Criteria for Excellence in Mathematical Problem-Solving and Communication

Criteria for Excellence remain the same across Division levels
In each Division students strive for understanding progressively more complex concepts and skills
with progressively more initiative, autonomy, and awareness.

A Holistic Rubric adaptable to all Divisions
appears  following the Criteria for Excellence.
Rubric elements covering content and concept understanding are added as appropriate for each assignment.

Problem-Solving

• You understand the problem.
• You identified special factors that influence your approach before you start.
• Your approach is efficient or sophisticated.
• You clearly explain the reasons for your decisions along the way.
• You solve the problem and make a general rule about the solution.
• You extend what you find to a more complicated situation.

• You use appropriate mathematical language to communicate your solution.
• You use graphs, tables, charts, and/or drawings to communicate your solution.
• Your work is well organized and detailed.

HOLISTIC RUBRIC FOR MATHEMATICS

Just Beginning

• You didn’t understand enough to get started or make progress.
• Your approach didn’t work.
• You had no reasons for the decisions you made, or your reasons were incorrect.
• You solved the problem and stopped.
• You did not attempt most of the required work.
• You didn’t use any mathematical vocabulary, equations, or notations, or you used them incorrectly.
• You didn’t use any graphs, tables, charts, models, diagrams, or drawings to communicate your solution or findings.
• Your work is unclear.

Approaches Division Standards

• You understood enough to solve part of the problem, get part of a solution.
• Your approach would only let you solve part of the problem.
• Your reasoning was only partly correct, or it was correct for only part of the problem.
• You solved the problem and then made comments about something you observed in the solution.
• You attempted most of the required work.
• You used basic mathematical words or basic notation accurately.
• You attempted to use appropriate representation.
• Your work contains some clear parts.

Meets Division Standards ("Yes, and . . . " or "Yes, but . . .")

• You understood the problem.
• Your approach would work for the problem.
• You didn’t clearly explain your reasons for decisions, but your work suggests correct reasoning throughout.
• You solved the problem and connected your solution to other math you know, or described a use for what you learned in the "real world."
• You attempted all of the required work.
• You went beyond occasional use of basic mathematical language and used the language correctly.
• You used mathematical representation accurately and appropriately.
• If others read this work, they would have to fill in some details to understand your solution.

Exceeds Division Standards ("Yes!")

• You identified special factors that influenced your approach before you started.
• Your approach was efficient or sophisticated.
• You clearly explained the reasons for the correct decisions made along the way.
• You solved the problem and made a general rule about the solution, or extended what you found to a more complicated situation.
• You attempted more than the required work.
• You relied heavily on sophisticated mathematical language to communicate your solution.
• You relied heavily on sophisticated graphs, tables, charts, and/or drawings to communicate your solution.
• Your work is well organized and detailed.