Laws and Regulations
Chapter 12 of the Iowa Administrative Code describes mathematics instruction at grade levels 1-12, which includes the following:
12.5 (3) Elementary program, grades 1-6.
c. Mathematics. Mathematics instruction shall include number sense and numeration; concepts and computational skills with whole numbers, fractions, mixed numbers and decimals; estimation and mental arithmetic; geometry; measurement; statistics and probability; and patterns and relationships. This content shall be taught through an emphasis on mathematical problem solving, reasoning, and applications; language and symbolism to communicate mathematical ideas; and connections among mathematical topics and between mathematics and other disciplines. Calculators and computers shall be used in concept development and problem solving.
12.5(4) Junior high programs, grades 7 and 8
c. Mathematics. Mathematics instruction shall include number and number relationships including ratio, proportion, and percent; number systems and number theory; estimation and computation; geometry, measurement; statistics and probability; and algebraic concepts of variables, patterns, and functions. This content shall be taught through an emphasis on mathematical problem solving, reasoning, and applications; language and symbolism to communicate mathematical ideas; and connections among mathematical topics and between mathematics and other disciplines. Calculators and computers shall be used in concept development and problem solving.
12.5(5) High school program, grades 9-12.
c. Mathematics (six units). Mathematics instruction shall include:
(1) Four sequential units, which are preparatory to postsecondary educational programs. These units shall include strands in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, probability, and discrete mathematics. Mathematical concepts, operations, and applications shall be included for each of these strands. These strands shall be taught through an emphasis on mathematical problem solving, reasoning, and structure; language and symbolism to communicate mathematical ideas; and connections among mathematical topics and between mathematics and other disciplines. Calculators and computers shall be used in concept development and problem solving.
(2) Two additional units shall be taught. These additional units may include mathematical content as identified in, but not limited to, paragraphs 12.5(3) “c,” and 12.5(4)”c,” and 12.5(5)”c”(1). These units are to accommodate the locally identified needs of the students in the school or school district. This content shall be taught through an emphasis on mathematical problem solving, reasoning, and structure; language and symbolism to communicate mathematical ideas; and connections among mathematical topics and between mathematics and other disciplines. Calculators and computers shall be used in concept development and problem solving
The mathematics programs and initiatives put forth by the Department of Education reflect these descriptions and the provisions for mathematics in the No Child Left Behind legislation.
Every Student Counts (ESC)
Iowa's mathematics educators are taking what we know from research and
putting it into practice to improve K-12 student achievement. Iowa's
ESC project has three fundamental research-based components:
- Teaching for Understanding
- Problem-Based Instructional Tasks
- Meaningful Distributed Practice
The ESC goals are to:
- Improve achievement of K-12 students in mathematics and
- Build
learning communities engaged in the study of mathematics, mathematics
instruction, and student achievement in mathematics through effective
implementation of Iowa's Professional Development Model.
The Every Student Counts initiative states clearly that Teaching for
Understanding emphasizes Problem-Based Instructional Tasks and
Meaningful Distributed Practice, which are briefly described here.
Teaching for Understanding
- Posing Problem-Based Instructional Tasks
- Engaging student in the tasks and providing support as they develop their own representations and solution strategies
- Promoting discourse among students to share their solution strategies and justify their reasoning
- Summarizing the mathematics and highlighting effective representations and solution strategies
- Extending students thinking by challenging them to use effective representations and/or solutions strategies in new situations
- Listening to students and basing the instructional decisions on their understanding
Problem-Based Instructional Tasks
- Help students develop a deep understanding of important mathematics
- Are accessible yet challenging to all students
- Encourage student engagement and communication
- Can be solved in several ways
- Encourage the use of connected multiple representations
- Encourage appropriate use of intellectual, physical and technological tools
Meaningful Distributed Practice
- Targets an identified need based on multiple data sources
- Helps students develop a deep understanding of a BIG IDEA
- Helps students develop flexibility and fluency with skills and concepts
- Builds on and extends understanding
- Uses
problems and activities that help students learn to use multiple
representations, and learn to use multiple reasoning strategies
- Uses problems from a variety of contexts so students learn to make
- connections
We are taking what we know from research and putting it into practice to improve student achievement because Every Student Counts.
Every Student Counts Web Portal (ESC)
 2007-08 ESC Training Dates
ESC Contact
Judith Spitzli, Consultant
judith.spitzli@iowa.gov
Mathematics and Science Partnership Program
This program
is designed to improve student academic achievement in mathematics and science
by funding partnerships through a competitive grant process. The partnerships
supported through this program bring together mathematics and science teachers
with scientists, mathematicians, and engineers to expand teachers' subject
matter knowledge of and research in science and mathematics. The program
supports partnerships that provide opportunities for ongoing and advanced
professional development for teachers, promote and support the redesign of
instruction and curriculum in mathematics and science, and recruit mathematics,
engineering, and science majors to teaching. Partnerships supported through
this program must engage in activities that are based on scientific research.
The Iowa Department of Education cooperates with the Iowa Board of Regents
(which has a comparable program funded through Title II, Part A) in conducting
the required competitive grant process.
Mathematics Science Partnerships Program RFP
2002 Iowa Mathematics and Science Needs Assessment
2002 Iowa Mathematics and Science Needs Assessment (full report)
2002 Iowa Mathematics and Science Needs Assessment Executive Summary
Iowa Core Curriculum
Visit the Iowa Core Curriculum site to see Iowa's recommendations for math curriculum in high school.
Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI)
Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) is a professional development program based on an integrated program of research focused on (a) the development of students’ mathematical thinking; (b) instruction that influences that development; (c) teachers knowledge and beliefs that influence their instructional practices; and (d) the way that teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and practices are influenced by their understanding of students’ mathematical thinking.
Studies have consistently demonstrated that Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) students show significant gains in problem solving. These gains reflect the emphasis on problem solving in CGI classes. Learning to understand the development of children’s mathematical thinking can lead to fundamental changes in teachers’ beliefs and practices and that these changes were reflected in students’ learning.
The goals of CGI are:
- Analyze story problems and number sentences to determine their mathematical demands and recognize student responses in terms of cognitive development.
- Assess students’ thinking and design problems that will develop students’ understanding of concepts and skills.
- Facilitate discussions that provide a window into children’s thinking, strengthen children’s ability to reason about arithmetic, and build their capacity for algebraic reasoning.
- Use open and true/false number sentences to develop students’ understanding of concepts and skills
The Department of Education is offering Cognitively
Guided Instruction (CGI) Teacher
Development Academy
for teams from elementary school buildings beginning in summer 2007 and continuing
through the 2007-2008 school year. Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) Teacher Development Academy
is geared to primary level elementary school teams that include teachers and
principals. CGI is a teacher professional development program based on over 20
years of research by Thomas Carpenter, Megan Franke, Linda Levi, Susan Empson
and Victoria Jacobs.
In CGI professional development,
elementary school teachers learn a framework for how children learn the
concepts of number, and operations and algebra. Teachers work to integrate this
framework with their mathematics instruction. CGI is not a curriculum. The
knowledge teachers gain in a CGI workshop enhances how they implement any
curriculum. CGI teachers understand how their children think about mathematics
and how children in general understand mathematics. CGI teachers know how to
use what their children currently understand to plan instructional activities
for these students. CGI teachers also understand what children need to learn
about mathematics in elementary school so they will have a firm foundation upon
which they can learn more advanced mathematics.
Teachers and principals not on
contract will receive a stipend for the summer training dates. In addition,
buildings with participating teams will be provided funds to purchase math
manipulative materials to implement the CGI program.
CGI Contact
Rick Bartosh, Consultant
515-281-0368
richard.bartosh@iowa.gov
Understanding/Teaching Mathematics Series
Information for the Math Series being offered for special
educaation-co-teaching teams. This document gives the times, dates and
contact to sign up for the two credit class.
Understanding Teaching Mathematics Series
Video
(Depending on your internet connection speed, the video can take a few minutes to begin playing)
Monday, June 11, 2007
Math
Series 6-11
Math Series 6-11ESC
Math Series 6-11KWL
Monday, June 18, 2007
Teaching_Math_6-18_Intro_chapt1.mov
Understanding/Teaching Mathematics Series Contact
Cynthia
Knight, Consultant
515-281-5287
cynthia.knight@iowa.gov
Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)
The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science
Teaching (PAEMST) is the highest award a kindergarten - 12th grade
mathematics or science teacher may receive for outstanding teaching in
the United States. This award is given to outstanding mathematics and
science teachers from each of the 50 states and four U.S. jurisdictions
(Washington D.C.; Puerto Rico; Department of Defense Schools; and the
U.S. territories as a group: American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).
As
enacted by Congress in the 1983, the President makes up to 108 awards
each year. The 2008 call for nominations marks the 25th year of the
program. Please support exemplary mathematics and science teaching by
preparing to nominate a teacher for this award.
The application and further information about nominations for 2008 will be posted soon.
In
2008 Elementary teachers (kindergarten - 6th grade) may apply. The
nomination is due February 1, 2008 and the application is due May 1,
2008.
In 2009 Secondary school teachers (grades 7 - 12) may
apply. The nomination is due February 1, 2009 and the application is
due May 1, 2009.
Presidential Award Website
http://www.paemst.org
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PK-12 Education 
