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OVERVIEW
K-12 Mathematics
Fulton
County's K-12 Mathematics Curriculum Guides are designed to identify the core
of instruction for all students. These
documents define and delineate the content, methods, and materials recommended
for use in this instruction. The
learning objectives are organized into two semesters for each
grade/course. These semesters contain
concepts that are introduced, developed, and expanded throughout the
mathematics program. Global objectives
related to communication, reasoning, connections, representation and proof and
problem solving as outlined in the Principles and Standards for School
Mathematics, 2000 (NCTM) should be integrated throughout the instructional
process.
The NCTM Standards are based on a set of essential
beliefs about students, teaching, learning, and mathematics. The National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics Statement of Beliefs is given below.
We believe the following:
·
Every student deserves an excellent program
of instruction in mathematics that challenges each student to achieve at the
high level required for productive citizenship and employment.
·
Every student must be taught by qualified
teachers who have a sound knowledge of mathematics, as well as, how students
learn mathematics. Teachers must hold
high expectations for themselves and their students.
·
Each school district must develop a complete
and coherent mathematics curriculum that focuses, at every grade level, on the
development of numerical, algebraic, geometric, and statistical concepts and
skills that enable all students to formulate, analyze, and solve problems
proficiently. Teachers at every grade
level should understand how the mathematics they teach fits into the
development of these strands.
·
Computational skills and number concepts are
essential components of the K-6 mathematics curriculum, and knowledge of
estimation and mental computation are more important than ever. By the end of the middle grades, students
should have a solid foundation in number sense, algebra, geometry, measurement,
and statistics.
·
Teachers guide the learning process in their
classrooms and manage the classroom environment through a variety of
instructional approaches directly tied to the mathematics content and to
students’ needs.
·
Learning mathematics is enhanced when content
is placed in context and is connected to other subject areas and when students
are given multiple opportunities to apply mathematics in meaningful ways as
part of the learning process.
·
The widespread impact of technology on nearly
every aspect of our lives requires changes in the content and nature of school
mathematics programs. In keeping with
these changes, students should be able to use calculators and computers to
investigate mathematical concepts and increase their mathematical
understanding.
·
Students use diverse strategies and different
algorithms to solve problems, and teachers must recognize and take advantage of
these alternative approaches to help students develop a better understanding of
mathematics.
·
The assessment of mathematical understanding
must be aligned with the content taught and must incorporate multiple sources
of information, including standardized tests, quizzes, observations,
performance tasks, and mathematical investigations.
·
The improvement of mathematics teaching and
learning should be guided by ongoing research and by ongoing assessment of
school mathematics programs.
The K-12
Mathematics Curriculum Guide Revisions, 2001 were accomplished with the above
beliefs in mind.
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