This leading K-8 math methods text has the most coverage of the NCTM standards, the strongest coverage of middle school mathematics, and the highest student approval of any text currently available. Elementary and Middle School Mathematics provides an unparalleled depth of ideas and discussion to help students develop a real understanding of the mathematics they will teach. John Van de Walle, one of the foremost experts on how children learn mathematics, finds that 80 percent of the students who purchase this book keep it for reference when they begin their professional teaching careers. This text reflects the NCTM Principles and Standards and the benefits of constructivist-or student-centered-mathematics instruction. Moreover, it is structured for maximum flexibility, offering 24 brief, compartmentalized chapters that may be mixed and matched to fit any course or teaching approach.