The current period in mathematics education can be characterized as one of reform. Many feel that children in the United States are not learning enough appropriate mathematics; these critics are concerned with the specific areas of problem solving and children's conceptions of the nature and uses of mathematics. A pretest/posttest experimental…

The current period in mathematics education can be characterized as one of reform. Among the goals of the proponents of the movement are that children learn to value mathematics, become confident in their ability, and become mathematical problem solvers. A pretest/posttest experimental design study examined the effects of SQUARE ONE TV, a…

This paper presents seven basic principles or criteria that mathematics programs for mathematically gifted elementary students should meet. A rationale for each criterion is offered. Grouping these children together in one regular class is strongly encouraged so that they can be in one advanced group, as part of the traditional three groups in…

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) recently published two documents, "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics" (1989) and "Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics" (1991), (the "Standards Documents"), that recommend departure from conventional forms of instruction and…

This manual is part two of a three-part series of materials from a family literacy demonstration project conducted in Philadelphia public schools. It contains materials on 10 themes that were taught over a 7-month period. The activities in each theme are organized into class activities and home activities. The class activities support the adults'…

In May 1992, 22 Massachusetts mathematics educators who either teach or coordinate/direct adult basic education (ABE) and General Educational Development (GED) programs were recruited into a group called the Math Team. During their monthly business/training sessions in central Massachusetts, members worked on various individual and team…

Project Special Elementary Education for the Disadvantaged (SEED) is a nationwide program in which professional mathematicians and scientists from major universities and research corporations teach abstract, conceptually oriented mathematics to full-sized classes of elementary school children on a daily basis as a supplement to their regular…

Homogeneous grouping of mathematics students, the practice of grouping students of similar ability or achievement, is most prevalent at the high school level, often occurs at the middle and junior high school levels in schools that offer algebra, and occurs at the elementary school level as part of general groupings. This digest summarizes…

Project Mastery was a family literacy program that served 30 adults and 40 children in its first year of operation. Participants were parents and adult siblings of present and past English-as-a-Second-Language programs and students of limited English proficiency (LEP) in kindergarten through grade 5. It was designed to support English language…

This paper discusses the National Science Foundation Middle School Mathematics and Science Collaborative (MSC) project designed to help schools implement mathematics and science reform. The paper consists of descriptions of these efforts in four schools: (1) "Summer Subversion/Constructivist Conversion" is about the re-tailoring of…

This study examined factors assumed to influence children's help-seeking styles in the classroom in the domains of math and reading. Children's rating of their comfort in asking for help, and the relation between mothers' helping strategies and children's help-seeking styles, were also investigated. Fifth graders (N=190) completed questionnaires…

Confrontation with a mathematical task causes a student to focus initial attention upon particular content and context cues based upon that student's belief system; the student assigns subsequent meaning to that task based upon previous mathematical experience and knowledge. In order to make effective use of students' belief systems, educators…

Barriers to the implementation of technology-based materials in elementary school mathematics classrooms were studied using naturalistic inquiry and multiple methods of data collection in keeping with ethnographic principles. Qualitative data were gathered from interviews with teachers and administrators, reviews of school documents, observations…

Focusing on the theme of classroom research, this journal presents selected proceedings from Massachusetts Bay Community College's Second Annual Colloquium on Undergraduate Teaching and Learning. The 11 presentations included are: (1) "Opening the Classroom Door," by Patricia Hutchings; (2) "Successful Maryland Methods," by Donna Kirkley; (3) "CAT…

The National Diffusion Network (NDN) was established in 1974 through the Office of Educational Research and Improvement upon the belief that there are few difficulties encountered by school systems that have not been solved successfully in some other location. The primary function of the NDN is to disseminate information about a wide array of…