Exploring Parents’ Experiences with Standards-Based Mathematics Curricula

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Rizky

Parents often struggle to make sense of mathematics curricula centered on conceptual understanding rather than procedural skills, because classroom tasks differ from those their own schooling emphasized. This case study examines how two parents interpret conceptual-based tasks from their children’s standards-based curriculum, detailing the tasks used and the reasoning that emerged. Findings show that prior school mathematics can hinder alignment with curriculum intent, while informal mathematics may help support that sense-making.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Case study research questions

Parents’ experiences and sense making

Exploring parents’ experiences with standards-based mathematics curricula Joanna Bartlo Portland State University Portland, Oregon, USA [jbartlo@pdx.edu](jbartlo@pdx.edu) Ann Sitomer Portland Community College Portland, Oregon, USA [asitomer@pcc.edu](asitomer@pcc.edu) Abstract Parents may have difficulties relating to mathematics curricula that focus on conceptual rather than procedural understanding (Remillard & Jackson, 2006) because such curricula engage students in activities that are different from those that students experienced in previous generations. We report on a case study that explored how parents make sense of conceptualbased curricula by engaging two parents with tasks from their children’s curriculum. Our report details both the tasks with which we engaged the parents and their ways of thinking about mathematics that emerged as they interacted with those tasks. Our findings suggest that in some cases parents’ previous experiences with their school mathematics interfered with their ability to make sense of the tasks in a manner consistent with the curriculum authors’ intent. However, we also found that their previous experiences with informal mathematics could be leveraged to support their endeavour to make sense of tasks from a standards-based curriculum in a manner consistent with that intended by the curriculum authors. Nevertheless, we also believe that the school-based tasks used in the study encouraged parents to interpret their children’s curricular materials in terms of their own experiences with school mathematics rather than in terms of their informal knowledge. This study contributes to researchers’ understanding of the complex process of sense making that is necessary for parents (and adults in general) to relate to standards-based mathematics curricula, and it raises questions about how parents might be supported in that process. Key words: Parental involvement; informal mathematics; standards-based curricula; mathematics reform Introduction Recent reform documents, such as those published in the United States by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1989, 2000) have called for a shift from a focus primarily on procedural knowledge of mathematics to one that includes conceptual understanding. This has prompted the development of new curricula (e.g. Lappan, Fey, Fitzgerald, Friel, & Phillips, 1996; TERC, 1998; University of Chicago School Mathematics Project, 2001) . These curricula often engage students in instructional activities that 6 Adults Learning Mathematics – An International Journal are different from those their parents experienced, thereby raising questions about parents’ability to make sense of them in the manner intended. Romberg (1996), reflecting on mathematics curricula in the United States, notes that“The acquisition of information and the ability to demonstrate proficiency at a few skills have become ends in themselves, and students spend their time absorbing what others have done”(p. 763) . For instance, thirty years ago students might have been given a sheet of 50 multiplication problems to solve. Curriculum authors justified this by observing that students need to know basic facts “that is, commit them to memory to the point of instant recall”(Shoecraft & Clukey, 1981, p. ix) . To the contrary, in standards-based curricula1 “how well children come to understand mathematical ideas is far more important than how many skills they acquire”(National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1989, p. 16) . Students are encouraged to generate their own strategies for performing arithmetic computations based on their understanding of numbers and how numbers are composed and decomposed (Mokros, 2003) . This is in stark contrast to the mathematics instruction experienced by many parents, instruction based on beliefs such as “finding 7 + 8 by counting on fingers or 5 × 6 by adding five sixes, although not hor

FAQs

Why do parents have difficulty relating to standards-based mathematics curricula?

Parents may find it hard to make sense of curricula that emphasize conceptual understanding because the activities and expectations differ from what they experienced in earlier generations of school mathematics.

How was the study conducted?

The study used a case study approach engaging two parents with tasks drawn from their children’s standards-based curriculum, then examining the parents’ ways of thinking about mathematics that emerged during interaction.

What role do parents’ prior experiences play in understanding the curriculum?

Previous experiences with school mathematics can interfere with making sense of tasks in the way curriculum authors intended. However, prior experiences with informal mathematics may be leveraged to support sense making aligned with curriculum intent.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Rizky