Constructivist approaches to mathematics instruction based on the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) have been widely advocated and are expanding in use. However, many educators express a need for constructivist approaches that provide specific student materials, assessments, teachers' manuals, professional…

As almost every state attempts to reform mathematics instruction by implementing new teaching standards, state testing practices remain largely unchanged. Is there a mismatch between these new standards and the old tests? This question is investigated by examining whether middle school and high school algebra students taught in a manner consistent…

Intended for classroom teachers who have English Language Learners (ELLs--non-native speakers of English who are experiencing difficulty in learning academic content), this guidebook provides criteria to be included in the development of performance-based assessment tasks. It assists classroom teachers to develop assessments to: determine whether…

This paper shows how the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) can be carried out in a country with a very complicated upper-secondary educational system. The difficulties are not linked to the measurement of achievement, since the international project provides a common achievement scale. The challenge lies in the design of…

Early research has shown that using practicing mathematics teachers as mentors results in increased teacher self-respect, improved teaching skills, and renewed enthusiasm for teaching. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a resident mentor teacher on student achievement in mathematics. Measures of achievement were obtained…

This report is the first in a series on Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams) in the Newark, New Jersey Public Schools. Project GRAD is an education initiative that combines several proven or promising reforms with the goals of increasing reading and math achievement test scores, improving classroom behavior, reducing dropout rates, and…

This booklet summarizes the mathematics chapter from "Handbook of Research on Improving Student Achievement", published by the Educational Research Service (ERS). The Handbook is based on the idea that, in order to succeed, efforts to improve instruction must focus on the existing knowledge base with respect to effective teaching and learning. The…

This report provides analysis and discussion of the 1996 Rhode Island State Assessment Program performance for grade 4 in mathematics, writing, and health education. It addresses the effects of accommodations and the inclusion of all students in these state assessments, examining some of the characteristics of tests administered to students with…

This study examined the experiences of 15 elementary schools in Washington state demonstrating relatively slow improvement on the reading and mathematics sections of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. Since the passage of educational reform legislation in 1993, Washington has undertaken a systematic overhaul of its K-12 public school…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the nation's only ongoing representative sample survey of student achievement in core subject areas. In 2000, NAEP conducted a national mathematics assessment of fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-grade students. State-level results were also collected at the fourth and eighth grades within…

A description is given of a game simulation course, developed for a full year of general mathematics credit. It traces a rock-and-roll band, with each student acting as manager. Ten activities are outlined. (MNS)

Social, cultural, and personal factors in moderating achievement attributions and evaluation anxiety as they affect math performance were studied for 397 Anglo, Black, and Hispanic students. Motivation contributed to low academic achievement in all groups; causal attributions were more predictive for Blacks and Anglos, while anxiety scores were…

Difficulties that entering college freshmen showed on a mathematics assessment test are discussed. More students can perform decimal computation than can order decimals. The concept of equivalent decimals should be taught more carefully at every level. (MNS)

Discusses the limitations of crossnational comparisons of secondary student performance in the U.S. and selected European and Pacific industrial countries, using mathematics and science data from the International Assessment for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). Suggests the most serious problem is the rise of a new educational…

Starting on the cover, this article describes programs developed by Julian Stanley's Study for Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY) at Johns Hopkins University (Maryland) for the early identification and accelerated training of mathematically and verbally gifted students. Also discussed are SMPY spinoff programs and the shortage of math and…