NCSM Position Paper

NCSM: Leadership in Mathematics Education mathedleadership.org How NCSM Members Can Implement Our Position As leaders, NCSM members must work to ensure that research-based recommendations are implemented in their schools, districts, states, and provinces. NCSM members must act to create and sustain the conditions and structures that will enable every mathematics teacher to use manipulatives successfully. Moreover, NCSM members must act to alert teachers, coaches, and administrators that it is time to move away from incidental to systematic approaches to manipulative-based instruction. NCSM members must act to move communities away from the “yes, but … I learned math without manipulatives” or, “they’re playing with toys instead of learning mathematics” towards the power of multi-modal, conceptually based, hands-on instruction. More specifically, NCSM members must: • Ensure that curriculum documents K–12 support the use of manipulatives by their inclusion as an instructional tool on par with textbooks, technological tools, or other resources; • Ensure access to manipulatives for every teacher and every student; • Ensure ongoing professional development around the use of manipulatives; • Ensure that teachers work collaboratively on grade level or subject level teams to provide equity among all student opportunities in using manipulatives; • Ensure that the use of manipulatives is not viewed as optional by teachers, while recognizing that the nature and frequency of use will vary from course to course; • Ensure the support of manipulatives to scaffold learning and in the problem-solving process; • Ensure that teachers use manipulatives within the Concrete—Representational—Abstract Learning Cycle; • Ensure that parents are educated about the place of manipulatives in the mathematics classroom; • Ensure that manipulative-based activities are used for formative assessment in classrooms; • Ensure that student background knowledge is considered in the variety of student choices; and • Ensure that students have manipulatives available to help provide evidence in visualizing their thinking. National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics Mission Statement The National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) is a mathematics leadership organization for educational leaders that provides professional learning opportunities necessary to support and sustain improved student achievement. Vision Statement NCSM envisions a professional and diverse learning community of educational leaders that ensures every student in every classroom has access to effective mathematics teachers, relevant curricula, culturally responsive pedagogy, and current technology. To achieve our NCSM vision, we will: N: Network and collaborate with stakeholders in education, business, and government communities to ensure the growth and development of mathematics education leaders C: Communicate to mathematics leaders current and relevant research; and provide up-to-date information on issues, trends, programs, policies, best practices and technology in mathematics education S: Support and sustain improved student achievement through the development of leadership skills and relationships among current and future mathematics leaders M: Motivate mathematics leaders to maintain a life-long commitment to provide equity and access for all learners July, 2007 One of a series of position papers of the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics mathedleadership.org © 2013