A new classification for semantic structures of one-step word problems is proposed in this paper. The classification is based on illustrations of word problem situations in Common Core State Standards (CCSSM, 2010) and related historical studies (e.g. Weaver, 1973, 1979, 1982), as well as conceptual elaborations of embodied and grounded nature in…

As teachers shift their practice from traditional student-to-teacher interaction patterns to collaborative discussions around rich mathematics, they often encounter instructional challenges. One such challenge is deciding when to pursue interesting and productive ideas that run contrary to the particular mathematical goal of the lesson. In this…

This study explores the assessment of the alignment of mathematics instructional materials with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM). First, focus, rigor, and coherence, identified in TIMSS studies and also established for CCSSM, were chosen as criteria of alignment. Then, the CCSSM Graph (Zimba, 2012) was used as a yardstick to…

Using the method of educational criticism and connoisseurship, this study examined third grade teachers' pedagogical choices made to prepare their students for high stakes testing under the Common Core Standards. Three teachers in three different suburban school settings within a large district in one of the states of the Rocky Mountain West…

We analyzed 52 middle school mathematics lessons from multiple states and curriculum contexts to understand how teachers were enacting the CCSSM. The teachers stated that all of the lessons were CCSSM-aligned. We categorized curriculum materials according to two approaches, with one approach associated with curriculum programs funded by NSF and…

This paper discusses the implementation and evaluation of an innovative professional development program that supported 8th grade mathematics teachers in designing learning activities that assisted students in developing a conceptual understanding of mathematics. Funded by an Investing in Innovation (i3) grant from the U.S. Department of…

This paper investigates how the selected three East Asian countries--Japan, Korea, and Taiwan-- introduce and develop ideas related to fractions and fraction addition and subtraction compared to the Common Core State Standards of Mathematics and EngageNY. Looking at curricular approaches used across countries can provide a better picture of what…

High school graduation is "not yet a reliable indicator of college readiness", (Gaertner & McClarty, 2015, p2). As such, researchers are investigating the use of non-cognitive factors as predictors of College and Career Readiness (CCR). The College and Career Readiness Mathematical Practice Scale (CCRMS) was designed to measure…

This study investigates linguistically diverse elementary mathematics classrooms, focusing on potential for dialogic discourse (constructing meaning through dialogue) and alignment with Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMPs). Constant comparative methods and discourse analysis of field notes, video recordings, and transcriptions…

Classroom discourse is central to fostering mathematical practices, but we still have much to learn about how the detailed work of teaching can support students to engage in the range of mathematical practices set out in the Common Core. This study examined mathematics discussions in four inquiry based secondary mathematics classrooms to…

The Common Core Standards require students to learn content and mathematical practices, and so teachers must have content knowledge and be able to engage in practices themselves. This raises the question of how novice teachers learn to engage in mathematical practices. I investigate pre-service secondary teacher learning of mathematical practices…

This paper describes a model for building cognition-and-instruction-based goal trajectories (GT) in the context of a study that examines the validity of curriculum-embedded assessments. The model consists of six design processes and two constraints. The GT is constructed from curriculum-specified learning goals as well as developmental…

Mathematical Argumentation skills have historically been overlooked in assessment, but the inclusion of Mathematical Argumentation in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as one of the Standards of Mathematical Practice challenges assessment developers to assess this mathematical practice. Explanation and justification of one's own thinking to a…

In this paper, we report on teachers' use of curricula and other instructional resources to address Common Core State Standards (CCSS), as well as how use of instructional materials is related to instructional practice. We draw on data from the American Teacher Panel, a nationally representative sample of teachers who periodically provide…

This mixed methods study explored elementary teachers' (n = 73) experiences with and perspectives on the newly implemented CCSS-Mathematics at a high-needs, urban Professional Development School in a state where roll-out of the standards has been fraught with opposition. Analysis of the survey, questionnaire, and interview data reveals the…