Deciphering Math Standards: Uncovering the Big Ideas to Design Powerful Instruction and Assessments (Grades K-8) (Math Teaching in Practice Series)

How can teachers move beyond surface-level coverage of math standards to focus on what truly matters for student understanding?This book, co-published with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), provides a transformative approach to K-8 mathematics instruction.Rather than treating standards as a fixed checklist of skills to be executed, internationally recognized expert Marian Small demonstrates how to treat them as professional texts that require thoughtful interpretation.By uncovering the "big ideas" behind the standards, educators can move beyond surface-level coverage to foster deeper mathematical thinking and lasting student understanding. Drawing on decades of classroom experience, this resource helps teachers translate teacher-facing standards into student-centered learning experiences.Small introduces a framework that shifts the focus from micro-level procedures to macro-level concepts, ensuring that students prioritize reasoning and connections over rote align