Describes a technique using a color-coded holistic scoring system to achieve greater understanding of the assessment process on the part of students by having them score classmates' solutions to a problem. (MKR)

Dull classroom environments, poor students' attitudes and inhibited conceptual development led to the creation of an innovative mathematics program, the Class Banking System (CBS), which enables teachers to use constructivist ideas and approaches. To assess the effectiveness of the CBS, the Individualised Classroom Environment Questionnaire…

When children's own strategies for solving mathematical problems are not connected to the way mathematics is taught in school, students fail to make sense of mathematics instruction and begin to "fail." This chapter adopts the position that student understanding of worthwhile mathematical content is the essential goal of mathematics education, and…

Ideas for teaching elementary and secondary students of English as a Second Language (ESL) through a unit on kites and kite-making are offered. First, unit objectives are outlined. These include objectives for cognitive skill development (classification, comparison), psychomotor skills (constructing a kite), mathematical operations (measuring,…

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics encourages the use of calculators in the classroom as a teaching and learning tool, as well as a computational tool. This paper evaluates the impact on teachers' approaches to teaching mathematics and students' attitudes toward mathematics as the result of participation in an in-service program…

This paper focuses on a lesson plan in fractional number concepts that illustrates how research and practice have been brought together through the use of integrated media. A teacher applied the findings from her master's thesis by collaborating with an instructor of elementary mathematics methods courses and an experienced teacher on a lesson…

This paper analyzes the views about teaching mathematics held by eight preservice elementary teachers enrolled in a mathematics course that emphasized small group discussion and an exploratory approach to mathematics. Analysis of the students' diaries, interviews, and group discussions reveal a body of traditional views about teaching mathematics…

This study examined whether there were significant differences in the level of knowledge regarding curriculum reform efforts in mathematics and science and the level of incorporation of these new standards and recommendations into the curriculum among districts of varying size in Iowa. Data were gathered from respondents to school surveys of…

In the spring of 1989, over 2,000 pairs of fourth- and eighth-grade students were assessed on their ability to apply mathematical and scientific concepts. The tests (administered in alternate years during the written assessments of the Massachusetts Educational Assessment Program) required students to apply what they knew about mathematics and…

Forces created by the proliferation of computer hardware and software, by innovative methods of mathematical modelling and applications, by broader demographic considerations, and by schools themselves are profoundly changing the way mathematics is practiced, the way mathematics is taught, and the way mathematics is learned. In this volume, a…

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title II funds were used in a 12-month project for the improvement of mathematics and science teaching at the prekindergarten through grade 12 levels in the Austin (Texas) Independent School District (AISD). The project provided: (1) staff development workshops; (2) consultants to develop a secondary…

The Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS) was developed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), in response to Texas House Bill 72 (1984), which mandated a new basic skills assessment program for mathematics, reading, and writing at grades 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. This document is one in a series of Instructional Strategies Guides…

This document is designed to help school personnel analyze their current curriculum for grades 6, 7, and 8 in terms of the Mathematics Common Curriculum for Oregon. The common curriculum goals are organized into nine content strands: (1) number and numeration; (2) appropriate computational skills; (3) problem solving; (4) geometry and…

The New Teachers Mathematics Staff Development Program for grades 3 through 6 is a combination of content and methodology. Teachers focus their attention on content, lesson planning, questioning, homework, and testing. This volume contains materials for eight workshop sessions. Sessions included are: (1) An Introduction to the New York City School…

Longitudinal effectiveness of a program of bilingual individualized instruction in math, English and Spanish reading implemented by bilingual paraprofessional teachers recruited from migrant families was assessed among Spanish dominant monolingual and bilingual migrant students. Test scores in math and English reading for children age 5 to 9 were…