September 2024 Practical Practices

Practical Practices ~ Establish Mathematics Goals to Focus Learning

Have your students ever said, “When am I ever gonna need this information?” 

As a teacher have you said, “I taught this yesterday, why don’t you remember?”

Keep Reading!

Establish Mathematics Goals to Focus Learning

Effective teaching of mathematics establishes clear goals for the mathematics that students are learning, situates goals within learning progressions, and uses the goals to guide instructional decisions.

Teaching Practice 1 helps move from students saying: 

“When am I going to need this?” → ”I have a clear understanding of the math.”

                                                         “I am a powerful thinker and my teacher helps mathematize my thinking”

                                                         “I am a math person”

When teachers are clear about the math they intend students to learn–each day and throughout a unit–they transition from helping students get answers to helping students reason mathematically. Teaching tricks develops isolated skills instead of helping students reason mathematically as they thread a conceptual to procedural progression along a mathematical learning trajectory.

“As a teacher, I’m determined to figure out how to have students reflect on their math learning. I know it’s important. I’ve read the research. I’m convinced. But I still don’t do it… yet. Mostly, I just don’t give time during class for it. I even make objective sheets for units but don’t ever really come back to them. Being intentional about Teaching Practice 1 and having students check their own progress along the concept development is part of my growing edge this year.”

                                                                                                 -Andrew Busch, Math Teacher, Region 2 Rep

Both teachers and students need to answer crucial questions:

  • What mathematics is being learned?

  • Why is it important?

  • How does it relate to what has already been learned?

What are teachers doing?  What are students doing? (Chart from Principles to Action)

Establish mathematics goals to focus learning

Teacher Actions

Student Actions

  • Establishing clear goals that articulate the mathematics that students are learning as a result of instruction in a lesson, over a series of lessons, or throughout a unit.

  • Identifying how the goals fit within a mathematics learning progression. 

  • Discussing and referring to the mathematical purpose and goal of a lesson during instruction to ensure that students understand how the current work contributes to their learning.

  • Using the mathematics goals to guide lesson planning and reflection and to make in-the-moment decisions during instruction.

  • Engaging in discussions of the mathematical purpose and goals related to their current work in the mathematics classroom (e.g., What are we learning? Why are we learning it?) 

  • Using the learning goals to stay focused on their progress in improving their understanding of mathematics content and proficiency in using mathematical practices.

  • Connecting their current work with the mathematics that they studied previously and seeing where the mathematics is going. 

  • Assessing and monitoring their own understanding and progress toward the mathematics learning goals.

Equitable Teaching

  • Establish learning progressions that build students’ mathematical understanding, increase their confidence, and support their mathematical identities as doers of mathematics.

  • Establish high expectations to ensure that each and every student has the opportunity to meet the mathematical goals.

  • Establish classroom norms for participation that position each and every student as a competent mathematics thinker.

  • Establish classroom environments that promote learning mathematics as just, equitable, and inclusive.



Here are additional resources that your CCTM board members selected for further learning

Learning Goals Resource

Why to Check it Out

Make Math Moments Podcast: Are Your Priorities Backwards In Your Math Classroom or Across Your District?

Kyle and Jon discussed the importance of focusing on the main objectives and values in math classrooms to improve student outcomes.

NCTM Blog about Learning Goals

This short blog frames the importance of learning goals in shaping lessons and provides examples. 

Progression of K-5 Math Thinking Videos

These videos are a great resource to develop an understanding of the progression of math within a learning trajectory.

Nix the Trick

This website supports a learning focus on the big ideas in mathematics rather than the common tricks that hide the mathematics for students.


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