WHEN THE NATIONAL COUNCIL of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) published Curriculum Focal Points for Pre kindergarten through Grade 8 Mathematics: A Quest for Coherence last September, the document targeted what many feel is a need for fewer, more focused math objectives for school districts through out the United States.
Written by a committee of nine educators, including K8 teachers, the document specifies the three most significant math concepts students should learn in each grade level, given the 30 to 90 math objectives per grade that 49 of 50 states now have. The 2006 document used inputs from various sources, including mathematicians, and complements the council's widely accepted 2000 report, Principles and Standards for School Mathematics.
Math was criticized for being a mile wide and an inch deep.
The federal No Child Left Behind act requires testing students in grades 3- 8 in math, and states devised their own assessment and accountability systems to demonstrate Adequate Yearly Progress in each school. But juggling scores of objectives in most states meant that teachers were stretched too thin to meet learning expectations equally well for all students. Math in the United States was therefore criticized for being "a mile wide and an inch deep," as lessons jumped from topic to topic and students failed to master the most important concepts.
American students also compare unfavorably in math with counterparts in other countries, as shown by the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), formerly called the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. In the mid-1990s, experts analyzed test results of students from countries participating in TIMSS and found that American high school seniors scored among the lowest of the participating nations. On top of this, more college students need remediation and American businesses have complained about more young workers with limited math skills. It was time for a change.
Preparing the Focal Points
In preparing the document, the authors reviewed various state curriculum requirements, met with state supervisors of math, analyzed state standards, and analyzed programs from several high performing countries on TIMSS, including Singapore, China, Japan and Korea. The Focal Points, for example, recommend that re- kindergarteners develop an understanding of whole numbers and how to compare them, that second-graders learn how to count in units and multiples of hundreds and tens, and that fourth-graders develop an understanding of multiplication, including "quick recall" of multiplication and division facts. For each grade level, the Focal Points give descriptions of concepts that the authors regard as essential, broken down by topics such as numbers and operations, basic algebra, measurement and geometry. In geometry, for example, kindergarteners should learn to identify and name shapes, such as squares and three-dimensional objects, while fifth-graders should begin to understand how to use shapes to quantify volume and to estimate.
The Focal Points intend to help students master key objectives.
The NCTM Focal Points are intended to help students become more focused and master key objectives so they can move seamlessly from grade to grade, especially given the high mobility of students and teachers in the United States. "The need for covering fewer topics and doing more than scratching the surface makes sense," says NCTM President Francis "Skip" Fennell. The Focal Points also "provide a vision of what should be in the foreground and what can be in the background," adds Jane Schielack, co-author of the Focal Points and professor of math and teaching, learning and culture at Texas A&M University. "It helps teachers design meaningful instruction, and students develop a deep understanding that strengthens their knowledge. It's not that districts can't do that without the Focal Points, but it helps districts that don't have the expertise and skills available."
"They apply the lessons learned from studying what these high-achieving countries do and why what they do works." - R. James Milgram, mathematics professor, Stanford University
The National Mathematics Advisory Panel
President Bush created the National Mathematics Advisory Panel in April 2006 to advise the president and the U.S. secretary of education on the best use of scientifically based research to advance the teaching and learning of math. Modeled after the National Reading Panel, the panel will examine and summarize scientific evidence related to teaching and learning math, and address topics that include:
