Standards of Mathematical Practice - One Standard at a Time

Mathematical Practices are embedded in every math lesson we teach.  The Standards for Mathematical Practice describe varieties of expertise that math educators at all levels (K-12) should seek to develop in their students.  These practices rest on important "processes and proficiencies" with longstanding importance in mathematics education.

Mathematical Practice #7

Look for and make use of structure.

What should students be able to do?

• Apply general mathematical rules to specific situations.
• Look for the overall structure and patterns in mathematics.
• See complicated things as single objects or as being composed of several objects.

Questions the Teacher Can Ask to Develop Mathematical Thinking:

• What observations do you make about...?
• What do you notice when...?
• What parts of the problem might you eliminate..., simplify...?
• What patterns do you find in ...?
• How do you know if something is a pattern?
• What ideas that we have learned before were useful in solving this problem?
• What are some other problems that are similar to this one?
• How does this relate to...?
• In what ways does this problem connect to other mathematical concepts?