Math Page Graphic

A problem is not necessarily solved because the correct answer has been made. A problem is not truly solved unless the learner understands what he has done and knows why his actions were appropriate.     

-William Bridges

 

 

The Hartford Public Schools Mathematics Curriculum is aligned to Common Core Mathematics Standards, and is rooted in inquiry based learning activities. The progressions of mathematical skills, knowledge, and understanding are articulated in our curriculum documents. Our curriculum puts emphasis on conceptual understanding as deep understanding of mathematical concepts is the foundation for procedural fluency and application. Students move through concrete, pictorial, and abstract understandings of skills and concepts based upon individual learning needs as well as developmentally appropriate expectations.

The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics build on the best of existing standards and reflect the skills and knowledge students will need to succeed in college, career, and life. Understanding how the standards differ from previous standards—and the necessary shifts they call for—is essential to implementing them. The following are the key shifts called for by the Common Core:

  1. Greater focus on fewer topics
    The Common Core calls for greater focus in mathematics. Rather than racing to cover many topics in a mile-wide, inch-deep curriculum, the standards ask math teachers to significantly narrow and deepen the way time and energy are spent in the classroom. This means focusing deeply on the major work of each grade.
    This focus will help students gain strong foundations, including a solid understanding of concepts, a high degree of procedural skill and fluency, and the ability to apply the math they know to solve problems inside and outside the classroom.
  1. Coherence: Linking topics and thinking across grades
    Mathematics is not a list of disconnected topics, tricks, or mnemonics; it is a coherent body of knowledge made up of interconnected concepts. Therefore, the standards are designed around coherent progressions from grade to grade. Learning is carefully connected across grades so that students can build new understanding onto foundations built in previous years. Each standard is not a new event, but an extension of previous learning. Coherence is also built into the standards in how they reinforce a major topic in a grade by utilizing supporting, complementary topics.
  1. Rigor: Pursue conceptual understanding, procedural skills and fluency, and application with equal intensity
    Rigor refers to deep, authentic command of mathematical concepts, not making math harder or introducing topics at earlier grades. To help students meet the standards, educators will need to pursue, with equal intensity, three aspects of rigor in the major work of each grade: conceptual understanding, procedural skills and fluency, and application. (From Common Core State Standards Initiative: Preparing America’s Students for College & Career)

 

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Curriculum

PreK - 5

A Story of Units

Grades 6 - 8

A Story of Ratios

Secondary

Algebra I

Geometry

Algebra II


Resources

  • As a non-profit, Great Minds offers the Eureka Math curriculum as PDF downloads for free, non-commercial use, which allows you to access all of your child’s curriculum materials (PreK-8).
  • Carnegie Learning recognize that learning outside of the classroom is crucial for students to develop a deep understanding of math. Carnegie Learning supports and encourages your involvement in your child’s mathematical learning and offers convenient ways for parents and caregivers to learn about their child’s math program in order to support student learning at home (Algebra I).
  • The SAT Student Guide provides information about the SAT, sample questions, scoring, and practice tests.
  • The resources included at Connecticut Core Standards: Family & Community will help parents who are interested in learning more about the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, the Smarter Balanced Assessment and the Redesigned SAT. The available Parent Roadmaps provide detailed and grade-specific information about the expectations of the Common Core in Mathematics.
  • Achieve the Core provides free, ready-to-use classroom resources designed to help educators understand and implement the Common Core and other college and career ready standards
  • Desmos wants to help every student learn math and love learning math. But “every student” is a lot of students so they created digital math tools and let the Internet take them to anyone who wants them. The Desmos graphing calculator, is available online for free.
  • youcubed provides research based teaching methods, math tasks, videos, and ideas to significantly reduce math failure and inequality in the United States and beyond, inspiring teachers and empowering all students to success. Parent resources include 6 Ways to Support Your Child’s Mathematical Development.

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Hartford Mathematics Vision

Hartford Public Schools students are equipped with the mathematical proficiencies necessary to reign over their destiny.

Hartford Mathematics Mission

Develop a focused, coherent, rigorous, and engaging Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 mathematics program for all students.

Hartford Mathematics Core Values
Freedom

Freedom is the absence of necessity, coercion or constraint in choice or action. Thomas Jefferson asserted, “…that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Liberty is the result of education. With knowledge and proficiencies we have the power to create our future and control our destiny. Limited proficiencies result in restricted choices. With constraint in choice, fate is forced upon us. When we allow life to happen to us and we concede to chance, we forfeit our inalienable right to pursue happiness.

 Curiosity

Our curiosity and sense of wonder is our innate education system. It’s an amazing world we live in, and the possibilities for our curious mind are truly limitless. The power of our most passionate curiosity is that it naturally generates an eagerness to understand what continues to elude us. It effortlessly stirs our own imaginative perspective, enticing and encouraging us to pursue it with vigor, all stemming from a natural yearning to answer our own, most burning questions. Opportunity and access hold the key to unlocking and unleashing our own unique creativity and imagination, our own genius. Wisdom is the ultimate achievement of our curiosity. When we finally discover our passion, we can spend our lives pursuing answers to our own most burning questions and we can share our discoveries and wisdom. This is how we impact the world. Curiosity leads us to our life’s work and purpose. It is our moral duty to ignite the curiosity of our students and unleash their sense of wonder.

Hartford Mathematics Theory of Action

If

  • we use standards-based, coherent, guaranteed, and viable math curricula,
  • we support teachers in developing and delivering focused, rigorous and engaging math lessons,
  • we apply varied, meaningful, and common math assessment data,
  • we ignite the curiosity of our students, and
  • we create a collaborative culture committed to continuous improvement and collective responsibility,

then

  • we will achieve equitable outcomes in which every student thrives and every school is high performing.

 

 

 

Mathematics Fun

  1. Think of a number.
  2. Add two to the number.
  3. Multiply your answer by two.
  4. Subtract your answer by the original number (from step 1).
  5. Subtract your answer by the original number again.
  6. Let A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, D = 4, E = 5, F = 6, G = 7, H = 8, I = 9 and etc… Identify the letter that corresponds to your answer from Step 5.
  7. Think of a state that starts with that letter.
  8. Think of an animal that starts with the second letter of that state.
  9. Think of the color of that animal.

 

Are you thinking of a Grey Elephant?

Use an algebraic expression to prove why this works!

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Hartford Mathematics Guiding Quotes

Learning results from what the student does and thinks, and only from what the student does and thinks. The teacher can advance learning only by influencing what the student does to learn.

-Herb Simon

 

I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think.

-Socrates

CONTACTS

Mario Carullo Director of Mathematics 860-695-8685 Mario.Carullo@hartfordschools.org
Michelle Kellogg Curriculum Specialist 860-695-8663 Michelle.Kellogg@hartfordschools.org
Lilyana Auster Curriculum Specialist 860-695-8341 Lilyana.Auster@hartfordschools.org