Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally

Elementary and Middle School Mathematics is the best-selling text for elementary and middle school mathematics methods. Written by math methods expert John A. Van de Walle, the book reflects the NCTM Principles and Standards and the benefits of constructivist, or student-centered, mathematics instruction. The text is structured for maximum flexibility, offering 24 brief, compartmentalized chapters that may be mixed and matched to fit any course or teaching approach. The eight chapters in Section 1 include detailed guidelines for planning problem-based lessons, as well as complete information about implementing assessment, inclusion, and technology in the K-8 mathematics classroom. Section 2 contains 16 content chapters that provide understanding of mathematics content and how children develop that content.

Praise for Elementary and Middle School Mathematics.

“Overall, this book is an excellent resource for those who are investigating the teaching of mathematics at the elementary and middle school levels…Above all, the emphasis on student-centered problem solving is consistent with current trends and practices. This book is unique in that it challenges assumptions and traditional practices.”
Katherine Chamberlain, Lycoming College

“I have used Van de Walle since it came on the market and still feel it is, by far, the best available! The layout is excellent. The philosophical basis of the text is superb-It's easy to read by both undergraduates and graduate students in that it makes connections between their experiences and the philosophical foundations. Three major strengths include the references to the NCTM Standards, inclusion of algebraic thought at all grade levels, and the continued development of the same themes and philosophical foundations.”
Tim Whiteford, Trinity College of Vermont

“ [One] of the major reasons why Van de Walle's text is so useful…is the text's involvement of the reader in the development of ‘mathematical reasoning.’ It creates a thinker.”
Timothy Touzel, Coastal Carolina University

New to the Fifth Edition

• Inspired by one of the five process standards in the NCTM Principles and Standards', Content Connections is a new feature that highlights the connections between content areas in mathematics in various chapters.
• NCTM icons appear in nearly every chapter and point explicitly to the alignment of this book with the NCTM Principles and Standards through excerpts and commentary.
• Investigations in Number, Data, and Space and Connected Mathematics features spotlight examples of these two popular reform curricula for the K-5 and 6-8 grade levels, respectively. These excerpts occur in every chapter in Section 2, include an activity from the program along with a description of the surrounding content. The purpose is to acquaint students with materials reflecting the spirit of the NCTM Standards and the constructivist philosophy of the book.
• Stop and Reflect features indicate places throughout the book to pause and become truly engaged with an idea.
• Chapter 6, Planning in a Problem-Based Curriculum- includes a new step-by-step guide for planning student-centered lessons. A distinction between practice and drill provides a new perspective on the issue of drill.
• The Geometry chapter (Ch. 20) is completely revised to reflect the four goals of the NCTM Standards―Shapes and Properties, Transformations, Location, and Visualization.
• Coverage of multicultural issues and ethnomathematics, as well as other issues related to special needs have been updated to reflect current trends and research (Ch. 7).
• The technology chapter (Ch. 8) reflects the most current technology available for teaching elementary mathematics, including online applets, such as those found in NCTM's e-Standards, and other Web-based resources.