During fall semester of their senior year, preservice elementary teachers evaluated their mastery of mathematics and teaching methods and wrote an autobiography of their school mathematics experiences. This process helped the prospective teachers gain insight into their own strengths and weaknesses and improved rapport with the methods course…

Describes an 8-week study on sixth-grade students (n=23) to determine the effect of personalizing word problems on students' motivation and ability to write correct mathematical expressions. Data from weekly quizzes and student attitude surveys revealed student motivation and achievement were both enhanced. (MKP)

Discusses how one teacher encouraged students to communicate mathematically when discussing the lyrics to the song "Billy Boy." Students' problem solving was assessed by means of classroom discussion. (MKR)

Presents conversations from series of lessons in which the power of mathematical conversations was epitomized and fourth-grade students were encouraged to make conjectures to their classmates. Describes how each conversation offered insights into the ways in which students had constructed mathematics. (ASK)

Outlines a research-based model for greater family involvement among Latino families in the area of mathematics. Reports that parents remarked that they had never been given a choice of times for school-related activities; they now felt like real partners in the learning and teaching of their children. (ASK)

Rich and stimulating instruction in geometry can be provided through playful activities with mosaics such as pattern blocks or design tiles. Presents an intriguing mosaic puzzle to describe activities at various developmental levels and how the activities can help develop children's geometric thinking. (ASK)

Examines the effects of different learning experiences on children's thinking about two- and three-dimensional shapes. (ASK)

Discusses possible solutions for the problem of determining how many sandwiches were made with specific ingredients that appeared in the March 1998 issue of this journal. (ASK)

Describes a third-grade class's discoveries when students were asked to develop a method to find the area of a trapezoid on the basis of their prior work with finding the area of rectangles. (ASK)

Identifies common misconceptions about polygons. Discusses current practices used to teach geometry to search for the source of misconceptions, and describes ways to help students avoid these misconceptions. (ASK)

Highlights an activity that focuses on learning the geometric concepts needed for students to design blueprints for a city park by mastering fifth-grade geometry concepts and applying their knowledge in a real-world context. (ASK)

Contributes to the emerging picture of children's development of understanding in geometry and the kinds of teaching that can support it. Describes how teachers can use episode writing to capture student thinking and make instructional decisions. (ASK)

Features activities designed to enhance students' spatial reasoning ability combining geometry, language arts, and visual arts. (ASK)

Discusses misconceptions about constructivism by identifying related myths such as students should always be actively and reflectively constructing, manipulatives make learners active, and cooperative learning is constructivist. One central goal of constructivism should be that students become autonomous and self-motivated in their learning.…

Using the children's book "Tops and Bottoms" by Janet Stevens--an adaptation of the classic fable of the Tortoise and the Hare--students are given opportunities to build connections between a problem-solving situation and mathematics and to communicate solutions through writing, symbols, and diagrams. A key concept is to demonstrate to students…