This study addresses the need to better describe instructional strategies used by middle grades mathematics teachers. After coding 177 videos of grades 6-8 mathematics instruction for indications of effective instructional practices, we further analyzed 8 of the highly scored videos with specific attention to teachers' implementation of strategies…

Statistics has been a content domain in the mathematics curriculum for decades. However, statistics is a distinct discipline from mathematics and there are important differences in how one should teach the two disciplines. In this article, the authors consider how these differences can inform an adaptation to the 5 Practices for Orchestrating…

These educators share the "how" and "why" behind their use of open middle tasks in the classroom. In this article, the authors share a type of mathematics task, called Open Middle, that exhibits the characteristics outlined above. The authors frequently use Open Middle tasks in their classrooms because they teach students that…

In response to the challenge of geometry's abstract and less engaging nature for students, this study explored the potential of connecting geometry to cultural elements, specifically geometric ornaments found in various cultures worldwide. Geometric ornaments, laden with cultural and spiritual significance, serve as a bridge between mathematics…

3D geometry is an essential concept in mathematics because it relates to real-world experiences and numerous mathematical topics. However, some students still have difficulty understanding this geometry. Therefore, this study aims to identify and describe students' epistemological obstacles to the dimensions of representation, spatial structure,…

This qualitative case study of four middle school and secondary school mathematics teachers examines how teachers' reflective practice supported their selection of strategies that align with the needs of current mathematics education according to the 10 dimensions of mathematics education. The findings suggest that teachers' reflection practice,…

We present a Scratch task we designed and implemented for teaching and learning coordinates in a dynamic and engaging way. We use the 5Es framework to describe the students' interactions with the task and offer suggestions of how other teachers may adopt it to successfully implement Scratch tasks.

Collaborative problem solving (CPS) has been shown to both engage and benefit students' learning of mathematics. However, there is evidence that group work is not always easy to facilitate, in part because educators lack details about learners' engagement during group work: the processes of problem solving involved, and how these are engaged. In…

This paper reports on an experiment involving 108 sixth-grade French students in which the history of Chinese numeration was used in mathematics education. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relevance of using ancient number systems in mathematics education, which is common in French textbooks. In the experiment a pre-test with usual…

Student engagement in math and science courses decreases starting in middle school and continues throughout high school (Museus, et al., 2011). This lack of engagement results in students taking only the required math and science coursework and not advanced coursework that would help prepare them for future careers in science, technology,…

Using their experience of working with the students as an example, the authors of this article aim to illustrate five student actions to which teachers can attend when implementing a social justice-oriented mathematical task. The example described is based on the work of 24 African American students in grades 6-8 who attended the authors'…

The purpose of this study is to answer if there is a reasonable difference on academical success of students who get education with traditional and RME approach question on "Teaching geometrical objects to 8th grade students" subject. Study group consists of 47 students which contains 21 experimental and 16 control group from "Ordu…

Purpose of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of the use of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) approach on sixth grade students' statistical thinking levels. Mooney's (2002) statistical thinking framework describing four thinking levels across four different statistical thinking processes was used. This study utilized a…

Often, when middle-school students make mistakes, they tend to erase their work and record the correct answer without trying to understand what led to the mistake. In response, this article describes three opportunities educators can leverage for engaging students in the processes of reasoning and sense making about mathematics.

This study aims to investigate the effect of history-of-mathematics activities on the development of mental computation of middle-grade students and to determine the students' views on the history of mathematics. This study was carried out as an action research project. The participants of the study consisted of 19 seventh-grade students studying…