ABSTRACT
At the root of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics are the eight Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP), describing “varieties of expertise that mathematics educators at all levels should seek to develop in their children (CCSSI, 2010, p. 6).” As students learn skills and strategies for performing calcu - la tions, they must also acquire skills and strategies for proving their reasoning, communicating, representing and making connections as they solve mathema - tical problems. Unlike many of the previous state standards used by school districts, the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics include students at the Kindergarten level. This provides opportunities for teachers to instil problem-solving skills at an early age, which can set the foundation for critical thinking in mathematics throughout the elementary grades.
