Math Instruction: Increasing Student and Staff Performance Through
Assessment and Intervention
By Judy Martin, M.Ed.
from T/TAC Link Lines
February/March 2007
Expectations for student performance and achievement in mathematics
have increased dramatically, fueled, not only by state (Standards
of Learning) and national (No Child Left Behind) standards, but
by the increasingly technological society in which we live. Students’
competency in mathematics is critical for their future success in
our high-tech world (Furner & Berman, 2004). According to The
Nation’s Report Card: Mathematics 2005 (Perie, Grigg,
& Dion, 2005), although improvements have been noted, only a
third of our fourth- and eighth-grade students are performing at
proficiency level or above.
An unfortunate by-product of increased math demands placed on students
is math anxiety (Tobias, 1993), which is found from the elementary
school years through college to the work place. Further, research
shows a correlation between math anxiety and student performance
(Furner & Berman, 2004 ). One way to reduce stress, is to conduct
an assessment to determine the best instructional match for the
student.
Specifically, an instructional assessment helps to establish a
match between the student’s prior knowledge, readiness to
learn and what is to be learned (curriculum demands). When this
match is determined, effective instructional practices can be implemented
and optimum learning can take place (Gravois & Gickling, 2003).
With success comes improvement in student attitudes, confidence,
and achievement in mathematics.
Strategies should revolve around the dimensions of math. Gravois
and Gickling (2003) identify the broad math domains as:
- Reasoning - Understanding and knowing how to
solve math problems
- Connecting - Using clues to unlock rules, steps,
and strategies for solving problems
- Communicating - Explaining solutions to math
problems in logical order
- Problem-Solving - Discovering solutions to
math problems using reasoning, connecting, and communicating
The Instructional
Strategies That Support Authentic Assessment Within the Dimensions
of Math insert in this newsletter provides more specific
information about the dimensions of math, essential questions, and
instructional strategies.
References
Furner, J.M., & Berman, B.T. (2004). Confidence in their ability
to do mathematics: The need to eradicate math anxiety so our future
students can successfully compete in a high-tech globally competitive
world. Philosophy of Mathematics Education Journal, 18(1),
p. 1-33.
Gravois, T., & Gickling, E. (2003). Instructional consultation
team manual. College Park: University of Maryland.
Perie, M., Grigg, W., & Dion, G. (2005). The nation’s
report card: Mathematics 2005. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department
of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.
Tobias, S. (1993). Overcoming math anxiety. New York: W.W.
Norton & Company.
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