K8 math strategies.An examination of existing research indicates that an increase in classroom thinking may improve student mathematics achievement. The 1999 TIMSS TIMSS Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study TIMSS Third International Math and Science Study (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international assessment of the mathematics and science knowledge of fourth- and eighth-grade students around the world. ) found cognitive demand to be a key difference between mathematics instruction in the countries posting higher scores. The American Educational Research Association The American Educational Research Association, or AERA, was founded in 1916 as a professional organization representing educational researchers in the United States and around the world. (AERA AERA American Educational Research Association AERA Automotive Engine Rebuilders Association AERA Air Emissions Risk Analysis AERA Accelerating Economic Recovery in Asia AERA American European Racquetball Association ) explains in its fall 2006 Research Points that two types of cognitive demand are associated with student performance on achievement tests. The first has to do with the number and kind of mathematics courses taken. The second relates to how much thinking is called for in the classroom. In both cases, more is better. Steps to improve K8 mathematics programs The National Research Council concluded in 2001 that many elementary and middle school teachers have only a shaky grasp of mathematics themselves and often are unable to clarify concepts for students or solve problems that involve more than basic calculations. Professional development for K8 teachers may be a prerequisite to the council's recommendation of a coordinated and systematic approach to K8 mathematics education. Greater program coherence and in-depth coverage of selected content, from preschool to eighth grade, is the apparent goal of recommendations released in 2006 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) was founded in 1920. It has grown to be the world's largest organization concerned with mathematics education, having close to 100,000 members across the USA and Canada, and internationally. (NCTM NCTM National Council of Teachers of Mathematics NCTM Nationally Certified Teacher of Music NCTM North Carolina Transportation Museum NCTM National Capital Trolley Museum NCTM Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage ). NCTM's Curricular Focal Points focal point n. See focus. identifies key skills or concepts per grade level, such as quick recall of addition and subtraction subtraction, fundamental operation of arithmetic; the inverse of addition. If a and b are real numbers (see number), then the number a−b is that number (called the difference) which when added to b (the subtractor) equals facts in the second grade, and quick recall of multiplication multiplication, fundamental operation in arithmetic and algebra. Multiplication by a whole number can be interpreted as successive addition. For example, a number N multiplied by 3 is N + N + N. and division facts in the fourth grade. Only about a fourth of all students nationally take algebra in the eighth grade, but several studies have shown that students who take this gateway course are more likely to continue taking high-level math classes through high school. The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB SREB Southern Regional Education Board ) finds that students entering college are less likely to need remediation if they have completed challenging academic courses in high school, including a high-level mathematics course in their senior year. AERA reports that a common practice is to sort students by perceived ability and assign them to fast or slow speeds of learning. Students taking a "slow track" course will most likely not cover as much by the end of the school year and may not be adequately prepared for high-level mathematics courses. When Robert Dixon Robert Dixon is the name of the following individuals:
Research supports the idea that students benefit academically when teachers frequently check for understanding and use a variety of strategies to engage students' thinking. Effective strategies can include reflective journals, cooperative learning cooperative learning Education theory A student-centered teaching strategy in which heterogeneous groups of students work to achieve a common academic goal–eg, completing a case study or a evaluating a QC problem. See Problem-based learning, Socratic method. , and whole-class discussion, especially when used to share, explain, and examine a variety of approaches to solving a problem. For citation of the references used in this article, go to www.districtadministration.com Strategies for Improving Student Achievement 1. Increase students' opportunity to learn by increasing their exposure to key concepts and skills. 2. Teach for meaning and understanding of key concepts, 3. Allow for discovery and analysis of procedures as well as practices. 4. Incorporate small-group work and whole-class discussion. 5. Develop "number sense" (intuitive feel for number size and combinations). 6. Use concrete materials and calculators. Source, Grumbine & Alden, 2006 RESOURCES American Educational Research Association www.aera.net/ The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics www.nctm.org/ The National Research Council www.nationalacademies.org/nrc/ Review of High Quality Experimental Mathematics Research idea.uoregon.edu/~ncite/documents/math/report.pdf Southern Regional Education Board www.sreb.org/ Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study nces.ed.gov/timss/ |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion