Chapter 18: Key Features of Middle Grades MATHThematics for Professional Development

Middle Grades MATHThematics (Billstein & Williamson, 1999a) is a comprehensive mathematics curriculum for grades six through eight that emphasizes new mathematical content, new ways to help students learn the content, and new ways to assess what students know and are able to do. The vision of the curriculum cannot be realized, however, unless teachers understand and incorporate into their practices changes in what they teach, how they interact with their students, how they assess progress, and how they communicate with parents and communities. Teachers and administrators need to understand that once a curriculum has been adopted, the process of change has only just begun. The goal of this chapter is to briefly describe the unique components of the MATHThematics curriculum that should be emphasized in professional development designed for teachers, administrators, and parents.