NCTM Focal Points

What I read
http://www.nctm.org/standards/content.aspx?id=264 +Q&A and other focal point topics

If you are not yet familiar with The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ (NCTM) Focal Points, now is the time. To summarize, Focal Points are a smaller number of standards emphasized at each grade level of pre-K-8th grade. It is important to note that these Focal Points do not aim to replace any current standards. They do aim to build on NCTM’s current standards. The Focal Points information on the web site show that NCTM believes that learning math is cumulative and the foundations in one grade are building blocks for the foundations in the following grade. The small key emphasis areas allow students time to develop deeper understandings of concepts, fluency in procedure and the ability to generalize (which shows the student can see the big picture). Fewer content areas also allow students time to practice problem-solving, reasoning and critical thinking.

In selecting which key areas to emphasize, the Focal Points had to “be mathematically important,” “fit” with what is known about math, and “connect logically” with previous and future grades. Focal Points are intended to be used however teachers, school districts, states, textbook companies, etc., decide to use them.

I see the Focal Points really emphasizing the nature of mathematics teaching in the following quote:
“Focal Points should be addressed by students in the context of the mathematical processes of problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, connections, and representations.” (NCTM Web site)

Despite my distrust of standards and the completely unpalatable sensation I get in the pit of my stomach, I truly appreciate these Focal Points, all the work that was put into creating them and the fact that mathematical content should be addressed through solving problems in the classroom.

Lastly, I want to share a short timeline of Standards that I gleaned from NCTM’s web site alone.

1980′s- An Agenda for Action was published, starting the Standards Era.
1989- Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics
2000- The same publication was updated and re-named Principles and Standards for School Mathematics
2005- Standards and Curriculum: A View From the Nation, a document declaring the state of mathematics in the U.S.
2006- Curriculum Focal Points for Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8 Mathematics: A Quest for Coherence
2006- Navigations, a series of teaching books seeking to expand and illustrate the vision of math instruction using Focal Points
2009- Focus in High School Mathematics: Reasoning and Sense Making

You can purchase the Focal Points (or any of these publications) through NCTM’s web site as a paper publication or as pdf files. You can purchase the whole publication or just your grade level. I am ordering the full paper publication so after I receive and read the entire publication, I may post an update. I would highly recommend purchasing your grade level as a pdf document. It is very affordable, only $2 (non-member) or $1 (member) for one grade level.

Teacher Resource
Click on the link below for free math lessons in PDF for pre-K-5
http://www.nctm.org/resources/content.aspx?id=8768

NEXT: The Common Core State Standards Initiative