Motivating middle school students to learn can be challenging. One proven method for doing so is through an integrated curriculum. Educational philosophers and curriculum theorists have long noted the benefits of an integrated curriculum, which recognizes that the subject areas within the curriculum are connected to one another and to the real…

Research has shown that students should be given the opportunity to explore mathematical concepts by building on their knowledge and focusing on mathematical reasoning. When students represent ideas, make conjectures, collaborate with others, and give explanations and arguments, they are using mathematical reasoning (NCTM 2000). Certain teaching…

Much attention has been devoted in the literature to students' struggles with fraction division. With regard to the traditional invert and multiply algorithm, researchers and educators have examined such areas as typical errors, how to help students understand why this method works, and what alternatives are available that might be more intuitive.…

As middle school mathematics becomes more abstract, it is imperative for teachers to introduce concepts in ways that are interesting and meaningful to students. Since her students struggled at times to stay engaged in mathematics and seemed to have difficulty developing conceptual understanding, the author looked for ways to create learning…

John Dewey discussed the dry school curriculum a century ago. One of the "evils" was a simplified curriculum having an outward appearance of mathematics. Dewey posited that such a simplified curriculum deprived students of opportunities to experience the thought-provoking character of the accumulated wisdom found in human knowledge. Dewey's…

This article describes an action research project in which a sixth-grade teacher engaged students in writing about their problem-solving efforts. The written mathematical work provided new artifacts for examining students' metacognitive and mathematical communication skills, prompting the teacher to make instructional changes to address students'…

The eight mathematical practices explored in the Common Core Math Standards are the following: (1) Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them; (2) Reason abstractly and quantitatively; (3) Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others; (4) Model with mathematics; (5) Use appropriate tools strategically; (6) Attend to…

There are two primary interpretations of the mean: as a leveler of data (Uccellini 1996, pp. 113-114) and as a balance point of a data set. Typically, both interpretations of the mean are ignored in elementary school and middle school curricula. They are replaced with a rote emphasis on calculation using the standard algorithm. When students are…

As the sole math teacher in his middle school, the first author has always worked hard to provide quality mathematical experiences for his students. In an era of accountability defined by standardized test scores, he has also closely monitored his students' performance on such tests. After a few years of hoping that scores would improve, he…

Data analysis plays an important role in people's lives. Citizens need to be able to conduct critical analyses of statistical information in the work place, in their personal lives, and when portrayed by the media. However, becoming a conscientious consumer of statistics is a gradual process. The experiences that students have with data in the…

In this article, the author describes the Launch-Explore-Summarize teaching model which provides a way to structure how students participated in tasks. Shifting the structure of lessons helped the author foster her desired mathematical environment. This approach to teaching was different for her in that it recommended giving students very little…

Estimation is more than a skill or an isolated topic. It is a thinking tool that needs to be emphasized during instruction so that students will learn to develop algorithmic procedures and meaning for fraction operations. For students to realize when fractions should be added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided, they need to develop a sense of…

Exploring mathematical symmetry is one way of increasing students' understanding of art. By asking students to search designs and become pattern detectives, teachers can potentially increase their appreciation of art while reinforcing their perception of the use of math in their day-to-day lives. This article shows teachers how they can interest…

Making problem solving a central part of teaching may be challenging to teachers who have limited experiences in learning and teaching mathematics in this way. Math Teachers' Circles were developed with the aim of establishing a "culture of problem solving" among middle school mathematics teachers. This culture could then be carried back into…

Storytelling can provide unique teachable moments. Mathematics content found in a good story can be seamlessly woven throughout a lesson. The technical vocabulary used in some stories occurs in a natural way, outside a textbook setting. A great story can also motivate students to actively engage in meaningful mathematics. With a wide range of…