Resources

How are California’s teachers shifting their classroom practices in response to the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics? To answer this question, researchers from WestEd’s Math in Common (MiC) initiative* observed 16 teachers over two academic years, 2016-17 and 2017-18.

This report draws on qualitative data — including classroom observations, teacher interviews, and ratings derived from a classroom observation instrument — to present five cases describing shifts in practice related to the new standards. The five cases illustrate the following common themes:

• Representing and linking mathematical ideas
• Student access to mathematical content
• Teachers’ mathematical content knowledge
• Collaboration supports teachers’ identity
• Continuing to learn and change

The report also presents recommendations to other districts who seek to build support for teachers as they work to implement the CCSS-M.

* Math in Common (MiC) is a five-year initiative, funded by the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, that supports a formal network of 10 California school districts as they are implementing the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSS-M) across grades K–8.