The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics identify eight “Mathematical Practices” — the kinds of expertise that all teachers should try to foster in their students. They go far beyond any particular piece of mathematics content, describing instead what mathematics is really about, and why it is so valuable for students to master. The very first Mathematical Practice is:

“Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Mathematically proficient students start by explaining to themselves the meaning of a problem and looking for entry points to its solution. They analyze givens, constraints, relationships, and goals. They make conjectures about the form and meaning of the solution and plan a solution pathway rather than simply jumping into a solution attempt. They consider analogous problems, and try special cases and simpler forms of the original problem in order to gain insight into its solution. They monitor and evaluate their progress and change course if necessary.”

This module will help you develop these very important mathematical skills, so that you will be better prepared to help your future students develop them.

Week Objectives