Learning Mathematics in Elementary and Middle Schools: A Learner-Centered Approach

This popular text and it's new integrated online resource, MyEducationLab, promotes a learner-centered approach to teaching elementary and middle school mathematics. These resources provide valuable research-based instructional strategies, resources, and activities to help you learn to evaluate how children think mathematically and how to link that knowledge to developmentally appropriate teaching practices.  A strong focus on NCTM Standards and developing critical tools to meet the individual needs of students ensures all students and teachers can be successful with math.

This thoroughly revised edition of Learning Mathematics in Elementary and Middle Schools, Fifth Edition continues to illustrate how to create a leaner-centered classroom with a strengthened pedagogical thread around mathematical thinking, content understanding, and formative assessment.

 

This new edition helps teachers learn to analyze children’s mathematical thinking in spoken and written work in order to adapt instruction more effectively through:

• opening pre-assessments of mathematics topics in the content area chapters,
• classroom vignettes,
• video that examines children’s mathematical reasoning including clips from the well-known IMAP: Integrating Mathematics and Pedagogy to Illustrate Children’s Reasoning project and additional classroom video
• discussion of children's common mathematical misunderstandings, and
• new sample lesson plans that tie back to pre-assessment topics.

In addition, the book supports high-quality mathematics teaching by emphasizing NCTM Standards and Curriculum Focal Points throughout. With its manageable length, practical strategies and activities to do in the classroom, and NCTM standards focus, this book will prove a valuable reference for readers well beyond their first years of teaching elementary mathematics.

 

Key Features of this Edition

• NEW! Expanded emphasis on NCTM Standards and Curriculum Focal Points including discussion of the Focal Points in Ch , chapter-opening Connecting With the Standards feature outlining the relevant NCTM Principles and Standards and Curriculum Focal Points, Content Standards boxes and Principles and Standards links throughout the chapters, and Focal Point connections in sample lesson plans underscore content and processes of high quality mathematics teaching.
• NEW! Assessing Mathematics Understanding features at the beginning of each content chapter (Chs. 5-17) offer teacher candidates an opportunity to pre-assess their own understanding of particular content, as well as a tool to pre-assess student understanding with guidance on interpreting the results and a chart identifying follow-up steps.
• NEW! Sample Lesson Plans in every chapter outline how to use pre-assessment results to plan instruction in line with NCTM standards to meet children's needs (chs. 5-17)
• NEW! Special icon highlights Strategies to Reach All Students appearing in select activities that particularly support English Language Learners and students with special needs.
• Revised! Examining Children’s Reasoning features explores children’s problem solving strategies, examines what it says about their math understanding and misconceptions, and draws connections to teaching strategies.
• NEW!  Annotations for MyEducationLab   A rich online resource of assignments and activities incorporating real videos directly correlated with the text encourages the development of the skills and dispositions necessary for success in the elementary math classroom.