High-Quality Mathematics Instruction: What Teachers Should Know
Assessment
Please answer the questions below. If you have difficulty, go back and review the Perspectives & Resources pages in this module.
- Name and describe the components of high-quality mathematics instruction.
- Describe the purpose of Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. In addition, list at least five factors that explain why these standards are recommended and commonly adopted.
- Choose one of the scenarios below. Of the evidence-based practices discussed in this module:
- Select two to address the student’s needs.
- Explain why you chose these two EBPs.
Scenario 1: Elementary
Ali, a 3rd-grade student in Ms. Hunker’s class, has a learning disability in mathematics. When he attempts to solve word problems, Ali struggles to figure out whether he needs to multiply or divide. Though fluent in multiplication, he experiences some difficulty when doing long division, specifically remembering to implement all the steps.
Scenario 2: Secondary
Rebecca, a 10th grader in Mr. Haywood’s geometry class, struggles to master and apply the geometry rules related to polygons and the angles of polygons. When Mr. Haywood helps her work through a problem, she seems to understand what she is doing, but she is currently unable to work through the problems independently. Mr. Haywood notices that she often draws her figures inaccurately and sometimes does not draw a figure at all.
- View the video clip below. Identify as least one EBP or effective classroom practice discussed in the module. Describe how the practice(s) benefits the students and helps them to solve the problem (time: 2:10).
Transcript: Assessment
Teacher: How are you going to find out what the area of that irregular room is? The other thing I want you to think about is taking notes as you’re doing this, because I want you to be able to explain it to other groups. Okay?
[A group of students works on the problem, their speech frequently overlapping.]
Student: How we do it?
Student: We’re trying to make a rectangle so we can take the sides and subtract it from 28, which we got from adding the length and the width.
Student: Length times width.
Student: So we can just subtract the sides that aren’t part of the room and we can find the area of those sides.
Student: Why don’t we number them?
Student: We can number the halves, like, to make one whole. So this is 27. And then here’s two more squares. So it’s 28.
Student: But there’s 28 in here.
Student: There is 28, so this is 29.
Student: Twenty-eight with the…
Student: Subtracting it…
Student: Now what about this side?
Student: It’s not right.
Student: It’s not on the dot.
Student: Especially that one.
Student: We’re going to have to break it up maybe, but how?
Student: This plus this would be 24. This and this is a whole. It’s one whole square. So that’s 24.
Student: What about 28? Oh, wait, not…what about this?
Student: Wait, put that. This and this and then this corner up here, so it would be 23, 22. So we have areas 22.
Student: The square…what is it going to be? Meters or…
Student: Meters probably.
Teacher: So have you figured out the area of that unique room?
Student: Yes.
Student: Twenty-two square meters.
Teacher: Twenty-two square meters. Tell me, wow, how did you do this?
Student: Because if we put that corner right there it would be about (inaudible) square.
Student: But first we had to put the rectangle around the room and subtract those sides.
Student: And then we just had to number it .
Teacher: That was a good idea to number it, a real good idea, because we could keep track of it.
Credit
This video is part of the Modeling Middle School Mathematics (MMM) project. If you want to order the DVD MMM series, contact bolstereducation@yahoo.com. You can find more information about MMM at www.mmmproject.org.
- The module discussed three classroom practices (i.e., encouraging student discussion, presenting and comparing multiple solutions, assessing student understanding).
- Select any two and describe their importance for teaching mathematics.
- Discuss how you plan to put these practices into effect in your own classroom.
