Steve Leinwand, Sue O'Connell, Pamela Weber Harris and other math leaders examine the Standards for Mathematical Practice.
"A deeper understanding of these eight practices enables us to envision what it means for our students to be mathematically proficient, and to select teaching practices that shift our teaching from a focus on content to a focus on application and understanding. The Standards for Mathematical Practice are actually the heart and soul of the Common Core State Standards."
—Sue O'Connell and John SanGiovanni from Putting the Practices Into Action
Mathematics are about so much more than memorizing facts and formulas. The Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP) were developed as part of the Common Core with this in mind—reminding us all not just to “cover the content” at the expense of deep understanding. Yet it’s easy to skip the Standards for Mathematical Practice as we wade through all of the 7.EE.1s and 4.NBT.3s. If we do that, we miss the point. The Practices are the basis on which all our students can think about and execute real mathematics.
Join us over the next eight weeks as master educators and leaders in the field dive into each of the Standards for Mathematical Practice. Each week, one educator will unpack, examine, and reflect on one of the Practices and the potential it has to help students grow into confident, proficient mathematicians. We trust these blogs will be a valuable resource as you use the Standards for Mathematical Practice in your own instruction.
