Mathematics Support by GWAEA

The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics build on the best of existing standards and reflect the skills and knowledge students will need to succeed in college, career, and life. Consultants at Grant Wood Area Education Agency are here to support educators and their students in this challenging subject.

Greater Focus on Fewer Topics

The Common Core calls for greater focus in mathematics. Rather than racing to cover many topics in a mile-wide, inch-deep curriculum, the standards ask math teachers to significantly narrow and deepen the way time and energy are spent in the classroom. This focus will help students gain strong foundations, including a solid understanding of concepts, a high degree of procedural skill and fluency, and the ability to apply the math they know to solve problems inside and outside the classroom.

Coherence

Linking topics and thinking across grades. Mathematics is not a list of disconnected topics, tricks, or mnemonics; it is a coherent body of knowledge made up of interconnected concepts. Therefore, the standards are designed around coherent progressions from grade to grade. Learning is carefully connected across grades so that students can build new understanding onto foundations built in previous years. Coherence is also built into the standards in how they reinforce a major topic in a grade by utilizing supporting, complementary topics.

Rigor

Pursue conceptual understanding, procedural skills and fluency, and application with equal intensity. Rigor refers to deep, authentic command of mathematical concepts, not making math harder or introducing topics at earlier grades. To help students meet the standards, educators will need to pursue, with equal intensity, three aspects of rigor in the major work of each grade: conceptual understanding, procedural skills and fluency, and application.


Curriculum Instruction and Assessment in Mathematics


General Math Resources


Electronic Math Resources

Contact your Grant Wood AEA Math consultant or Regional Administrator for additional assistance.

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