A Brief History of the Newfoundland and Labrador Standards of Practice for Mathematics Teaching

 

In July 2017 the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador released Now is the Time - The Next Chapter in Education in Newfoundland and Labrador. This report specified 82 recommendations aimed at improving educational outcomes in the province. Three of the recommendations addressed standards of practice for teaching mathematics:

Recommendation 34: The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD)* and the Faculty of Education develop standards of practice for the teaching of mathematics in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Recommendation 35: EECD and the school districts provide professional development opportunities to enable teachers of mathematics to meet the standards of practice for the teaching of mathematics.

Recommendation 36: Faculty of Education ensure that the mathematics methodology courses allow teacher education candidates to meet the standards of practice for the teaching of mathematics.

In response to these recommendations, the Newfoundland and Labrador Standards of Practice for Mathematics Teaching (NLSPMT) were created together with the Supporting Teacher/Educators in Lifelong Learning And Reflection (STELLAR) Program for Professional Learning in Mathematics. 

* In August 2020, the name was changed to Department of Education (EDU).