MATH 9: EVALUATING THE CURRICULAR COMPETENCIES

WHAT ARE CURRICULAR COMPETENCIES ??? THEY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF MATHEMATICAL LEARNING !!! Curricular competencies are the skills, processes and abilities that students need to be effective mathematicians. When students can demonstrate strength in these areas, they will be better equipped to learn and understand any new content that is introduced. These are, therefore, not "math topics", but are the skills students must possess to maximize their success when exploring ANY math content (at any grade level). HOW WILL THESE BE EVALUATED ??? The BC Math 9 Curriculum lists 18 curricular competencies that students must work to enhance, and on which students are expected to be evaluated. I have created a set of 9 rubrics (listed in the table below) that cover each of these, and breaks them down into clearer, more student-friendly language. Each rubric includes descriptors of students who are in the emerging stages of developing these competencies, and of those who are extending beyond the expectations of this grade level. In between is a space where I can comment on exactly where each individual currently sits, why they are there, and how they can improve in each area. Included with each rubric is a continuum marked with an 'X'. I can slide this to the left or to the right, so that students can see their level of proficiency with each topic.

RUBRIC # 1: INTERPRETING PROBLEMS: Can students: determine exactly what a problem is asking, identify the important information required to solve the problem, and make appropriate assumptions when these are required?
RUBRIC # 2: USING LOGIC AND REASON: Can students interpret key information logically and use it to reason their way through problems? In other words, do they continue the problem-solving process by asking, "What could make sense?"
RUBRIC # 3: RECOGNIZING PATTERNS: Can students recognize trends and patterns, and to use their observations to make predictions or generalizations?
RUBRIC # 4: ESTIMATING SOLUTIONS: Can students appropriately and reasonably make estimates, prior to starting to solve a problem, so that they may develop a rough idea of the solution?
RUBRIC # 5: MENTAL MATH AND VISUALIZATION: Can students create a visual picture of a problem, and can they visualize possible strategies for solving it? Are students able to use mental math strategies to minimize the number of calculations that require aids (such as finger counting, calculators or multiplication tables)?
RUBRIC # 6: SELECTING AND APPLYING STRATEGIES: Do students consider a variety of viable strategies that could be used to solve a problem, demonstrate understanding of why each works, select the most effective / efficient strategy, and apply their chosen strategy appropriately?
RUBRIC # 7: PROBLEM SOLVING: Can students effectively solve problems individually and collaboratively, and do they demonstrate the required perseverance and thinking to work through challenges? Click HERE to open a document that can help you navigate the problem-solving process.
RUBRIC # 8: COMMUNICATING MATH THINKING: Can students effectively communicate their thinking to others (either verbally, in writing, using diagrams, using models, etc), and can they do so using appropriate math language?
RUBRIC # 9: REFLECTING AND JUSTIFYING: Do students appropriately reflect on their selected problem-solving strategies and solutions to determine if they make sense? Are they able to justify their solution within the context of a given problem?
RUBRIC # 10: MAKING CONNECTIONS: Are students able to connect their mathematical learning to other math topics, to personal interests, and to real-world issues and events?

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