A Case Study of Elementary Teachers Transitioning to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics: Preparation, Implementation, and Tensions

• In Event: Poster Session 5
  In Poster Session: Research and Mathematics Education SIG Posters

Abstract

This case study used mixed methods to explore elementary teachers’ (n=73) experiences with and perspectives on the recently implemented Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-Mathematics) at a high-needs, urban school. The findings cluster around: familiarity with and preparation to use the standards; implementation of the standards, including incorporation and teacher change; and tensions associated with enactment of the standards. The teachers believed in the merit of the standards but were constrained by their inadequate content knowledge, limited aligned curricular resources, lack of student readiness, and a perceived mismatch with ELLs. The results illuminate the professional needs of teachers during this critical time of transition to the standards and also add to the scant research on this national-scale reform.

Authors

• Susan Swars Auslander, Georgia State University

• Cliff Chestnutt