NCTM Standards Overview

The NCTM Standards are broken up into six principles, five content standard areas, and five
process standards. These categories are then further broken up into definitions, grade bands, or
examples.
The six principles address overarching themes for teaching mathematics. 1) Equity is providing
all students with adequate support and high expectations. 2) Curriculum is extremely important and
must be coherent, focused on important mathematics, and well-articulated across the grades. 3)
Teaching requires an understanding of how students learn and what they need to know. It also
encompasses stimulating them and supporting them in the learning process. 4) Learning is an active
process which requires prior knowledge (strong foundations) and experience. 5) Assessment is an
important piece of the puzzle in teaching mathematics because it provides valuable information which
supports students learning and enhances teachers understanding of student learning. 6) Technology is
essential and should be properly implemented; it enhances student learning and supports concepts.
The five content standard areas are as follows: 1) number and operations, 2) algebra, 3)
geometry, 4) measurement, and 5) data analysis and probability. These areas are each broken into grade
bands with specific content standards as relates to each grade. The grade bands are Pre-K 2, grades 3
5, grades 6 8, and grades 9 12. Each of these grade bands includes specific information regarding
what students should be able to accomplish in the five content areas.
Lastly, the five process standards are given and broken down into more detailed explanations
and examples which span all grades Pre-K grade 12. 1) Problem solving involves building knowledge,
solving problems, applying and adapting appropriate strategies, and monitoring and reflecting on the
process of problem solving. 2) Reasoning and proof involves recognizing reasons and proof as
fundamental to mathematics, investigating conjectures, developing and evaluating arguments and
proofs, and implementing multiple types of reasoning. 3) Communication involves organizing and
consolidating thoughts, clearly communicating thoughts, analyzing and evaluating strategies, and using
mathematical language accurately. 4) Connections involve recognizing and using mathematical concepts
in various contexts and understanding how mathematical ideas build on each other. 5) Representation
involves creating and using proper representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical
ideas; selecting, applying, and translating mathematical representations in problem solving; and using
representations to model and interpret various types of scenarios.
These principles, content standards, and process standards work together to form a cohesive
basis for teaching mathematics. By using these concepts as a guide, beneficial decisions can be made
regarding how to teach mathematics at any level.