What are the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics?
The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) are a set of standards
for what skills and concepts students should be expected to learn and master at each
grade level K through 12. These standards support common expectations for
students between states and help shape the curricular decisions of individual states
and school districts. More information about the CCSSM can be found at:
http://www.corestandards.org/Math/
What are the Standards for Mathematical Practice?
Along with content standards for each grade level K through 12, which is what is
commonly thought of when referencing “standards”, the authors of the CCSSM built
off of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics work to identify specific
processes and abilities reflective of strong mathematics students. The eight practice
standards are common to all grade levels. They are listed below.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
Model with mathematics.
Use appropriate tools strategically.
Attend to precision.
Look for and make use of structure.
Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
What was wrong before? High school math worked for me!
While we’re pleased that many students have had very positive experiences of
mathematics and learned to appreciate and apply it in the future careers and
personal experiences, we also recognize the reality that we haven’t always helped
all students come to these appreciations. The intention of the CCSSM and the work
of the staff in District 117 is to meet the needs of all students and provide an
experience that each student finds valuable and enriching.
Greater demand for employees in science, technology, engineering, and mathrelated fields requires students who are well prepared to understand and apply
mathematical skills in a variety of contexts and applications. Students need to see
and learn how math skills and concepts are transferred outside the discipline of
pure mathematics. A thorough basis of mathematical skills, grounded in the
Standards for Mathematical Practice, will help students become mathematically
fluent and develop skills in a wide range of high-demand careers.
What’s going to happen to the skills students need to be accepted to good
colleges and succeed in the workplace?
Those skills aren’t going anywhere. Students will still build a solid foundation of
mathematical skills. In fact some mathematical topics that have more value and
purpose in the 21st century, like probability and statistics, are now more heavily
emphasized. Teachers still include and practice core skills within the curriculum,
but they’re now grounded in deeper conceptual understanding and genuine
application. For math skills to be valuable, students need to understand the context
in which those skills are helpful, and be able to identify when and how to apply
them.
What are the Integrated Math 1, Integrated Math 2, and Integrated Math 3
courses in District 117?
Following a thorough review process and careful consideration that began in 2010,
District 117 elected to transition from a traditional sequence of math courses
(Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2) to an integrated sequence.
Starting with the Class of 2017, District 117 students will complete a three-year
sequence of Integrated Math 1, Integrated Math 2, and Integrated Math 3.
Students are placed in courses as freshman based on a number of factors. Middle
school courses, course grades, teacher recommendations, and standardized test
results are all considering when choosing the best placement for each student to be
successful.
A scope and sequence of math courses for current and future District 117 students
is available at: http://www.chsd117.org/index.php/antioch/math
What is different about integrated courses compared to traditional courses?
The integrated pathway includes the same high school Common Core State
Standards as a traditional pathway, but the geometry and algebra content is
intertwined rather than separated to different courses. This pathway change
supports our mission to help students see the connection and relationships inherent
in mathematical learning.
I haven’t heard much about other schools using an integrated pathway. Why
not?
Transitioning from a traditional to an integrated pathway takes an incredible
amount of hard work, but in District 117 we believe it’s the right work. Several
other states have made significant moves to encourage schools to make the
transition, and the Illinois State Board of Education supports the integrated pathway
and is facilitating schools making the transition with resources and support.
Internationally, many nations that outperform the United States in the Trends in
International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Programme for
International Student Assessment (PISA) use integrated curricula.
A recently completed study was published in the Journal for Research in
Mathematics Education (JRME) by a research team from the University of Missouri
that studied students from 11 geographically dispersed states. The study involved
more than 3200 students and found that students enrolled in an integrated
curriculum Math 2 course scored significantly higher than students enrolled in a
traditional Geometry course. After controlling for other variables, the organization
of the curriculum was found to be a statistically significant factor in predicting
student outcomes.
Locally, D117 has partnered with other northern Illinois districts to continuously
review and reflect on their implementation of integrated curricula.
If my son/daughter is taking an accelerated math course as an 8th grade
student where will they start?
8th grade students that successfully complete a Math 1 Honors course at their
middle schools will be enrolled in Math 2 or Math 2 Honors.
8th grade students that successfully complete an Algebra 1 course at their middle
school have two options:
1. Take Math 1 or Math 1 Honors in D117 as a freshman and experience a set
of rich challenges that will push their strong algebra understandings further
and also emphasize geometry and statistics content.
2. Enroll in a summer program called Math 2 Bridge that completes the
geometry and statistics content and extends the algebraic understandings of
Algebra 1 to the Math 1 level. Completion of Math 2 Bridge enables students
to enroll in Math 2 or Math 2 Honors as freshman. Details about Math 2
Bridge and registration information are available in late spring each year in
the “Summer School Brochure” available on district school websites.
How will colleges understand the integrated math courses on a students’
transcript?
The Illinois State Board of Education is working with state colleges and universities
to build an understanding of the coursework aligned with integrated sequence
courses. Colleges and universities have experience working with students from
several states where integrated sequences have been more the norm. We
confidently anticipate the NCAA will approve all of our integrated sequence courses
as well.
How will this impact the standardized test students take?
We expect students’ scores on standardized tests commonly used by colleges for
admissions criteria (ACT, SAT, etc.) will rise over time. The CCSSM include rigorous
content, emphasize conceptual understanding, and support genuine application in
novel contexts. We anticipate the CCSSM, and specifically the Standards for
Mathematical Practice, will help us build students’ critical thinking and problem
solving skills and also result in improved standardized test performance.
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness and College and Careers (PARCC) is
designing the tests that will be used for school accountability starting in 2014-2015.
PARCC is preparing math tests for both the traditional and integrated course
sequences. We’re carefully following their development process to ensure our
students are well prepared to be successful on these new CCSSM-aligned
standardized tests.
I’ve still got questions. Who should I contact?
Please reach out to Jill Farrell, Antioch Community High School Math Department
Leader, or Scott Leverentz, Lakes Community High School Math Department Leader,
with any and all concerns or questions. We’d love to discuss the growth of the math
departments and math students of District 117 further with you.
Jill Farrell – Antioch Community – jill.farrell@chsd117.org - 847.838.7163
Scott Leverentz – Lakes Community – scott.leverentz@chsd117.org - 847.395.9335