Rationale

Mathematics has a logic and sequence that has endured. One area in mathematics that has changed, however, is how we teach. With the publication of the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (1989) by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), came new direction. In all the math courses, more emphasis is placed on reasoning, connecting math to other content areas and real life, problem solving, communicating, and less emphasis on answer finding and memorizing procedures.

The standards guide teachers to concentrate on worthwhile mathematical tasks to promote student learning. This is accomplished by encouraging the learner to reason and communicate mathematically. This change also moves the teacher from being the central figure in the classroom to becoming a facilitator or guide to learning. In the evaluation standards, assessment is connected to instruction and is an ongoing process that includes the learner in the process of evaluation.

New technologies exist to enhance the understanding and exploration of mathematical concepts and allow for risk taking. To this end, students utilize scientific and graphing calculators, educational software, and the Internet.