Maine's Curriculum Framework for Mathematics & Science 
 

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SECTION I

Introduction

Contents

Looking Ahead

Section I provides:

Why Promote Change in Mathematics and Science Education?

Current national reform efforts in mathematics and science education are a response to evolving societal needs and a growing body of research which suggests an altered view of the nature of learning.

Historical and economic pressures leading to the current wave of educational reform in the United States have been well-documented. A century-and-a-half ago, schools were preparing students for the Industrial Age economy, which required a large mass of workers who were compliant, basically literate in English and arithmetic, and able to perform repetitive tasks effectively in isolation (Maine's Common Core of Learning, p.12).

However, an Industrial Age educational system cannot effectively address the economic needs of the Information Age. Businesses no longer seek workers with strong backs, clever hands, and "shopkeeper" arithmetic skills. Many employees today must be prepared to ask questions, to assimilate large quantities of new information, to understand complex communication and its technology, and to work cooperatively as a team (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics, p. 3).

Because the average high school graduate can expect to change jobs five times in the next quarter-century, Maine students will require habits and skills of rapid adaptation in the workplace. In addition to preparing concerned and competent citizens for a democracy, our schools must aim to prepare the young for jobs that require more knowledge and flexibility, as well as for jobs that do not even yet exist.

Research in cognitive psychology has increasingly indicated the need for changes in the way our students are taught. Enhanced understanding about the nature of learning suggests that students no longer be viewed as simply passive receivers of information. Rather, students can be seen to construct their own knowledge frameworks by making sense of new information and by connecting what is new to their prior knowledge.

In light of this more complex view of the learning process, educational practices are changing to promote active learning. Increasingly, curriculum is being presented through inquiry-based and experiential activities. Progress in learning is more likely to be assessed through hands-on, performance-based tasks. Further, the teacher's role is shifting from that of dispenser of knowledge to one of facilitator and guide.

This increased understanding of the active nature of learning impels schools to move away from an educational model based upon memorization and rote learning. A model that stresses deeper understanding of core concepts and analytic processes must take priority over the drive to "cover"a large body of facts superficially (Maine's Common Core of Learning, p. 53).

One way of achieving this deeper understanding is to make the curriculum more personally meaningful to learners. Problems and learning situations need frequently to be drawn from students' personal experiences. Since the intellectual challenges of daily work and living do not divide themselves neatly into categories of the traditional academic disciplines, students need help in developing a broader view of the contributions that various disciplines offer to their thinking and problem-solving.

Explosive growth in human knowledge about science, mathematics and technology poses a particular challenge for a democratic socienty attempting to deal responsibly with the potential consequences of new-found abilities. As hard-wond scientific discoveries create new ethical questions for individuals and society, and as we struggle to repair some harmful effects of past discoveries, ordinary citizens' competence in mathematics and science is becoming ever more essential for responsible participation in democratic decisionmaking. Because of challenges such as these, education for all Maine children is a more urgent priority than ever before.

Every student needs equitable opportunities to learn and practice meaningful mathematics and science. Minority populations "study less mathematics and science and are seriously underrepresented in careers using science and technology" (NCTM, p.4). Today our schools face a dual challenge: that of enrolling more women and various minority students in mathematics and science courses, while also changing educational practices in ways that make these courses relevant to all students.

Graduates of our educational systems should be able to demonstrate the habits of mind -- skills and attitudes for effective reasoning and problem-solving -- which will serve them well in all dimensions of their lives. These habits of mind include curiosity, creativity, imagination, skepticism, integrity, flexibility and open-mindedness. The changes in educational practice promoted by Maine's Curriculum Framework for Mathematics and Science can significantly enhance the development of citizens with these critical habits of mind.

What is a Curriculum Framework?

Maine's Curriculum Framework for Mathematics and Science creates a set of "building codes" for the construction and maintenance of programs for exemplary mathematics and science education. Just as building codes set standards for the safety and performance of a new building, while allowing for individualized style and approach, this Framework promotes standards for mathematics and science education, while allowing school districts flexibility in design and implementation.

The Framework provides an interpretive bridge between Maine classrooms and the nationally-developed mathematics and science standards. Framework developers offer it as a supporting guide to policymakers, educators, and those served by the educational system as they work to assure a rich, challenging mathematics and science education for all Maine students.

The Development of Maine's Curriculum Framework for Mathematics and Science

This document has been developed through a two-year process of consultation, writing and evaluation, beginning with a series of public informational sessions and statewide regional forums for receiving community input. Framework writers and reviewers have included PreK-12 teachers; school administrators; university faculty from the fields of mathematics, science and education; scientists and mathematicians; and business and community members. Several drafts of the Framework have been circulated throughout the state for review, discussion and revision.

Vision for Future Mathematics and Science Education in Maine

This community of Framework collaborators is committed to the development of a mathematics and science education which will help Maine students:


The Goals of Maine's Curriculum Framework for Mathematics and Science

Framework developers intend that this document will promote a coherent, unified vision for mathematics and science education in Maine schools. The Framework will:

A Systemic View of Exemplary Mathematics and Science Education

This Framework encourages a systemic view of the challenge of working toward quality mathematics and science education. Framework developers believe that four areas --Curriculum, Professional Development, School and Community, and Equity -- must be addressed in order to encourage lasting movement toward the vision and goals described here. Failure to address any one of the areas will undermine the efforts and progress made in the others. The aim of offering all students the best possible mathematical and scientific preparation for their future is at the heart of this document.

Recommended standards in each of the four essential areas -- Curriculum, Professional Development, School and Community, and Equity -- are undergirded by the Framework's vision and goals (see Figure 1).

Fig. 1 Diagram showing relationship between standards in four essential areas and Framework's vision and goals
Each standards area will be treated in its own chapter. Together these comprise the "building codes" for the construction and maintenance of exemplary programs in mathematics and science education.

How to Use Maine's Curriculum Framework for Mathematics and Science

Given the Framework's broad goals and wide audience, the developers have taken a systemic approach to proposed changes in mathematics and science education. Readers from various concerned groups will use this document in different ways to support and inform their work. This section offers some ways in which various Framework audiences may find the contents helpful as a resource guide.

Teachers may:

Supervisors of teachers may:

Local curriculum developers may:

Local administrators may:

Staff developers may:

Local school board members may:

Parents may:

Community members may:

Representatives of business and industry may:

Members of the media may:

Postsecondary education faculty and administrators may:

The Maine Department of Education may:

The Maine State Board of Education may:

Thinking about Mathematics and Science Education: Self-Assessment for School Systems

These questions may be helpful to schools and districts as they begin to think about how Maine's Curriculum Framework can enhance their work to improve mathematics and science education. Before educators and others begin to think about how Maine's Curriculum Framework can enhance their work to improve mathematics and science education, a pause to assess existing conditions may be useful. Consideration of the questions below will prepare readers for practical engagement with Framework ideas. A set of questions is provided for each of the five Framework sections.

Section I: Introduction

1. Why is reform in mathematics and science necessary?

2. What is our school or district's vision for science and mathematics instruction?

3. What is our school or district's vision for science and mathematics curriculum?

4. How have we involved businesses, the community, parents and educators in developing this vision?

Section II: Mathematics and Science Curriculum Standards

1. To what extent have Maine's Common Core of Learning and national standards in mathematics and science been examined and used in our district? In our school?

2. How closely does our current school curriculum reflect national standards and this Framework?

3. How well do our instructional and assessment practices support the current curriculum?

4. To what extent do problem solving, scientific inquiry, and hands-on activities (experiential learning) have a central place in the curriculum?

5. What is our school district currently doing to assist and support students in:

a. understanding the nature of mathematics and science?
b. communicating effectively in mathematics and science?
c. reasoning effectively in mathematics and science?
d. being problem solvers in mathematics and science?
e. understanding their roles in the natural world?
f. understanding historical and societal implications of mathematics and science?
g. attaining and applying essential knowledge and skills of mathematics and science?

6. How effectively does our instruction incorporate technology, educational tools, and a variety of resources?

7. To what extent is instruction designed to include all learners and address the needs of all learners?

8. How well do our instructional practices support and promote collaborative learning?

9. To what extent do students use a variety of ways to communicate what they have learned?

10. To what extent do students construct knowledge through reflection, reevaluation, and refocusing?

11. How does our curriculum address historical and scientific implications of mathematics and science?

12. How do we know that students are learning the mathematics and science they need for their future?

Section III: School and Community Standards

1. What strategies have been developed by our schools and community to support and promote lifelong learning?

2. To what extent do our schools and community provide the emotional security necessary to support a healthy learning environment?

3. To what extent do our schools and community provide the physical security necessary to support a healthy environment?

Section IV: Professional Standards

1. To what extent are present staff members prepared to incorporate the practices described in Maine's Common Core of Learning, this curriculum framework, and national standards?

2. To what extent does our district support practicing teachers in incorporating the practices described in Maine's Common Core of Learning, this curriculum framework, and national standards?

3. To what extent are our administrators able to use this Framework in supervising and evaluating teachers' classroom practices?

Section V: Equity Standards

1. To what extent is our mathematics and science instruction grounded in the belief that all students can and must learn mathematics and science?

2. What is the evidence that our district is successfully practicing equity in mathematics and science education (e.g., assessment practices, lack of gender bias, accessible laboratories)?

3. What strategies have we used in the past and present to ensure that teachers and school administrators are sensitive to and knowledgeable about equity issues?

4. Does our school district have policies which support and promote equity?


References

Commission on Maine's Common Core of Learning. (1990). Maine's Common Core of Learning: An investment in Maine's future. Augusta, ME: Maine Department of Education.

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (1989). Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

----------------------------- Maine's Curriculum Framework for Mathematics and Science-----------------------------

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