A Curriculum out of Balance

Abstract

Opportunity to learn is among the most important influences on student achievement, yet the empirical basis for knowing what is taught in schools is surprisingly weak. Elementary school mathematics is used as a context for considering what could be learned from careful descriptions of classroom content. Teacher logs and interviews show that large numbers of mathematics topics are taught for exposure with no expectation of student mastery, much of what is taught in one grade is taught again in the next, skills typically receive 10 times the emphasis given to either conceptual understanding or application, and, depending on the accidents of school and teacher assignment, the amount of mathematics instruction a student receives may be doubled or halved. These attributes of the curriculum are not in the best interests of students. Recommendations for change are offered.