The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, led by McDaniel Professor of Education Francis “Skip” Fennell, presented clear guidelines for math curriculum at a media briefing held Sept. 12 at the National Press Club.

The “Curriculum Focal Points” are comprised of three main mathematical topics on which each grade level should focus. These include related ideas, concepts, and skills, and according to the Council, are the building blocks to understanding more advanced mathematics.

According to Fennell, some states teach up to 100 topics in a given year. "We seek to promote a discussion and address the impression that various state and district curricula are ‘a mile wide and an inch deep,’” says Fennell.

“As teachers, we are always looking for a way to prioritize a list of benchmarks,” says Bonnie Hagelberger, a first-grade teacher at Monroe Elementary School in Brooklyn Park, Minn. “In 34 years, I’ve never had a document that gives me what this document gives me—a starting point.”

Fennell presented on Sept. 13 the “Curriculum Focal Points” to the National Mathematics Advisory Panel of which he is a member. Created in May by the executive order of President Bush, the panel provides advice on the best use of scientifically based research on the teaching and learning of math.

A professor at McDaniel since 1976, Fennell is president of The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the world’s largest organization dedicated to improving mathematics education in pre-K through grade 12. A public voice of mathematics education, it provides vision, leadership, and professional development to support teachers in ensuring mathematics learning of the highest quality for all students.