Running head: Task 1 Professional Mathematics Standards
ESM2
ESM2 Task 1: Professional Mathematics Standards
A. The NCTM algebra standard was effectively addressed in the lesson from the video,
because it included several aspects of the standard. The algebra standard involves students using
the skills they have learned about numbers and operations, and combining those skills with
algebraic reasoning to determine the relationships of patterns and functions. The algebra
standard collectively states that algebra is best learned when students are encouraged to use
their reasoning skills to analyze mathematical situations to make connections of quantitative
relationships. Then the students should use algebraic symbols and models to represent their
understanding of these relationships.
Within the first two minute of the video of the Staircase lesson, during the instruction
part, the teacher tells the students that they will be using a generalization rule to come up with
an equation to solve for N number of blocks, and that they need to be looking to see if there is
any pattern. These statements alone support the algebra standard that is being taught. The
algebra standard is demonstrated in the video in so many different areas that it was hard to just
pick a couple. One of the first areas I noticed the algebra standard being demonstrated by the
students, was around the time frame of 2:40, you can see their working models on the paper and
they are trying to determine the pattern to solve for larger numbers. In another part of the video,
around the time frame 4:25, the students are working with manipulatives to try to build the
staircase. They realize there is a pattern and a conceptual idea of a rule, but they are struggling
to figure
out the best, or easiest way to determine the number of blocks for a large number of steps. This
part of the video demonstrates the content standard in action by the students using algebraic
reasoning to determine the relationships of patterns and rules.
