal points, and also explains to which other mathematical topics these focal points connect to.

By familiarizing yourself with these few points, you can see the basics of school mathematics unfold before your eyes. Knowing the basic goals is essential for being a good teacher.

By the way, these aren't the only things kids might study on a given grade. They are the focus areas. Many of the other topics would connect with these.

Go look at the pics at textsavvy.blogspot.com about the way textbooks and programs typically present the topics, versus a "VISION OF CURRICULUM" laid out by the Focal Points document.


On grade 1, the focus is on

• addition/subtraction: basic basic addition facts and related subtraction facts. Learning to add and subtract two-digit numbers.


• Understanding whole numbers in terms of tens and ones


• Composing and decomposing geometric shapes

Measuring and simple bar and picture graphs are presented as applications of these.


On Grade 2:

• Understanding the base-ten numeration system and place-value concepts at least till 1000.


• Quick recall of addition facts and related subtraction facts and fluency with multidigit addition and subtraction.


• Measurement: Developing an understanding of linear measurement and facility in measuring lengths.

Skip-counting is also included, and prepares children for 3rd grade and multiplication.


On grade 3:

• Understanding multiplication and division, and strategies for basic multiplication facts and related division facts.


• Understanding fractions and fraction equivalence


• Geometry: Describing and analyzing properties of two-dimensional shapes.

Measuring using fractional parts ties nicely in with the second point.

So we get started on multiplication and division. Notice on next grade, one of the focal points is "developing quick recall", or basically memorizing multiplication/division facts.


On grade 4:

• Developing quick recall of multiplication facts and related division facts and fluency with whole number multiplication.


• Understanding decimals, including the connections between fractions and decimals.


• Measurement: Developing an understanding of area and determining the areas of two-dimensional shapes.

Well, reading these makes teaching school mathematics sound almost easy to teach - compared to reading a big laundry list of objectives and thinking, "Oh well, I'm supposed to cover all that".

You can find the other grades at Curriculum Focal Points by Grade.

Curriculum focal points

I'm going to talk again about the new report released by NCTM, Curriculum Focal Points.

For each grade, it describes THREE focal points, and also explains to which other mathematical topics these focal points connect to.

By familiarizing yourself with these few points, you can see the basics of school mathematics unfold before your eyes. Knowing the basic goals is essential for being a good teacher.

By the way, these aren't the only things kids might study on a given grade. They are the focus areas. Many of the other topics would connect with these.

Go look at the pics at textsavvy.blogspot.com about the way textbooks and programs typically present the topics, versus a "VISION OF CURRICULUM" laid out by the Focal Points document.


On grade 1, the focus is on

• addition/subtraction: basic basic addition facts and related subtraction facts. Learning to add and subtract two-digit numbers.


• Understanding whole numbers in terms of tens and ones


• Composing and decomposing geometric shapes

Measuring and simple bar and picture graphs are presented as applications of these.


On Grade 2:

• Understanding the base-ten numeration system and place-value concepts at least till 1000.


• Quick recall of addition facts and related subtraction facts and fluency with multidigit addition and subtraction.


• Measurement: Developing an understanding of linear measurement and facility in measuring lengths.

Skip-counting is also included, and prepares children for 3rd grade and multiplication.


On grade 3:

• Understanding multiplication and division, and strategies for basic multiplication facts and related division facts.


• Understanding fractions and fraction equivalence


• Geometry: Describing and analyzing properties of two-dimensional shapes.

Measuring using fractional parts ties nicely in with the second point.

So we get started on multiplication and division. Notice on next grade, one of the focal points is "developing quick recall", or basically memorizing multiplication/division facts.


On grade 4:

• Developing quick recall of multiplication facts and related division facts and fluency with whole number multiplication.


• Understanding decimals, including the connections between fractions and decimals.


• Measurement: Developing an understanding of area and determining the areas of two-dimensional shapes.

Well, reading these makes teaching school mathematics sound almost easy to teach - compared to reading a big laundry list of objectives and thinking, "Oh well, I'm supposed to cover all that".

You can find the other grades at Curriculum Focal Points by Grade.

Curriculum Focal Points

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has released a new report entitled "The Curriculum Focal Points".

It summarizes THREE focal points of math education for each grade, and also explains the major connections between those and other areas of math.

I feel this document can be of enormous help to homeschoolers. If you've ever felt "lost" in the jungle of math standards, objectives, goals, and such, then this document is especially good for you.

The teacher needs to know what the major goals are. Then, he/she can plan how to teach those topics, what tools to use, and so on. Without the goals clearly in one's mind, math instruction can become just mindless wandering from topic to topic.

I'll probably write more about this report later, but for now, just head on over the NCTM site and read:

The Curriculum Focal Points - the main page
or
Curriculum Focal Points by Grade.

Curriculum Focal Points

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has released a new report entitled "The Curriculum Focal Points".

It summarizes THREE focal points of math education for each grade, and also explains the major connections between those and other areas of math.

I feel this document can be of enormous help to homeschoolers. If you've ever felt "lost" in the jungle of math standards, objectives, goals, and such, then this document is especially good for you.

The teacher needs to know what the major goals are. Then, he/she can plan how to teach those topics, what tools to use, and so on. Without the goals clearly in one's mind, math instruction can become just mindless wandering from topic to topic.

I'll probably write more about this report later, but for now, just head on over the NCTM site and read:

The Curriculum Focal Points - the main page
or
Curriculum Focal Points by Grade.