Important for all math teachers to read
596635
While this text focuses on topics covered in elementary school arithmetic, I think this is an important text for all math teachers to read. Having an understanding of how our students are taught at the elementary level will illuminate why our students' minds are so inflexible and so shallow when it comes to mathematics. I also think it is good to read to get a flavor for the rigor used to approach mathemtics at the elementary level in China. We can use this as secondary teachers to design review or remedial material, or to provide alternative ways to approach arithmetic while solving other types of problems.

This book is a bit dry to get through, but the material itself is excellent. The reviewer who gave the book one star - I don't think you understand how research is planned. You cannot take all variables into account. It just isn't possible. For the scope of the work, Ma's work is right on. I suppose Ma could have surveyed the teachers about their attitudes towards math, expectations on useage of math in the real world, etc. But that's not her field! Other people are doing research on that already!
4571873
This text was used in a History of Mathematics class that I took. It was one of the few books that had an enormous impact on my life. For the first time I saw the way that mathematics directly influenced and impacted human beings, society and history at large. Each chapter does a fabulous job of bringing to life the mathematicians and their times. Even more telling, the climax of each chapter is a mathematical proof that the author leads you through. I have used this book as a supplementary text as a high school teacher, and though my students could not follow the proofs, they enjoyed reading the stories (advanced high school students could probably follow them). Readers who have a basic background in mathematics should be able to follow most of the proofs with patience. I remember glossing over some of the proofs when I was in college, but when I came back to them later I was genuinely impressed. The writing is great, the choices of mathematicians is fairly diverse, and the math itself is the main feature. Anyone who wants to understand the way that mathematics really fits into our universe should give this book a try. It is arguably one of the best books about mathematics, that includes mathematics, that is out there. (I would highly recommend this for any history of math class and as a supplementary text for appropriate classes...
1925910
If you teach math (I do), or are studying to be a teacher, this is a must-have.  Really.  No, really.  Buy it.
3900568
This is an important book for mathematics education researchers.  There are already, or are going to be, several lengthy reviews in various mathematics education research journals, e.g., Mathematical Thinking and Learning.
2702833
This book is full of important information for aspiring teachers.
4864938
This book provides real insight on teaching and learning--anyone who helps people learn, whether in a school, a business, or a family, would be wise to read it. It reads briskly but gives real insight. The author has taught all over the world--in the US, in China, in Brazil, and in Spain--and brings from her experience real lessons in what it means to give skills to another. At a time when there is a national debate about how to reward teachers and whether some are doing an inadequate job, we haven't actually taken the steps to figure out exactly what it is that makes a good teacher good. Moreover, we have been operating under the assumption that some people are just good at teaching naturally, and others are not. Hendricks's book itself is a good teacher, showing readers what it means to open the mind of another, and how to tell if you're reaching someone.

I think the book is excellent -- teachers will love it, but CEOs, foreman, fathers, and managers should all be reading it too.

R.M. Schedlinski
Brooklyn
4582967
The authors went into schools and worked with teachers and students to understand how to help students of all ages learn to operate with fractions. What they learned is shared with examples of student work, suggestions for how to begin, common issues you can expect and tips for helping students of all ages. If you have students that can't "do" fractions, if you teach 3rd grade or higher, or if you're a principal at a school with low math scores you need to read this book.  You'll not look at fraction teaching and learning the same way after reading this book.
3491501
This is such a wonderful book that I will continue to use every year in my classroom! We do something called "math happenings" where we have students think of times in their everyday life that involves using math. When we go grocery shopping we are using money and adding/subtracting, when we cook we measure and make arrays with our cookies as we place them on the baking sheet, etc. this book explains how the main character sees math everywhere she goes and has a math curse! After reading I put a "math curse" on the class and encourage them to find the math at home and it really works! (3rd grade)
476127
I am using this with my k-2 grade teachers.  Many of them are afraid of the Common Core.  This gives them deeper understanding of the math practices and why they are important in helping students become fluent in math.
3678751
As a math teacher, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It is a great book to show students how they can think about math beyond the classroom.  I recommended this book to my eighth grade girls and I recommend it now to any other student who expresses an interest in math!
2339814
This is a great resource that helps to clarify one of the most misunderstood Standards of Mathematical Practice.  Practical classroom examples are shared that will help students to engage in this important practice.  It's easy to read and easily applicable to the classroom.  I highly recommend it!
3113793
I absolutely love this book!  No longer do I fear teaching Math to students.  This book does an excellent job breaking down how to teach and plan for Math.  Each chapter offers wonderful insights and creative ideas to inspire both teacher and student alike.  This whole brained approach is what we as teachers currently seek to bring to our classroom.  This book does an excellent job exemplifying this point!
1698602
This book will make math easier because it has funny examples with visuals that will really stick in your mind.  It makes math fun to learn and if you're a teacher, it is easy to read to your class and teach.
4928889
This book was my required reading for my math specialist grad class.  There is nothing "frilly" about this book.  There aren't any colorful pictures, just lots of helpful information.  This book is really great at giving ideas to teaching fractions and indicating the level that students should be on depending on their grade level at school.  This book is for teachers/parents that want to teach fractions in a non-traditional way so all kids can learn and be successful.
3097780
This is an excellent book for all of us to study as we teach fractions to our students K-and on.  I wish we had this as one of our texts in math methods in college.  There is explicit language for strategies.  There are many problems ready to use for all grade levels.  It really does "address the urgent need to help teachers understand and teach fraction concepts" (from book jacket).  I highly recommend this as a book to study in PLC's.&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Extending-Children-s-Mathematics-Fractions-Decimals-Innovations-In-Cognitively-Guided-Instruction/dp/0325030537/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Extending Children's Mathematics: Fractions & Decimals: Innovations In Cognitively Guided Instruction</a>
658669
A Framework for Understanding Poverty provides a structure on which to  build one's teaching. The way we teach is as important as what we teach,  for , as Payne makes quite clear, we will not reach all children until we  can understand--and accept--their backgrounds and any accompanying  privileges or limitations children carry with them to the middle-class  mindset of most American schools.  As a high school English teacher, I  found Chapter 2, "The Role of Language and Story",  quite  helpful--in fact, it has changed the way I approach writing in the  classroom. Even if you have read bits of this information elsewhere, the  author has gathered much relevant research in an easy-to-access format that  any harried teacher can appreciate.  For those teachers who balk at  recognizing and/or accomodating behaviors related to class, I ask them to  take the "Could you Survive in Poverty" quiz on page 53. I don't  have any idea how to "get and use food stamps" or "how to  get by without a car"--do you?  I'd love to see a companion manual  to this one that lists books for students that address class differences,  either fiction or nonfiction.
3792422
This is a very helpful book to teach math facts, especially for those students who find it difficult to memorize basic facts. There are lots of neat tricks to share with students to make math fun and successful. I  recommend this book for parents and teachers of third and second graders.