One of the boys in the group responded, "That's so smart! That's so smart! That's what we should do!" Complex Instruction (CI) is a response to the paradox that group work offers much potential but often creates circumstances where few students seem to learn. CI is a set of ideas and strategies that address the problems that confound group work, but that create powerful learning for children. This book offers guidance to readers on how to use these strategies and ideas. The authors describe the lessons they learned using group work, explain how complex instruction helps unsuccessful students...

NCTM's Access and Equity Principle states that "all students [should] have access to a high-quality mathematics curriculum, effective teaching and learning, high expectations, and the support and resources needed to maximize their learning potential." This book offers math educators strategies and resources for putting that principle into practice. Practice-based vignettes open each chapter, inviting readers to relate to and engage with the issues of access and equity discussed in these middle school mathematics classrooms. Questions at the end of chapters encourage readers to reflect on what...

For many mathematics educators, research might seem remote from their day-to-day activities. This book makes research about the big ideas in Principles to Actions concrete by offering examples, from classroom practice, of best practices in action.The book summarizes and synthesizes the research behind the guiding principles and essential elements that form the heart of Principles to Actions, NCTM's statement on best practices in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Then, linking research to practice, it gives readers a flavor of what a principle or an element might look like in practice,...

Promoting empowerment, meaningful participation, and success for each and every student. Access and Equity: Promoting High-Quality Mathematics in Grades 3-5 examines the challenges related to access, equity, and empowerment faced by students making the critical transition into mathematics of the third through fifth grades. It provides guidance for making these essential improvements in practice: Finding ways to reframe common beliefs about nondominant students and communities Meeting the linguistic demands in mathematics classrooms for emerging bilingual students Adopting approaches...