Mathematics 6th - 8th Grades
Philosophy of Mathematics Education
Mathematical understandings of new concepts are taught through a planned learning progression moving from concrete to visual and finally abstract representations and reasoning in secondary mathematics.
- Student learning of new content is facilitated through the mathematical shifts; focus coherence and rigor (conceptual understanding, application and procedural fluency).
- Students learn through problem solving, mathematical discussions and regular checks for understanding.
- All students should have access to advanced math and science courses prior to or after entering high school.
WCSD Mathematics Message
The Washoe County School District follows the Nevada Academic Content Standards (NVACS) for Mathematics based upon the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Teachers in grades K-8, Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2 are to teach to the NVACS-M for their grade level. We realize that students may have gaps in understanding and may need scaffolding to support conceptual development; yet we do not support a philosophy of only teaching to the gaps. Such an approach may create further gaps and significantly impair student achievement. Teachers may want to consider focusing intervention time on addressing concerns around the following domains; number sense, ratios and proportions and equations and expressions (this includes fractions in the intermediate grades and rational numbers in the high school).
The Secondary Math Course Guides provide the standards aligned to topics and resources available in the currently adopted text. It is the teacher’s professional responsibility to ensure that their students are prepared for the next course in the Pathway. This can only be accomplished when all grade level/course standards are taught with student engagement and an expectation of rigor in mathematics.
The Washoe County School District website may contain links that lead to resources, video, etc., which is located on servers that are not maintained or controlled by the District. The District is not responsible for the contents of any such referenced websites or for the availability of access to such websites.