Resources for Parent and Guardians

Students learn mathematics by doing mathematics, rather than by watching someone else do mathematics or getting told what to do.

“Doing mathematics” means learning mathematical concepts and procedures while engaging in the mathematical practices—making sense of problems, reasoning abstractly and quantitatively, constructing arguments and critiquing the reasoning of others, modeling with mathematics, using appropriate tools strategically, attending to precision in the use of language, looking for and making use of structure, and expressing regularity in repeated reasoning. By engaging in the mathematical practices with their peers, students have the opportunity to see themselves as mathematical thinkers, with worthwhile ideas and perspectives, and to cultivate positive attitudes and beliefs about mathematics. “Students learn mathematics as a result of solving problems. Mathematical ideas are the outcomes of the problem-solving experience rather than the elements that must be taught before problem solving” (Hiebert et al., 1996). A problem-based instructional framework supports teachers in structuring lessons so students are the problem solvers learning the mathematics. The activities and routines are designed to give teachers opportunities to see what students already know and what they can notice and figure out before having concepts and procedures explained to them.