Elementary School, Mathematics Curriculum

The elementary school mathematics curriculum is a crucial component in the general education [Page 296]of students, provides opportunities for giftedness and creativity to manifest, and serves as a foundation for initiating a deeper interest in mathematically oriented fields. Elementary mathematics also plays a key role in identification procedures used in gifted education. In this entry, the recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) for the elementary curriculum are summarized, with a short exposition of the major theorists that have affected the elementary school mathematics curriculum, followed by findings from the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth applicable to the elementary curriculum. This entry concludes with a discussion on identification and a brief synopsis of programming options available at the elementary level.