Chapter 16: Key Features of Mathematics in Context for Professional Development

When implementing any new curriculum, many aspects of the program are new to teachers: the mathematical goals of activities, the connections between activities, the relative importance of questions and tasks, the location of instructional support, and how assessments should be used, to name just a few. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the fundamental principles of Realistic Mathematics Education articulated throughout Mathematics in Context (National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education & Freudenthal Institute, 1997, 1998, 2006), to support the selection of appropriate professional development activities and promote greater fidelity in teacher use of the curriculum.

Mathematics in Context (MiC) was designed to exemplify the theory of Realistic Mathematics Education, an approach to teaching and learning mathematics originally proposed by the Dutch mathematician Hans Freudenthal and articulated through several decades of educational research. Professional development activities specific to MiC should reflect the main points of emphasis that distinguish Realistic Mathematics Education and the design of MiC (Webb & Meyer, 2007).