Math Classroom Observation Rubric

Created Feb. 6, 2024 by Janette Wickboldt

Math Practice Standards & Math Teaching Practices Crosswalk

CCSS Math Practice Standard (MPS)

NCTM Math Teaching Practices (MTP)

Look-Fors

(Evidence from both the MPS & the MTP are present)

MPS1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.MTP7. Support productive struggle in learning mathematics.Students are:
  • Explaining and making the math problem make sense.
  • Designing a pathway to find the solution by remembering past concepts/strategies and how it will help them solve this math problem.
  • Monitoring and evaluating their process and changing their course as necessary.
  • Constantly asking “Does this make sense”.
  • Checking their answer with a different approach after finding a solution that makes sense
  • Sticking to a task and recognizing that struggle is part of making sense.
Teachers are:
  • Giving students ample time to work and productively struggle to truly make sense and understand the task at hand.
  • Not leading students in one direction...letting students decide what the best pathway is and deciding if they need to change their course of action.
  • Supporting students by asking questions that scaffold up and advance their thinking without showing and telling a procedure.
MPS2.Reason abstractly and quantitatively.MTP2.  Implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem solvingStudents are:
  • Convincing teacher and classmates their answer is reasonable.
  • Using a variety of problem solving strategies.
  • Decontextualizing and contextualizing a math problem by pulling out the numbers, manipulating them to find an answer, and putting the answer back into the math context.
Teachers are:
  • Explaining how math makes sense.
  • Using real world math problems and relating them to the students.
  • Using a variety of strategies and problems to make math interesting and engaging.
MPS3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.MTP4. Facilitate meaningful mathematical discourseStudents are:
  • Using previous understanding and results to construct an argument.
  • Clearly explaining ideas and reasoning.
  • Listening to the reasoning of others.
  • Asking questions of others to make sense of their ideas.
  • Respectfully and clearly distinguishing correct logic from flawed logic.
Teachers are:
  • Facilitating discussion and encouraging explanation of ideas.
  • Pre-teaching sentence starters. (“I respectfully disagree because…” “I agree and would like to add…”, etc.)
MPS4.Model with mathematics.MTP3. Use and connect mathematical representationsStudents are:
  • Using models and connecting representations to solve real life situations.
Teachers are:
  • Encouraging students to use a variety of representations to explain their thinking.
  • Facilitating discussions to help students make connections between the representations.
MPS5 . Use appropriate tools strategically.MTP5. Pose purposeful questionsStudents are:
  • Using grade appropriate tools to explore and deepen their understanding of concepts.
  • Thinking more deeply on the process instead of focusing on the answer.
Teachers are:
  • Intentionally asking different kinds of questions that reveal student thinking.
  • Providing a variety of tools and explaining how they could be used.
  • Using wait time during discussion.
MPS6.Attend to precision.MTP1. Establish mathematics goals to focus learningStudents are:
  • Accurately solving and explaining math problems.
  • Making connections between new and old ideas.
  • Making sense of math to deepen understanding.
Teachers are:
  • Sharing and referencing the learning targets.
  • Using correct mathematical vocabulary.
  • Modeling a variety of strategies to solve math problems.
MPS7. Look for and make use of structure.MTP6. Build procedural fluency from conceptual understandingStudents are:
  • Using and explaining strategies such as doubles, make a ten, repeated addition, and benchmark number problems.
  • Noticing relationships between important features such as unit form vs. standard form - decimal vs. fraction vs. whole number, etc.
  • Fluently composing and decomposing numbers.
Teachers are:
  • Teaching multiple strategies to achieve student fluency.
  • Requiring students to explain patterns and strategies.
MPS8.Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.MTP8. Elicit and use evidence of student thinking.Students are:
  • Identifying patterns and are using them to develop deeper mathematical understanding.
  • Continually evaluating their results and using mistakes to rethink their understanding.
Teachers are:
  • Assessing whether students can identify patterns leading to more efficient strategies.
  • Determining next steps of instruction based on student learning.

Adapted from: The CCSS Math Practice Standards and the NCTM Math Teaching Practices

By: The Spooner School District Math Leadership Team

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