Chapter 5: Writing In Mathematics

In 1988, Saskatchewan Education gave each teacher in the province of Saskatchewan a copy of Understanding the Common Essential Learnings: A Handbook for Teachers. The handbook was developed to give teachers an overview of each Common Essential Learning as it applies to their teaching. The Common Essential Learnings (C.E.L.s) are Communication, Numeracy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Technological Literacy, Personal and Social Values and Skills, and Independent Learning. These C.E.L.s are “a set of six interrelated areas containing understanding, values, skills and processes which are considered important as foundations for learning in all school subjects.” (Saskatchewan Education, 1988, p. 7).

In March, 1989 a commission of 23 American professional mathematics educators prepared a set of standards that were published in the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) (The Council, 1989).