conceptual understanding in math: Math Games Ted H. Hull, Ruth Harbin Miles, Don S. Balka, 2013-04 Focus on the teaching and learning of mathematics through the use of games. Based on current research and correlated to College and Career Readiness and other state standards, this resource provides both teachers and students with rich opportunities to engage in the Standards for Mathematical Practice. Each concept-building game supports students' learning and understanding concepts. Games are provided in the following categories: Counting and Cardinality; Operations and Algebraic Thinking; Expressions and Equations; Functions; Numbers and Operations in Base Ten; Numbers and Operations--Fractions; The Number System; Ratio and Proportional Relationships; Measurement and Data; Geometry; and Statistics and Probability. |
conceptual understanding in math: Concept-Based Mathematics Jennifer T.H. Wathall, 2016-01-14 Give math students the connections between what they learn and how they do math—and suddenly math makes sense If your secondary-school students are fearful of or frustrated by math, it’s time for a new approach. When you teach concepts rather than rote processes, you show students math’s essential elegance, as well as its practicality—and help them discover their own natural mathematical abilities. This book is a road map to retooling how you teach math in a deep, clear, and meaningful way —through a conceptual lens—helping students achieve higher-order thinking skills. Jennifer Wathall shows you how to plan units, engage students, assess understanding, incorporate technology, and even guides you through an ideal concept-based classroom. Practical tools include: Examples from arithmetic to calculus Inquiry tasks, unit planners, templates, and activities Sample assessments with examples of student work Vignettes from international educators A dedicated companion website with additional resources, including a study guide, templates, exemplars, discussion questions, and other professional development activities. Everyone has the power to understand math. By extending Erickson and Lanning’s work on Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction specifically to math, this book helps students achieve the deep understanding and skills called for by global standards and be prepared for the 21st century workplace. Jennifer Wathall’s book is one of the most forward thinking mathematics resources on the market. While highlighting the essential tenets of Concept-Based Curriculum design, her accessible explanations and clear examples show how to move students to deeper conceptual understandings. This book ignites the mathematical mind! — Lois A. Lanning, Author of Designing Concept-based Curriculum for English-Language Arts, K-12 Wathall is a master at covering all the bases here; this book is bursting with engaging assessment examples, discussion questions, research, and resources that apply specifically to mathematical topics. Any math teacher or coach would be hard-pressed to read it and not come away with scores of ideas, assessments, and lessons that she could use instantly in the classroom. As an IB Workshop Leader and instructional coach, I want this book handy on a nearby shelf for regular referral – it′s a boon to any educator who wants to bring math to life for students. — Alexis Wiggins, Instructional Coach, IB Workshop Leader and Consultant |
conceptual understanding in math: Helping Children Learn Mathematics National Research Council, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Center for Education, Mathematics Learning Study Committee, 2002-07-31 Results from national and international assessments indicate that school children in the United States are not learning mathematics well enough. Many students cannot correctly apply computational algorithms to solve problems. Their understanding and use of decimals and fractions are especially weak. Indeed, helping all children succeed in mathematics is an imperative national goal. However, for our youth to succeed, we need to change how we're teaching this discipline. Helping Children Learn Mathematics provides comprehensive and reliable information that will guide efforts to improve school mathematics from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The authors explain the five strands of mathematical proficiency and discuss the major changes that need to be made in mathematics instruction, instructional materials, assessments, teacher education, and the broader educational system and answers some of the frequently asked questions when it comes to mathematics instruction. The book concludes by providing recommended actions for parents and caregivers, teachers, administrators, and policy makers, stressing the importance that everyone work together to ensure a mathematically literate society. |
conceptual understanding in math: Conceptual Mathematics F. William Lawvere, Stephen H. Schanuel, 2009-07-30 This truly elementary book on categories introduces retracts, graphs, and adjoints to students and scientists. |
conceptual understanding in math: How We Understand Mathematics Jacek Woźny, 2018-04-25 This volume examines mathematics as a product of the human mind and analyzes the language of pure mathematics from various advanced-level sources. Through analysis of the foundational texts of mathematics, it is demonstrated that math is a complex literary creation, containing objects, actors, actions, projection, prediction, planning, explanation, evaluation, roles, image schemas, metonymy, conceptual blending, and, of course, (natural) language. The book follows the narrative of mathematics in a typical order of presentation for a standard university-level algebra course, beginning with analysis of set theory and mappings and continuing along a path of increasing complexity. At each stage, primary concepts, axioms, definitions, and proofs will be examined in an effort to unfold the tell-tale traces of the basic human cognitive patterns of story and conceptual blending. This book will be of interest to mathematicians, teachers of mathematics, cognitive scientists, cognitive linguists, and anyone interested in the engaging question of how mathematics works and why it works so well. |
conceptual understanding in math: Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge James Hiebert, 2013-08-21 First Published in 1986. This book is intended for those people who are interested in how mathematics is learned. It is intended especially for those who are interested in the mental processes involved in becoming mathematically competent and the mental processes that inhibit such competency from developing. The volume opens with an overview of the issue and then traces the relationships between conceptual and procedural knowledge in mathematics from preschool days through the years of formal schooling. Mathematics educators and cognitive psychologists from a variety of perspectives contribute theoretical arguments and empirical data to illuminate the nature of the relationships and, in tum, the nature of mathematics learning. |
conceptual understanding in math: Mathematical Concepts Jürgen Jost, 2015-09-10 The main intention of this book is to describe and develop the conceptual, structural and abstract thinking of mathematics. Specific mathematical structures are used to illustrate the conceptual approach; providing a deeper insight into mutual relationships and abstract common features. These ideas are carefully motivated, explained and illustrated by examples so that many of the more technical proofs can be omitted. The book can therefore be used: · simply as an overview of the panorama of mathematical structures and the relations between them, to be supplemented by more detailed texts whenever you want to acquire a working knowledge of some structure · by itself as a first introduction to abstract mathematics · together with existing textbooks, to put their results into a more general perspective · to gain a new and hopefully deeper perspective after having studied such textbooks Mathematical Concepts has a broader scope and is less detailed than standard mathematical textbooks so that the reader can readily grasp the essential concepts and ideas for individual needs. It will be suitable for advanced mathematicians, postgraduate students and for scientists from other fields with some background in formal reasoning. |
conceptual understanding in math: 10 Concepts Every Math Teacher Should Know Sandra Goff, 2014-09-15 As we strive to create a seamless and meaningful mathematics experience for our students, it is important for us to have a strong understanding of what conceptual knowledge looks like in the classroom. This understanding is essential to planning engaging lessons, delivering effective classroom instruction and developing valid assessments that are a balanced combination of factual knowledge, procedural fluency and conceptual knowledge. 10 Concepts Every Math Teacher Should Know demonstrates the following: -It is important for teachers to have a clear understanding of how concepts evolve across grade levels. -Understanding how these concepts evolve will help teachers design experiences for students that deepen their understanding of mathematics. -Understanding how these concepts work will build our students' confidence in their ability to be problem solvers. -It is critical for teachers to use the same conceptual language across grade levels to increase our students' chances of success. |
conceptual understanding in math: Creating a Language-Rich Math Class Sandra L. Atkins, 2015-09-16 What meanings do your students have for key mathematics concepts? What meanings do you wish them to have? Creating a Language-Rich Math Class offers practical approaches for developing conceptual understandings by connecting concrete, pictorial, verbal, and symbolic representations. The focus is on making mathematics memorable instead of on memorizing. You’ll learn strategies for introducing students to math language that gives meaning to the terms and symbols they use everyday; for building flexibility and precision in students’ use of math language; and for structuring activities to make them more language-rich. Book Features: Detailed directions for sample games and activities for immediate classroom use; Investigations to Try and Questions for Reflection to assist in implementing these ideas into your practice; Graphic organizer for helping students first understand, solve, and defend their solutions to word problems; Blackline masters of game cards and puzzles (also available at http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781138916296/) |
conceptual understanding in math: Math Games: Getting to the Core of Conceptual Understanding ebook Ted H. Hull, Ruth Harbin Miles, 2013-04-01 Focus on the teaching and learning of mathematics through the use of games. Based on current research and correlated to College and Career Readiness and other state standards, this resource provides both teachers and students with rich opportunities to engage in the Standards for Mathematical Practice. Each concept-building game supports students' learning and understanding concepts. Games are provided in the following categories: Counting and Cardinality; Operations and Algebraic Thinking; Expressions and Equations; Functions; Numbers and Operations in Base Ten; Numbers and Operations--Fractions; The Number System; Ratio and Proportional Relationships; Measurement and Data; Geometry; and Statistics and Probability. |
conceptual understanding in math: Visible Maths Peter Mattock, 2019-02-08 Peter Mattock's Visible Maths: Using representations and structure to enhance mathematics teaching in schools supports teachers in their use of concrete and pictorial representations to illustrate key mathematical ideas and operations. Viewing the maths lesson as an opportunity for pupils to develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and relationships, rather than simply to follow fixed processes that lead to 'the answer', is increasingly recognised as the pinnacle of best practice in maths education. In this book, Peter Mattock builds on this approach and explores in colourful detail a variety of visual tools and techniques that can be used in the classroom to deepen pupils' understanding of mathematical operations. Covering vectors, number lines, algebra tiles, ordered-pair graphs and many other representations, Visible Maths equips teachers with the confidence and practical know-how to take their pupils' learning to the next level. The book looks at the strengths, and flaws, of each representation so that both primary and secondary school teachers of maths can make informed judgements about which representations will benefit their pupils. The exploration begins at the very basics of number and operation, and extends all the way through to how the representations apply to algebraic expressions and manipulations. As well as sharing his expert knowledge on the subject, Peter draws on relevant research and his own experience of using the representations in order to support teachers in understanding how these representations can be implemented effectively. Visible Maths also includes a glossary covering the key mathematical terms, as well as a chapter dedicated to answering some of the questions that may arise from the reading of the book. Furthermore, the accompanying diagrams and models are displayed in full colour to illustrate the conceptual takeaways and teaching techniques discussed. Suitable for teachers of maths in primary and secondary school settings. |
conceptual understanding in math: Mathematical Mindsets Jo Boaler, 2015-10-12 Banish math anxiety and give students of all ages a clear roadmap to success Mathematical Mindsets provides practical strategies and activities to help teachers and parents show all children, even those who are convinced that they are bad at math, that they can enjoy and succeed in math. Jo Boaler—Stanford researcher, professor of math education, and expert on math learning—has studied why students don't like math and often fail in math classes. She's followed thousands of students through middle and high schools to study how they learn and to find the most effective ways to unleash the math potential in all students. There is a clear gap between what research has shown to work in teaching math and what happens in schools and at home. This book bridges that gap by turning research findings into practical activities and advice. Boaler translates Carol Dweck's concept of 'mindset' into math teaching and parenting strategies, showing how students can go from self-doubt to strong self-confidence, which is so important to math learning. Boaler reveals the steps that must be taken by schools and parents to improve math education for all. Mathematical Mindsets: Explains how the brain processes mathematics learning Reveals how to turn mistakes and struggles into valuable learning experiences Provides examples of rich mathematical activities to replace rote learning Explains ways to give students a positive math mindset Gives examples of how assessment and grading policies need to change to support real understanding Scores of students hate and fear math, so they end up leaving school without an understanding of basic mathematical concepts. Their evasion and departure hinders math-related pathways and STEM career opportunities. Research has shown very clear methods to change this phenomena, but the information has been confined to research journals—until now. Mathematical Mindsets provides a proven, practical roadmap to mathematics success for any student at any age. |
conceptual understanding in math: Tools for Teaching Conceptual Understanding, Secondary Julie Stern, Krista Ferraro, Juliet Mohnkern, 2017-02-02 Students become experts and innovators through Concept-Based teaching Innovators don’t invent without a deep understanding of how the world works. With this foundation, they apply conceptual understanding to solve new problems. We want our students to not only retain ideas, but relate them to other things they encounter, using each new situation to add nuance and sophistication to their thinking. To do this, they need conceptual understanding. This book serves as a road map for Concept-Based teaching. Discover how to help students uncover conceptual relationships and transfer them to new situations. Specifically, teachers will learn: Strategies for introducing conceptual learning to students Four lesson frameworks to help students uncover conceptual relationships How to assess conceptual understanding, and How to differentiate concept-based instruction Look no further. For deep learning and innovative thinking, this book is the place to start. The authors tear down the false dichotomies of traditional vs innovative education and provide a practical toolkit for developing creativity and applying knowledge through Concept-Based learning. Every practitioner needs this book to juxtapose what worked well in the 20th Century with what is essential in the 21st Century and beyond. Michael McDowell, Superintendent Ross School District, Ross, CA While most good educators recognise the incredible value of teaching conceptually, it is challenging. The authors have created accessible, practical baby steps for every teacher to use. Dr. Vincent Chan, principal Fairview International School, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
conceptual understanding in math: Visible Learning for Mathematics, Grades K-12 John Hattie, Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, Linda M. Gojak, Sara Delano Moore, William Mellman, 2016-09-15 Selected as the Michigan Council of Teachers of Mathematics winter book club book! Rich tasks, collaborative work, number talks, problem-based learning, direct instruction...with so many possible approaches, how do we know which ones work the best? In Visible Learning for Mathematics, six acclaimed educators assert it’s not about which one—it’s about when—and show you how to design high-impact instruction so all students demonstrate more than a year’s worth of mathematics learning for a year spent in school. That’s a high bar, but with the amazing K-12 framework here, you choose the right approach at the right time, depending upon where learners are within three phases of learning: surface, deep, and transfer. This results in visible learning because the effect is tangible. The framework is forged out of current research in mathematics combined with John Hattie’s synthesis of more than 15 years of education research involving 300 million students. Chapter by chapter, and equipped with video clips, planning tools, rubrics, and templates, you get the inside track on which instructional strategies to use at each phase of the learning cycle: Surface learning phase: When—through carefully constructed experiences—students explore new concepts and make connections to procedural skills and vocabulary that give shape to developing conceptual understandings. Deep learning phase: When—through the solving of rich high-cognitive tasks and rigorous discussion—students make connections among conceptual ideas, form mathematical generalizations, and apply and practice procedural skills with fluency. Transfer phase: When students can independently think through more complex mathematics, and can plan, investigate, and elaborate as they apply what they know to new mathematical situations. To equip students for higher-level mathematics learning, we have to be clear about where students are, where they need to go, and what it looks like when they get there. Visible Learning for Math brings about powerful, precision teaching for K-12 through intentionally designed guided, collaborative, and independent learning. |
conceptual understanding in math: Figuring Out Fluency in Mathematics Teaching and Learning, Grades K-8 Jennifer M. Bay-Williams, John J. SanGiovanni, 2021-03-02 Because fluency practice is not a worksheet. Fluency in mathematics is more than adeptly using basic facts or implementing algorithms. Real fluency involves reasoning and creativity, and it varies by the situation at hand. Figuring Out Fluency in Mathematics Teaching and Learning offers educators the inspiration to develop a deeper understanding of procedural fluency, along with a plethora of pragmatic tools for shifting classrooms toward a fluency approach. In a friendly and accessible style, this hands-on guide empowers educators to support students in acquiring the repertoire of reasoning strategies necessary to becoming versatile and nimble mathematical thinkers. It includes: Seven Significant Strategies to teach to students as they work toward procedural fluency. Activities, fluency routines, and games that encourage learning the efficiency, flexibility, and accuracy essential to real fluency. Reflection questions, connections to mathematical standards, and techniques for assessing all components of fluency. Suggestions for engaging families in understanding and supporting fluency. Fluency is more than a toolbox of strategies to choose from; it’s also a matter of equity and access for all learners. Give your students the knowledge and power to become confident mathematical thinkers. |
conceptual understanding in math: The Problem with Math Is English Concepcion Molina, 2012-09-06 Teaching K-12 math becomes an easier task when everyone understands the language, symbolism, and representation of math concepts Published in partnership with SEDL, The Problem with Math Is English illustrates how students often understand fundamental mathematical concepts at a superficial level. Written to inspire ?aha? moments, this book enables teachers to help students identify and comprehend the nuances and true meaning of math concepts by exploring them through the lenses of language and symbolism, delving into such essential topics as multiplication, division, fractions, place value, proportional reasoning, graphs, slope, order of operations, and the distributive property. Offers a new way to approach teaching math content in a way that will improve how all students, and especially English language learners, understand math Emphasizes major attributes of conceptual understanding in mathematics, including simple yet deep definitions of key terms, connections among key topics, and insightful interpretation This important new book fills a gap in math education by illustrating how a deeper knowledge of math concepts can be developed in all students through a focus on language and symbolism. |
conceptual understanding in math: Principles to Actions National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2014-02 This text offers guidance to teachers, mathematics coaches, administrators, parents, and policymakers. This book: provides a research-based description of eight essential mathematics teaching practices ; describes the conditions, structures, and policies that must support the teaching practices ; builds on NCTM's Principles and Standards for School Mathematics and supports implementation of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics to attain much higher levels of mathematics achievement for all students ; identifies obstacles, unproductive and productive beliefs, and key actions that must be understood, acknowledged, and addressed by all stakeholders ; encourages teachers of mathematics to engage students in mathematical thinking, reasoning, and sense making to significantly strengthen teaching and learning. |
conceptual understanding in math: Daily Math Stretches: Building Conceptual Understanding Levels 6-8 Laney Sammons, 2011-03-18 Jumpstart your students' minds with daily warm-ups that get them thinking mathematically and ready for instruction. Daily Math Stretches offers practice in algebraic thinking, geometry, measurement, and data for grades 6-8 to provide an early foundation for mastering mathematical learning. Written by Guided Math author Laney Sammons and with well-known, research-based approaches, this product provides step-by-step lessons, assessment information, and a snapshot of how to facilitate these math discussions in your classroom. Digital resources are also included for teacher guidance with management tips, classroom set-up tips, and interactive whiteboard files for each stretch. |
conceptual understanding in math: Oxford Handbook of Numerical Cognition Roi Cohen Kadosh, Ann Dowker, 2015-07-30 How do we understand numbers? Do animals and babies have numerical abilities? Why do some people fail to grasp numbers, and how we can improve numerical understanding? Numbers are vital to so many areas of life: in science, economics, sports, education, and many aspects of everyday life from infancy onwards. Numerical cognition is a vibrant area that brings together scientists from different and diverse research areas (e.g., neuropsychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, comparative psychology, anthropology, education, and neuroscience) using different methodological approaches (e.g., behavioral studies of healthy children and adults and of patients; electrophysiology and brain imaging studies in humans; single-cell neurophysiology in non-human primates, habituation studies in human infants and animals, and computer modeling). While the study of numerical cognition had been relatively neglected for a long time, during the last decade there has been an explosion of studies and new findings. This has resulted in an enormous advance in our understanding of the neural and cognitive mechanisms of numerical cognition. In addition, there has recently been increasing interest and concern about pupils' mathematical achievement in many countries, resulting in attempts to use research to guide mathematics instruction in schools, and to develop interventions for children with mathematical difficulties. This handbook brings together the different research areas that make up the field of numerical cognition in one comprehensive and authoritative volume. The chapters provide a broad and extensive review that is written in an accessible form for scholars and students, as well as educationalists, clinicians, and policy makers. The book covers the most important aspects of research on numerical cognition from the areas of development psychology, cognitive psychology, neuropsychology and rehabilitation, learning disabilities, human and animal cognition and neuroscience, computational modeling, education and individual differences, and philosophy. Containing more than 60 chapters by leading specialists in their fields, the Oxford Handbook of Numerical Cognition is a state-of-the-art review of the current literature. |
conceptual understanding in math: Concept-rich Mathematics Instruction Meir Ben-Hur, 2006 Presents an instructional approach that helps students in every grade level understand math concepts so they can apply them on assessments, across the curriculum, and outside of school. Provides teaching practices and lesson ideas that give students a stronger foundation for reasoning and problem solving. |
conceptual understanding in math: Guided Math: A Framework for Mathematics Instruction Sammons, Laney, 2017-03-01 Use a practical approach to teaching mathematics that integrates proven literacy strategies for effective instruction. This professional resource will help to maximize the impact of instruction through the use of whole-class instruction, small-group instruction, and Math Workshop. Incorporate ideas for using ongoing assessment to guide your instruction and increase student learning, and use hands-on, problem-solving experiences with small groups to encourage mathematical communication and discussion. Guided Math supports the College and Career Readiness and other state standards. |
conceptual understanding in math: Eyes on Math Marian Small, 2012-12-30 This new book is an exciting follow-up to the authors bestsellers on differentiated math instruction, Good Questions and More Good Questions. Eyes on Math is a unique teaching resource that provides engaging, full-color graphics and pictures with text showing teachers how to use each image to stimulate mathematical teaching conversations around key K–8 concepts. Teachers using the book can download the images for projection onto classroom white boards or screens. The questions and answers will help both students and teachers look more deeply and see the math behind the math! |
conceptual understanding in math: Understanding and Teaching Primary Mathematics Tony Cotton, 2014-04-29 How would you teach the concept of odd and even numbers to a child? What is the probability of throwing a three on a six-sided die? How could you help a child who is confusing ratio and proportion? By seamlessly combining subject knowledge and pedagogy, the second edition of Understanding and Teaching Primary Mathematics will not only build your own confidence in mathematics, but also equip you with the curriculum understanding and pedagogical know-how to excel at teaching maths to children of any age. Written in a clear and accessible way, the book guides you through the fundamental ideas which are at the heart of teaching and learning maths, with special focus on observation and assessment of primary and early years children. Hallmark features Links to the classroom and research are provided throughout to help you relate educational theory to your own teaching practice. Portfolio and audit tasks allow you to assess your own subject knowledge and build up a portfolio of evidence to gain Qualified Teacher Status. The accompanying extra resources offers topic-specific self-audits for you to monitor your progress, exemplar lesson plans, a range of Portfolio Tasks mapped directly to current teacher standards and web-links to up-to-date online resources. New to this edition Resource Inspiration boxes give inviting examples of different activities to do with your class to provide inspiration for your own teaching. High quality videos with corresponding discussion, have been expertly selected from Teachers TV help to widen your skills and develop your practice, offering tips, lesson ideas and classroom resources. |
conceptual understanding in math: Activating Math Talk Paola Sztajn, Daniel Heck, Kristen Malzahn, 2020-09-24 Achieve High-Quality Mathematics Discourse With Purposeful Talk Techniques Many mathematics teachers agree that engaging students in high quality discourse is important for their conceptual learning, but successfully promoting such discourse in elementary classrooms—with attention to the needs of every learner—can be a challenge. Activating Math Talk tackles this challenge by bringing practical, math-specific, productive discourse techniques that are applicable to any lesson or curriculum. Framed around 11 student-centered discourse techniques, this research-based book connects purposeful instructional techniques to specific lesson goals and includes a focus on supporting emergent multilingual learners. You will be guided through each technique with Classroom examples of tasks and techniques spanning grades K–5 Reflection moments to help you consider how key ideas relate to your own instruction Classroom vignettes that illustrate the techniques in action and provide opportunities to analyze and prepare for your own implementation Group discussion questions for engaging with colleagues in your professional community Achieving high-quality mathematics discourse is within your reach using the clear-cut techniques that activates your math talk efforts to promote every student’s conceptual learning. |
conceptual understanding in math: The Cambridge Handbook of Cognition and Education John Dunlosky, Katherine A. Rawson, 2019-02-07 This Handbook reviews a wealth of research in cognitive and educational psychology that investigates how to enhance learning and instruction to aid students struggling to learn and to advise teachers on how best to support student learning. The Handbook includes features that inform readers about how to improve instruction and student achievement based on scientific evidence across different domains, including science, mathematics, reading and writing. Each chapter supplies a description of the learning goal, a balanced presentation of the current evidence about the efficacy of various approaches to obtaining that learning goal, and a discussion of important future directions for research in this area. It is the ideal resource for researchers continuing their study of this field or for those only now beginning to explore how to improve student achievement. |
conceptual understanding in math: Mastering Math Manipulatives, Grades 4-8 Sara Delano Moore, Kimberly Rimbey, 2021-10-04 Put math manipulatives to work in your classroom and make teaching and learning math both meaningful and productive. Mastering Math Manipulatives includes everything you need to integrate math manipulatives—both concrete and virtual—into math learning. Each chapter of this richly illustrated, easy-to-use guide focuses on a different powerful tool, such as base ten blocks, fraction manipulatives, unit squares and cubes, Cuisenaire Rods, Algebra tiles and two-color counters, geometric strips and solids, geoboards, and others, and includes a set of activities that demonstrate the many ways teachers can leverage manipulatives to model and reinforce math concepts for all learners. It features: · Classroom strategies for introducing math manipulatives, including commercial, virtual, and hand-made manipulatives, into formal math instruction. · Step-by-step instructions for over 70 activities that work with any curriculum, including four-color photos, printable work mats, and demonstration videos. · Handy charts that sort activities by manipulative type, math topic, domains aligned with standards, and grade-level appropriateness. |
conceptual understanding in math: Learning and Instruction National Research Council, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, PANEL ON LEARNING AND INSTRUCTION., Strategic Education Research Partnership, 2003-12-04 The Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP) is a bold, ambitious plan that proposes a revolutionary program of education research and development. Its purpose is to construct a powerful knowledge base, derived from both research and practice, that will support the efforts of teachers, school administrators, colleges of education, and policy officialsâ with the ultimate goal of significantly improving student learning. The proposals in this book have the potential to substantially improve the knowledge base that supports teaching and learning by pursuing answers to questions at the core of teaching practices. It calls for the linking of research and development, including instructional programs, assessment tools, teacher education programs, and materials. Best of all, the book provides a solid framework for a program of research and development that will be genuinely useful to classroom teachers. |
conceptual understanding in math: A Brief History of Infinity Brian Clegg, 2013-02-07 'Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the street to the chemist, but that's just peanuts to space.' Douglas Adams, Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy We human beings have trouble with infinity - yet infinity is a surprisingly human subject. Philosophers and mathematicians have gone mad contemplating its nature and complexity - yet it is a concept routinely used by schoolchildren. Exploring the infinite is a journey into paradox. Here is a quantity that turns arithmetic on its head, making it feasible that 1 = 0. Here is a concept that enables us to cram as many extra guests as we like into an already full hotel. Most bizarrely of all, it is quite easy to show that there must be something bigger than infinity - when it surely should be the biggest thing that could possibly be. Brian Clegg takes us on a fascinating tour of that borderland between the extremely large and the ultimate that takes us from Archimedes, counting the grains of sand that would fill the universe, to the latest theories on the physical reality of the infinite. Full of unexpected delights, whether St Augustine contemplating the nature of creation, Newton and Leibniz battling over ownership of calculus, or Cantor struggling to publicise his vision of the transfinite, infinity's fascination is in the way it brings together the everyday and the extraordinary, prosaic daily life and the esoteric. Whether your interest in infinity is mathematical, philosophical, spiritual or just plain curious, this accessible book offers a stimulating and entertaining read. |
conceptual understanding in math: Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics Liping Ma, 2010-03-26 Studies of teachers in the U.S. often document insufficient subject matter knowledge in mathematics. Yet, these studies give few examples of the knowledge teachers need to support teaching, particularly the kind of teaching demanded by recent reforms in mathematics education. Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics describes the nature and development of the knowledge that elementary teachers need to become accomplished mathematics teachers, and suggests why such knowledge seems more common in China than in the United States, despite the fact that Chinese teachers have less formal education than their U.S. counterparts. The anniversary edition of this bestselling volume includes the original studies that compare U.S and Chinese elementary school teachers’ mathematical understanding and offers a powerful framework for grasping the mathematical content necessary to understand and develop the thinking of school children. Highlighting notable changes in the field and the author’s work, this new edition includes an updated preface, introduction, and key journal articles that frame and contextualize this seminal work. |
conceptual understanding in math: Unknown Quantity John Derbyshire, 2006-06-02 Prime Obsession taught us not to be afraid to put the math in a math book. Unknown Quantity heeds the lesson well. So grab your graphing calculators, slip out the slide rules, and buckle up! John Derbyshire is introducing us to algebra through the ages-and it promises to be just what his die-hard fans have been waiting for. Here is the story of algebra. With this deceptively simple introduction, we begin our journey. Flanked by formulae, shadowed by roots and radicals, escorted by an expert who navigates unerringly on our behalf, we are guaranteed safe passage through even the most treacherous mathematical terrain. Our first encounter with algebraic arithmetic takes us back 38 centuries to the time of Abraham and Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, Ur and Haran, Sodom and Gomorrah. Moving deftly from Abel's proof to the higher levels of abstraction developed by Galois, we are eventually introduced to what algebraists have been focusing on during the last century. As we travel through the ages, it becomes apparent that the invention of algebra was more than the start of a specific discipline of mathematics-it was also the birth of a new way of thinking that clarified both basic numeric concepts as well as our perception of the world around us. Algebraists broke new ground when they discarded the simple search for solutions to equations and concentrated instead on abstract groups. This dramatic shift in thinking revolutionized mathematics. Written for those among us who are unencumbered by a fear of formulae, Unknown Quantity delivers on its promise to present a history of algebra. Astonishing in its bold presentation of the math and graced with narrative authority, our journey through the world of algebra is at once intellectually satisfying and pleasantly challenging. |
conceptual understanding in math: What is a Mathematical Concept? Elizabeth de Freitas, Nathalie Sinclair, Alf Coles, 2017-06-22 Leading thinkers in mathematics, philosophy and education offer new insights into the fundamental question: what is a mathematical concept? |
conceptual understanding in math: Knowing and Learning Mathematics for Teaching National Research Council, Mathematical Sciences Education Board, Center for Education, Mathematics Teacher Preparation Content Workshop Program Steering Committee, 2001-02-25 There are many questions about the mathematical preparation teachers need. Recent recommendations from a variety of sources state that reforming teacher preparation in postsecondary institutions is central in providing quality mathematics education to all students. The Mathematics Teacher Preparation Content Workshop examined this problem by considering two central questions: What is the mathematical knowledge teachers need to know in order to teach well? How can teachers develop the mathematical knowledge they need to teach well? The Workshop activities focused on using actual acts of teaching such as examining student work, designing tasks, or posing questions, as a medium for teacher learning. The Workshop proceedings, Knowing and Learning Mathematics for Teaching, is a collection of the papers presented, the activities, and plenary sessions that took place. |
conceptual understanding in math: International Handbook of Research on Teachers' Beliefs Helenrose Fives, Michele Gregoire Gill, 2014-08-21 Teacher beliefs play a fundamental role in the education landscape. Nevertheless, most educational researchers only allude to teacher beliefs as part of a study on other subjects. This book fills a necessary gap by identifying the importance of research on teacher beliefs and providing a comprehensive overview of the topic. It provides novices and experts alike a single volume with which to understand a complex research landscape. Including a review of the historical foundations of the field, this book identifies current research trends, and summarizes the current knowledge base regarding teachers’ specific beliefs about content, instruction, students, and learning. For its innumerable applications within the field, this handbook is a necessity for anyone interested in educational research. |
conceptual understanding in math: Teaching Numeracy Margie Pearse, K. M. Walton, 2011-03-23 Transform mathematics learning from “doing” to “thinking” American students are losing ground in the global mathematical environment. What many of them lack is numeracy—the ability to think through the math and apply it outside of the classroom. Referencing the new common core and NCTM standards, the authors outline nine critical thinking habits that foster numeracy and show you how to: Monitor and repair students’ understanding Guide students to recognize patterns Encourage questioning for understanding Develop students’ mathematics vocabulary Included are several numeracy-rich lesson plans, complete with clear directions and student handouts. |
conceptual understanding in math: Connecting Math Concepts Level C Studentworkbook 1 SRA/McGraw-Hill, Owen Engelmann, 2011-09-01 Contains a remedial mathematics program for grades K-5. |
conceptual understanding in math: Math on the Move Malke Rosenfeld, 2016-10-18 Kids love to move. But how do we harness all that kinetic energy effectively for math learning? In Math on the Move, Malke Rosenfeld shows how pairing math concepts and whole body movement creates opportunities for students to make sense of math in entirely new ways. Malke shares her experience creating dynamic learning environments by: exploring the use of the body as a thinking tool, highlighting mathematical ideas that are usefully explored with a moving body, providing a range of entry points for learning to facilitate a moving math classroom. ...--Publisher description. |
conceptual understanding in math: Elementary Mathematics Pedagogical Content Knowledge James E. Schwartz, 2008 Schwartz Powerful Ideas in Elementary Mathematics: Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teachers, 1/e ISBN: 0205493750 This book would be a great tool for helping [today's future elementary teachers] acquire a 'gut level' understanding of mathematics concepts. - Hester Lewellen, Baldwin-Wallace College, OH The writing in this text is very clear and would easily be understood by the intended audience. The real-world examples put the various math concepts into a context that is easily understood. The vignettes at the beginning of each chapter are interesting and they get the reader to begin thinking about the math concepts that will follow. Each of the chapters seem to build on one another and the author often refers back to activities and concepts from previous chapters which is meaningful to the reader because it lets the reader know that the information they are learning builds their conceptual understanding of other mathematical concepts. - Melany L. Rish, University of South Carolina, Aiken Organized around five key concepts or powerful ideas in mathematics, this text presents elementary mathematics content in a concise and nonthreatening manner for teachers. Designed to sharpen teachers' mathematics pedagogical content knowledge, the friendly writing style and vignettes relate math concepts to real life situations so that they may better present the content to their students. The five powerful ideas (composition, decomposition, relationships, representation, and context) provide an organizing framework and highlight the interconnections between mathematics topics. In addition, the text thoroughly integrates discussion of the five NCTM process strands. Features: Icons highlighting the NCTM process standards appear throughout the book to indicate where the text relates to each of these. Practice exercises and activities and their explanations reinforce math concepts presented in the text and provide an opportunity for reflection and practice. Concise, conversational chapters and opening vignettes present math contents simply enough for even the most math-anxious pre-service teachers. |
conceptual understanding in math: Teaching Mathematics Meaningfully David H. Allsopp, David Allsopp (Ph. D.), Maggie M. Kyger, LouAnn H. Lovin, 2007 Making mathematics concepts understandable is a challenge for any teacher--a challenge that's more complex when a classroom includes students with learning difficulties. With this highly practical resource, educators will have just what they need to teach mathematics with confidence: research-based strategies that really work with students who have learning disabilities, ADHD, or mild cognitive disabilities. This urgently needed guidebook helps teachers Understand why students struggle.Teachers will discover how the common learning characteristics of students with learning difficulties create barriers to understanding mathematics. Review the Big Ideas. Are teachers focusing on the right things? A helpful primer on major NCTM-endorsed mathematical concepts and processes helps them be sure. Directly address students' learning barriers. With the lesson plans, practical strategies, photocopiable information-gathering forms, and online strategies in action, teachers will have concrete ways to help students grasp mathematical concepts, improve their proficiency, and generalize knowledge in multiple contexts. Check their own strengths and needs. Educators will reflect critically on their current practices with a thought-provoking questionnaire. With this timely book--filled with invaluable ideas and strategies adaptable for grades K-12--educators will know just what to teach and how to teach it to students with learning difficulties. |
conceptual understanding in math: SRA Real Math Sharon Griffin, Stephen S. Willoughby, SRA/McGraw-Hill, 2007-08 A standards-based, comprehensive math intervention curriculum for the state of California. Designed for students identified with math deficiencies who have not responded to reteaching efforts or who have a sustained lack of adquate progress in mathematics. This program provides intensive focus on developing foundational understanding and skills. It provides explicit, scientifically based instruction emphasizing the five critical elements of mathematics proficiency: understanding, computing, applying reasoning/problem solving , and engagement. |
conceptual understanding in math: Big Ideas Math Ron Larson, Laurie Boswell, 2019 |
What Is Conceptual Understanding in Math? | HMH - Houghton …
Mar 24, 2023 · In this light, conceptual understanding is a strand of achieving mathematical proficiency that involves making sense of the main ideas of mathematics. Conceptual …
7 Ways to Develop Conceptual Understanding In The Classroom
Mar 31, 2025 · Conceptual understanding in math is essential because it encourages a lasting and adaptable understanding of general math concepts. Students can build on these math concepts …
What is conceptual understanding in mathematics?
Jan 5, 2025 · Conceptual understanding builds upon a deep understanding of mathematical concepts, enabling individuals to: Apply mathematical concepts to real-world scenarios; Analyze …
CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING, PROCEDURAL …
here they demonstrated conceptual understanding and procedural knowledge which enabled them to solve problems in various real-life situations. Structured interview. were also conducted to test …
Help students build lasting math understanding. - Carnegie Learning
Apr 17, 2023 · Conceptual understanding in math is about grasping the "why" behind mathematical ideas, not just the "how." It's the difference between memorizing steps to solve a problem and …
Building Conceptual Understanding through ... - Everyday Mathematics
Everyday Mathematics focuses on first developing student’s understanding of concepts through: Real world examples and concrete objects (manipulatives) Pictorial representations
Conceptual Understanding in Mathematics : A Review
Jul 1, 2022 · Students demonstrate conceptual understanding in mathematics when they can recognize, label, and generate examples of concepts; use and inter relate models, diagrams, …
What is Conceptual Understanding? – The Reflective Educator
Sep 19, 2018 · Conceptual understanding refers to an integrated and functional grasp of mathematical ideas. Students with conceptual understanding know more than isolated facts and …
Conceptual understanding in math - Achievement Network
Aug 9, 2018 · What is conceptual understanding in mathematics? Conceptual understanding is one of three aspects of rigor outlined by the Common Core. It calls for instruction that: introduces …
A Comprehensive Guide to Conceptual Understanding in Math
Aug 17, 2024 · Conceptual understanding in math goes beyond memorizing discrete facts, formulas, and practices. It involves grasping the underlying principles and theories that govern …
What Is Conceptual Understanding in Math? | H…
Mar 24, 2023 · In this light, conceptual understanding is a strand of achieving mathematical proficiency that …
7 Ways to Develop Conceptual Understanding In The Classr…
Mar 31, 2025 · Conceptual understanding in math is essential because it encourages a lasting and …
What is conceptual understanding in mathemat…
Jan 5, 2025 · Conceptual understanding builds upon a deep understanding of mathematical concepts, enabling …
CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING, PROCE…
here they demonstrated conceptual understanding and procedural knowledge which enabled them to …
Help students build lasting math understanding. - Carn…
Apr 17, 2023 · Conceptual understanding in math is about grasping the "why" behind …