Korean children learning from this curriculum ranked second in the world in 1994 on the TIMSS–the Third International Mathematics and Science Study.  Students in the United States ranked 28th among 41 nations.

Elementary teachers in China, according to Liping Ma’s study of Chinese teachers and what they know about primary mathematics, have a very sophisticated knowledge of fundamental mathematics.  Teacher manuals in gecKo mathematics have much more in-depth mathematical background information for teachers than is generally found in many American curricula.

The NCTM has just published guidelines called Curriculum Focal Points for building the next generation of mathematics curricula for American schools.

 

• Curriculum Focal Points by grade level
• NCTM slideshow explaining the Curriculum Focal Points
• NCTM presentation on Curriculum Focal Points by NCTM Past-President Francis (Skip) Fennell

The Curriculum Focal Points published in 2009 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics gives us the exemplary rationale for “Why publish the gecKo?”

gecKo mathematics, with its detailed list of “understanding” objectives and its short list of “application” objectives for each grade level and domain — like the Curriculum Focal Points — actually:

• Addresses long lists of state learning expectations
• Solves the mile wide, inch deep problem with American curricula
• Identifies the key mathematical ideas that should be the focus of instruction and student learning in K through Middle School, as well as the underlying principles of the mathematics
• That is,  gecKo mathematics identifies the key mathematical ideas all others build on, and provides a tool for teaching and learning them.

See the Table of Contents for gecKo mathematics

See the Content Domains for gecko mathematics

Borrowing again from the NCTM’s Curriculum Focal Points, gecKo mathematics passes the three rigorous tests the Focal Points had to pass to be included in the NCTM recommendations.  gecKo mathematics content — like the content in the Focal Points — is

• Mathematically important both for further study in mathematics and for use in applications inside and outside of school
• gecKo mathematics “fits” with what is known about learning mathematics
• gecKo mathematics connects logically and coherently with mathematics in earlier and later grades.