Shasta Nguyen

Math 540
Dr. Beth Wentworth
July 24, 2019

Math Standards Final

The Standards for Mathematical Practice is something all public-school teachers are aware of. I
believe it might even be ingrained to our whole decision-making as math teachers! If we, as educators,
strive to have our students become proficient in math, then adhering to the SMPs is vital. These are not
just skills teachers seek to develop in their students, though; it is also a way for teachers to modify and
approach teaching in a way that facilitates a more advanced way of mathematical thinking. As we say in
my school, these are “habits of mind” – we want to enhance how student produce knowledge; not just
reproduce it.

Eight Standards of Mathematical Process

There will always be a connection between the Eight SMPs and the Process Standards (the first
of the SMP’s are derived from the Process Standards). Below are the eight standards listed, along with
which of the five NCTM Process Standards correlate and/or make a connection.

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them: This obviously relates to the first of the 5
Process Standards; Problem Solving. Students can understand the approaches of others to solving
complex problems and identify correspondences between different approaches.

Reason abstractly and quantitatively: This mathematical practice lends itself to the second Process
Standard; Reasoning and Proof. In essence, students should be able to translate a mathematical
problem into numerical form, and be able to differentiate the connection between all the elements of
the original problem and the translation.

Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others: This SMP also aligns with Process
Standard #2 (Reasoning and Proof). Children learn language by producing it, as well as by hearing it
used. When given an appropriately challenging task to work on together, students’ natural drive to
communicate helps “…develop the academic language they will need in order to ‘construct viable
arguments and critique the reasoning of others’”.

Model with mathematics: I would align this SMP with the fifth NCTM Process Standard; Representation.
Students can learn, even from an early age, to see their world – whether it be school, their physical
world, imagination, etc. – through a mathematical lens.

Use appropriate tools strategically: I would go back to #1 of the NCTM Process Standards (Problem
Solving) on this one. Students are called upon to develop their ability to “…make sound decisions about
when each of these tools might be helpful, recognizing both the insight to be gained and their
limitations”. There is a twofold educational goal in this; students need to be competent with various
tools and what they can do, and also to decide for themselves which tool serves the purpose best.
Attend to precision: I would relate this to #4 of the Process Standards; Connections. In the early grades,
vocabulary is often taught by being made concrete in the classroom. Over time, students will develop
and create their own working definitions to make connections and become more precise in concepts.

Look for and make use of structure: I would also relate this to the third Process Standard;
Communication. The main focus of this SMP is “…the precision of communication, in speech, in written
symbols, and in specifying the nature and units of quantities in numerical answers and in graphs and
diagrams”.

Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning: I connect this SMP back to Process Standard #2,
Reasoning and Proof. The main idea of this standard is that “…mathematics is open to drawing general
results (or at least good conjectures) from trying example, looking for regularity, and describing the
patter both in what you have done[,] and in the results”.

Connections between the 5 NCTM Content Standards and the 8 SMPs

“The Standards for Mathematical Practice describe ways in which developing student
practitioners of the discipline of mathematics increasingly ought to engage with the subject matter as
they grow in mathematical maturity and expertise throughout the elementary, middle and high school
years. The Standards for Mathematical Content are a balanced combination of procedure and
understanding”. As educators, we need to ensure that there is a connection being made between the
SMPs and the Content Standards, as well as providing opportunities for students to gain understanding
and engage mathematically. Putting the SMPs and math Content Standards together helps give
teachers a focal point of improving “…curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional development,
and student achievement in mathematics”.
On the next page, I created a chart showing connections between the 8 SMPs and the 5 NCTM
Content Standards.
 5 NCTM Content Standards

8 SMPs Number and Algebra Geometry Data Analysis and Measurement

Operations Probability
Make sense of problems •understand numbers, •analyze change in •apply appropriate
and persevere in solving ways of representing various contexts techniques, tools, and
them numbers, relationships formulas to determine
among numbers, and measurements
number systems
Reason abstractly and •compute fluently •understand patterns, •analyze characteristics •develop and evaluate •apply appropriate
quantitatively relations, and functions and properties of two- inferences and techniques, tools, and
and three-dimensional predictions that are formulas to determine
•use mathematical geometric shapes and based on data measurements
models to represent and develop mathematical
understand quantitative arguments about
relationships geometric relationships
Construct viable •make reasonable •analyze characteristics •formulate questions
arguments and critique estimates and properties of two- that can be addressed
the reasoning of others and three-dimensional with data
geometric shapes and
develop mathematical
arguments about
geometric relationships
Model with mathematics •use mathematical •use visualization, spatial
models to represent and reasoning, and
understand quantitative geometric modeling to
relationships solve problems
Use appropriate tools •select and use •apply appropriate
strategically appropriate statistical techniques, tools, and
methods to analyze data formulas to determine
measurements
Attend to precision •compute fluently •analyze change in •select and use •apply appropriate
various contexts appropriate statistical techniques, tools, and
methods to analyze data formulas to determine
measurements
Look for and make use of •compute fluently and •understand patterns, •analyze characteristics
structure make reasonable relations, and functions and properties of two-
estimates. and three-dimensional
geometric shapes and
develop mathematical
arguments about
geometric relationships
Look for and express •make reasonable •understand patterns, •develop and evaluate
regularity in repeated estimates relations, and functions inferences and
reasoning predictions that are
•understand meanings based on data
of operations and how
they relate to one
another
 Sources

http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/

http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Learning-in-Ohio/Mathematics/Model-Curricula-in-
Mathematics/Standards-for-Mathematical-Practice/Standards-for-Mathematical-
Practice.pdf.aspx

https://www.nctm.org/uploadedFiles/Conferences_and_Professional_Development/Institues/High_Sch
ool_Mathmatics/2016%209-12%20Institute%20Taylor%20Handouts.pdf

https://www.teacherstep.com/breaking-down-the-common-cores-8-mathematical-practice-standards/

http://thinkmath.edc.org/resource/ccss-mathematical-practices