Hearing causes brain cells (neurons) to connect and neural networks to form. Advanced brain-scan technology and neuroscience research reveal that when children participate in music, the brain "light[s] up like a Christmas tree" in many different areas (Parr, Radford, & Snyder 1998, cited in Isenberg & Jalongo 2001, 159). The growing neural…

The current study was undertaken as an effort to attend to the potential giftedness of economically disadvantaged students, to give opportunities for mathematics acceleration, and to provide a sequential, individualized mathematics program for students of high mobility. The authors evaluated the Project SAIL (Students' Active Interdisciplinary…

A math review exam, written and administered in conjunction with the Quantitative Assessment Program at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, is used at the beginning of the 1st food engineering course to evaluate math skills needed for successful completion of the course. Students who do not score well on the math exam are targeted for individual…

This paper critically examines the discrepancies among the pre-requisite fractional concepts assumed by a curricular unit on operations with fractions, the teacher's assumptions about those concepts and a particular student's understanding of fractions. The paper focuses on the case of one student (Tim) in the teacher's 6th grade class who was…

This study presents problem solving strategies and processes of thinking of mathematically gifted elementary children with respect to non-routine word problems. The data stem from a university-based course, especially designed to foster gifted children, ages 6-10 years, through the enrichment of the elementary mathematics curriculum. Videotapes of…

This article challenges the traditional model for teaching computation in the primary grades. It describes a model in which students are encouraged to invent and use alternative computation procedures.

When teachers learn to take time to understand how students are thinking about mathematics, they will be better able to develop students' mathematical understanding. Teachers must become investigators--of mathematics and of student thinking--in their own classrooms. When teachers explore mathematics, analyze student thinking, and write cases from…

The present study investigated Arabic internet websites especially designed for pre-school children. A sample of 136 Arabic websites for kids of different ages was located and browsed. The sample covered websites specialized in stories, songs, games, kids' magazines, drawing and so on. It was found that no Arabic websites for pre-school kids are…

This study took place at Skaneateles High School in Skaneateles, New York in a grade 10 Integrated Math AB course with 52 students in 3 sections using the TI-84 Plus family graphing calculators and the TI-Navigator classroom learning system with a projector and interactive whiteboard. New York State is phasing in a new curriculum that integrates…

This article discusses how math skills, teamwork and higher-level thinking come together when students create strategic board games. In this article, the authors provide a glimpse of what it was like to be part of "To the Sun!," a game designed by students in the fifth-grade class at Olive Martin School in Lake Villa, IL. Students combined a math…

In this article, the authors discuss 4 critical components of mathematics assessment that relate to instruction: (a) teachers need to be knowledgeable about mathematical standards and align them with assessment; (b) assessment should combine formal and informal approaches to obtain a more authentic picture of students' performance and meaningfully…

Teaching and learning mathematics with technology poses a unique dilemma. If technology is to enhance mathematical achievement (NCTM, 2000), why do documented studies indicate that this may not be the case (Waxman, Connell, & Gray, 2002)? This study looks at the learning environment used when teaching with technology. What in the instructional…

Mathematical knowledge can be categorized in different ways. One commonly used way is to distinguish between procedural mathematical knowledge and conceptual mathematical knowledge. Procedural knowledge of mathematics refers to formal language, symbols, algorithms, and rules. Conceptual knowledge is essential for meaningful understanding of…

This study focuses on the long-term retention of basic mathematical techniques in a first-year calculus course, involving a sample group of engineering students at the University of Pretoria. The study investigates which and how much of the basic mathematical knowledge and rote skills acquired in the first year of study is retained after a further…

According to the National Center for Education Statistics' latest data on cross-national differences in math, science, and reading literacy among fourth- and eighth-graders and 15-year-olds, U.S. students rank close to the bottom in math. Just teaching more advanced subjects and forcing students to take more classes and do more homework, however,…