Parents visiting today's classrooms will notice a change in emphasis in mathematics instruction and a high level of interaction among students and teachers. While math instruction continues to include the basics of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, students are also working to better understand mathematics. They are developing reasoning skills that allow them to think flexibly about numbers and adapt their thinking to solve a variety of challenging problems. Today's teachers are preparing students to enter a workforce of ever-changing technologies and demands. They are helping students develop the skills needed for a life time of learning, for mastering new technologies, and for managing complex environments.

Across the nation, community and business leaders, parents, and educators have been reviewing the changing demands for math education and researching the most successful strategies in practice today. These emerging standards suggest that today's students need to know:

• A variety of strategies to approach and work on problems
• How to apply mathematical ideas to common and complex problems
• The underlying mathematical features of a problem
• How to work cooperatively with others to solve problems
• How to share strategies and solutions for solving problems