Standard C.3. Students as Learners of Mathematics

Well-prepared beginning teachers of mathematics have foundational understandings of students’ mathematical knowledge, skills, and dispositions. They also know how these understandings can contribute to effective teaching and are committed to expanding and deepening their knowledge of students as learners of mathematics.

C.3.1. Anticipate and Attend to Students’ Thinking About Mathematics Content

C.3.2. Understand and Recognize Students’ Engagement in Mathematical Practices

C.3.3. Anticipate and Attend to Students’ Mathematical Dispositions

Effective teachers understand how students’ mathematical ideas develop and how to apply such understandings to every aspect of teaching. Such understanding is particularly important at the early childhood level because children often interpret mathematical situations, even those that seem obvious to adults, quite differently from adults. Therefore, we have a critical elaboration of this standard for early childhood mathematics education.