Mathematics - Introduction

Draft Standards From The State of California Academic Standards Commission

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State of California Academic Standards Commission

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Mathematics is a language we use every day, often without knowing it. It builds and draws on conceptual understanding and skills, and helps us make decisions and solve problems. In this draft document we have tried to connect the notion of problem solving to conceptual understanding and skill development by embedding it within the content strands at every grade. Given here are only some of the ways you will see this exemplified. Students are asked to:

• ask relevant questions about problem situations
  
  
• decide between relevant and extraneous information
  
  
• choose appropriate operations tools and approaches to problem situations
  
  
• decide whether an exact or approximate answer is called for
  
  
• apply specific techniques in new situations
  
  
• explain, check, justify, prove, and judge the reasonableness of results
  
  
• create new approaches and connect knowledge and understanding in new ways
  
  

Issues to be dealt with in future drafts

The mathematics committee will address the following critical elements in future drafts of the California standards. Some of these elements have been handled partially; others are identified as essential for the second draft.

1. Examples of tasks that will illustrate and animate standards statements to add needed clarity.
   
   
2. Strengthen problem-solving (as indicated in the above box) so there is a clear and consistent understanding that students need to develop their ability to use relevant math concepts and skills to solve problems.
   
   
3. Strengthen the statistics strand to ensure that students have the tools to evaluate data as it is used in every day life.
   
   
4. Strengthen options and extensions in mathematics beyond 10th grade.
   
   
5. Present the uses of technology in grades K-12.
   
   
6. Develop performance standards.
   
   

Credits

The Draft Standards were prepared by:

The State of California Academic Standards Commission
The Commission for the Establishment of Academic Content and Performance Standards Comments may be addressed to The Commission