Introduction

The contents of the companion documents are organized by grade, and material relatedto a specific grade can be pulled out and used on its own. The companion documentshelp teachers to put the ideas in this core instructional guide into practice.The present document can be used as a resource for professional development in thefollowing ways:• Teachers can study the guide on their own. The guide can help individual teachersidentify specific goals for program improvement and can provide them with ideason ways to work towards enhancing their classroom practices.• Parts of the document can be used as focus topics in study groups. Discussion aboutmathematics teaching and learning with colleagues helps teachers reflect on theirown practice.• Sections of the document can be used in systemwide and school-based professionaldevelopment activities.Focusing on the core instructional guide before using the companion documents willprovide teachers with an in-depth view of topics that pertain to mathematicalinstruction in general – for example, the formation of a mathematical community inthe classroom, the three-part lesson structure, or the use of literature in teachingmathematics. The next step would be to take up one of the companion documents tosee how the various principles and strategies can be implemented with respect tostrand-specific material in a particular grade. In some cases, however, teachers mightfind it practical to start with information provided in a strand-specific companiondocument for a particular grade and then consult this core instructional guide forinsights into specific topics – for example, how to achieve a balance of instructionalapproaches, how to teach through problem solving, or how to set up the classroom.Teachers who are comfortably knowledgeable about the contents of this core instructionalguide will be well equipped to use and extend the learning activities in thecompanion documents and will be well prepared to plan lessons independently, toinstruct students effectively, to assess their work meaningfully, and to differentiateinstruction to meet the needs of all students.Locating Information Specific to Kindergarten, Primary, and JuniorStudents in This GuideAn important feature of this guide is the inclusion of grade-relatedinformation and examples that help clarify the principles articulated.Such information is identified in the margins of this guide by means oficons referring to the relevant grades – K for Kindergarten, Grades 1–3for primary, Grades 4–6 for junior. Examples and other materials that areappropriate for use at more than one level or are applicable to more thanone level are identified by the appropriate combination of icons.K – Kindergarten1–3 – Primary4–6 – JuniorLook for the following icons inthe margins of this document:xiiA Guide to Effective Instruction in Mathematics, Kindergarten to Grade 6 – Volume One