Supporting the Mathematical Practices

The following resources are designed to help increase understanding of the Standards for Mathematical Practice:

• Bringing the Mathematical Practice Standards Together: Establishing a Conversational Context for Mathematical Thinking (Inside Mathematics)
  In the documented lessons of Fran Dickinson and Cathy Humphreys, several of the mathematical practice standards are evident within one lesson/problem.  Both teachers have established a rapport with their students and a set of norms for students to turn and talk to each other as they work together.

• Common Core Implementation Videos (CCSSO & The Hunt Institute, 2011)
  To further aid states as they continue to implement the Common Core State Standards (Standards), the Hunt Institute and the Council of Chief State School Officers have commissioned a series of video vignettes that explain the Standards in far greater depth. The following videos can be downloaded and have been selected because of their relationship to the mathematical practices:
  • Mathematical Practices, Focus and Coherence in the Classroom
    
  • The Importance of Mathematical Practices
    
  
  
• Common Core Look-fors (CCL4s) - Mathematics (Splaysoft, LLC)
  A peer-observation tool (iPad/iPhone App) for the Standards for Mathematical Practice.  Also allows users to submit, review and use existing digital resources aligned with the Content Standards.

• Common Core Standards: How do they impact the teaching of mathematics? (Tennessee State Department of Education)
  These sessions, facilitated by Susan O'Connell, explore the Standards for Mathematical Practice to determine what a math classroom should look like.  These iTunes videocasts and corresponding resources identify "look fors" to guide administrators in assessing their school's transition to these standards and offer practical ideas for supporting teachers as they build understanding of the Common Core Standards (Download iTunes).

• Linking the Mathematical Practices with the Content Standards (Arizona Department of Education)
  Scroll down to the grade level standards. Mathematical practices have been linked to specific content standards.

• Mathematical Practices Learning Community Templates (Utah State Department of Education)
  The following pages include nine templates for use in professional learning situations in which educators are seeking to understand the Common Core State Standards for Mathematical Practice.  The intent is that each template be used for study of a different mathematical practice, but also that templates could be used interchangeably for any of the practices.

• Mathematical Practices Proficiency Matrix (Hull, Balka, & Harbin Miles, 2011)
  Students’ abilities develop as opportunities are provided.  With teacher guidance, students’ abilities expand from initial, to intermediate, to advanced.  As a means to help students continue in a pattern of growth with mathematical proficiency, [this] matrix is offered as a way to consider and gauge students’ progress for each of the practices.  The matrix works in parallel to [the authors'] companion document, “An Instructional Implementation Sequence for Attaining the CCSS Student Practices in Mathematics.”  See also: "Instructional Implementation Sequence: Attaining the CCSS Mathematical Practices Engagement Strategies."
  

• Classroom Video Examples for the Standards for Mathematical Practices (Kentucky Department of Education Office of NxGL and the Leadership Networks)
  Podcasts with resources and classroom examples of the Standards for Mathematical Practice available via iTunes (Download iTunes).

• Tasks that Align with the Mathematical Practices (Mathematical Assessment Project)
  Choose the standard set (Content, Practices and MAP task types) above.  Choose a set of materials on the left to see links to example tasks or lessons.

• Video Illustrations of the Mathematical Practices (Inside Mathematics)
  To reinforce and honor the language of the standards, each page has been directly correlated from the mathematical practice standards to excerpts of mathematics lessons.  Just as with content standards, not every lesson reflects all elements of the individual standards for mathematical practice. By representing examples from different classrooms for each standard, [the authors] also want to emphasize how many different ways teachers may enact these standards for mathematical practice in their classrooms, with their particular learners.  While there is no one "right way," there are multiple examples of successful strategies to launch and sustain these practices.

• Visual Depiction of the Mathematical Practices (Tools for the Common Core)
  This brief graphic shows some higher-order structure for the eight Standards for Mathematical Practice.