TRU

The extent to which the mathematics discussed is focused and coherent, and to which connections between procedures, concepts and contexts (where appropriate) are addressed and explained. Students should have opportunities to learn important mathematical content and practices, and to develop productive mathematical habits of mind.

The extent to which classroom interactions create and maintain an environment of productive intellectual challenge conducive to students’ mathematical development. Students should be able to engage in sense-making and productive struggle.

The extent to which classroom activity structures invite and support the active engagement of all of the students in the classroom with the core mathematics being addressed by the class. No matter how rich the mathematics being discussed, a classroom in which a small number of students get most of the “air time” is not equitable.

The extent to which students have opportunities to conjecture, explain, make mathematical arguments, and build on one another’s ideas, in ways that contribute to their development of agency (the capacity and willingness to engage mathematically) and ownership (recognition for being mathematically solid), resulting in positive identities as doers of mathematics.

The extent to which the classroom activities elicit student thinking and subsequent instruction responds to those ideas, by building on productive beginnings or addressing emerging misunderstandings. Powerful instruction “meets students where they are” and gives them opportunities to deepen understanding.