24). In order to speak specifically to grade level, the process standards were broken down by grade spans. The middle school grades were represented by standards 5-8, as these are commonly the grades that represent middle school. This presentation of process standards specifically presented by grade levels were called content standards. These were updated in 2000 as well. The 1989 content standards included the following ten standards: number and number

This has had the unintended consequence of increasing the dropout rate, as students who fail to perform and to be promoted leave the schools altogether. Many good, creative teachers also drop out, frustrated with the stringent controls placed upon their teaching style. ELL (English Language Learner) students are at a particular disadvantage for taking standardized tests, given the frequently arcane wording of the exams. The tests are often poorly written,

To my observation, a math teacher now has the ability to put a personal stamp on his approach to curricular material, with evolving technologies such as a class website serving as a reflection of his own ideas regarding math instruction and his own emphases on relevant principles. By enabling teachers to bring creative ingenuity into the process, the internet is helping instructors and students to make closer connections, which

Students should be able to reflect on the process of problem solving. Reasoning and Proof Students should recognize that proofs are a fundamental aspect of mathematics. Within that understanding, they should develop the ability to select and use various types of mathematical reasoning. Communication The standard calls for students to communicate their mathematical thinking in a coherent and clear way to teachers, peers, and others. Students should be able to express their ideas

These include: question/answer, lecture, demonstration, discussion, individual student projects, laboratory, technological activities, and supervised practice. Previous research has demonstrated that the use of informal knowledge, real world settings and opportunities to apply mathematical thinking are effective instruction methods for introductory algebra. For this reason, instructional factors are related to achievement in algebra (p. 102). When comparing the test scores from Japan and the United States, House and Telese (2008) found

Algebra Lesson Plans and Curriculum for the 7th Grade Classroom The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) provides a comprehensive set of principles and standards for developing curriculum for grades K. through 12th. Chapter two of their text Principles and Standards for School Mathematics specifies the six principles considered vital for the development of a coherent math plan. The principles are general enough to apply across a wide variety