Which of the following is one of the NCTM Professional Standards?

• A. Working together to make sense of problems
• B. Independently solving problems with no collaboration
• C. Memorizing mathematical procedures
• D. Isolating mathematical facts from context

Answer: (A)

The main concept being tested is that the NCTM Professional Standards value collaboration and sense-making in mathematics. These standards promote students working together to understand problems, discuss ideas, justify reasoning, and connect concepts, rather than working in isolation.

The option about working together to make sense of problems is the best because it directly reflects this collaborative, communicative approach. It captures the idea that learning math is a social process: students share strategies, listen to each other, and build shared understanding by explaining and justifying their thinking. This kind of collaborative sense-making is central to the professional expectations for teaching mathematics.

Think of how standards guide classroom practice: tasks are designed to invite discussion, multiple representations, and the construction of mathematical meaning through dialogue. In contrast, solving problems independently without collaboration, focusing only on memorizing procedures, or isolating facts from context all miss that collaborative, context-rich nature of true mathematical understanding.