A major influence on mathematics teachers' instruction is their beliefs. However, teachers' instructional practices do not always neatly align with their beliefs because of factors perceived as constraints. The purpose of this article is to introduce a new approach for examining the relationship between teachers' beliefs and practices, an approach…

This paper focuses on the relationship between policy creation and policy enactment through the use of an innovative qualitative research methodology, photo elicitation. Teachers applying Common Core State Standards were studied in two states through indepth interviews, photographs captured by the participants, and other artifacts. Findings…

America's current sociocultural moment requires that we reexamine, reevaluate, and reimagine our dance education policy documents, curriculum, and classroom practice. This position paper raises questions about the assumptions underpinning our dance education archival discourse and infusing the language we use to articulate it. A return to…

In the U.S., state adopted or developed college- and career-ready mathematics standards, including the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, not only impact districts, students, and their teachers, but also university teacher preparation programs. In order to attain and sustain Common Core's vision of developing mathematically competent…

Most middle and high school students struggle with reading and writing in science. This may be because science teachers are reluctant to teach literacy in science class. New standards now require a shift in the way science teachers develop students' literacy in science. This survey study examined the extent to which science teachers report…

Imagine a mathematics classroom in which students engage in sharing ideas and reasoning through solutions to interesting mathematical problems. They are excited about mathematics and working on challenging problems that encourage collaboration and critical thinking. These are things that teachers want, but sometimes they do not know how to achieve…

The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M) aim to engage students in complex mathematical practices, including modeling, reasoning, and argumentation. Currently, little is known about how teachers' daily instruction supports these practices. This study draws upon data from daily logs completed by third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade…

Long before the release of the Common Core State Standards (CCSSI 2010), the Mathematical Tug-of-War was engaging students in the type of reasoning and problem solving described by the Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP). In this updated version of a Marilyn Burns task, students use algebraic reasoning to determine the outcome of a contest…

The year students take Algebra I historically determines how far they progress in secondary mathematics, creating complex equity issues around access to this course. By examining a case study of one large, urban school district adjusting to the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSS-M), we demonstrate how district leaders' interactions,…

Theater arts encompass unique art forms comprising highly developed pedagogical applications apart from theater as performance. Specifically, the use of drama as a learning medium, referred to in the field as "process drama", is most emphatically applicable to the education of young children. Young children actively gain skills in…

The purpose of this paper is to describe the mathematics that emanates from the construction of an origami box. We first construct a simple origami box from a rectangular sheet and then discuss some of the mathematical questions that arise in the context of geometry and algebra. The activity can be used as a context for illustrating how algebra…

The discipline of mathematics values precision and teachers are accountable for promoting and supporting their students in attending to precision (ATP), which in the USA is an explicit standard for mathematical practice included in the "Common Core State Standards for Mathematics." This study used thematic discourse analysis to examine…

Math and English language arts seem such disparate content areas but the Common Core State Standards actually draw out their similarities in the teaching and learning process. Both require students to learn grit and perseverance; both ask students to use reasons or evidence to support arguments; both require precision; both require structures to…

The Common Core State Standards advocate more writing than previous standards; however, in taking a college and career readiness perspective, the Standards neglect to emphasize the role of context and culture in learning to write. We argue that sociocultural perspectives that pay attention to these factors offer insights into how to interpret and…

Student achievement in mathematics is correlated with factors related to student engagement. Improving engagement has the potential to improve student achievement at the middle school level. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics explicate eight specific Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMPs) that clarify the types of skills and…