Classroom Changes Reflection

     I have to say the the CCSS-M SMP's and the NCTM Process Standards were very intimidating at first. It was a lot of information to look at and digest all at the same time. Once we, as a class, really looked at what each of the standards meant and clarified any misunderstandings it made them all much less intimidating. I think that we have had ample opportunity in this class to work with the standards and actually apply them with assignments like our lesson segments. Just like with anything else the more practice you have working with something the easier it will become and the more comfortable you will get with it. I think that I still have a little bit of practice ahead of me before I am really good at working with these standards, but I have no doubt that one day I will know these standards backwards and forwards without batting an eye to think about it.
     Another big change I have seen in the math curriculum is the push for less traditional methods of teaching math. The CCSS-M and NCTM Process Standards most definitely lean in favor of this as well. Students are expected to answer more open-ended questions and be able to explain their reasoning behind things rather then simply being able to complete a process or plug numbers into a formula. They must know how and why they are doing things. With the NAEP project and reading various article throughout the semester I think that this is going to be a definite struggle for me to teach students math in this way. Creating an all encompassing rubric that works the same on all answers, which may be completely different,  for the open-ended problems that are called for now also seems to be an impossible task.