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The curriculum and evaluation standards for School Mathematics (NCTM 1989) and the Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics (NCTM 1991) have served as both stimuli for, and responses to, numerous formal and informal programs, conferences, and conversations calling for educational reform and improvement in mathematics teaching. After all the plans are drawn and all the objectives are written, however, reform is most likely to occur and make a lasting difference when teachers are aware of the need for improvement, have a voice in planning it, and derive a real sense of professional satisfaction from implementing the instructional changes.

One approach to improving mathematical achievement is to allow students the opportunity to make decisions, use alternative strategies, and communicate and reason—during practice sessions as well as during the developmental portion of instruction. Whereas traditional paper-pencil drill sessions might allow students the necessary opportunity to “fix” computational and place-value skills (Heddens and Speer 1988), many types of reinforcement activities do not require students to employ the problem solving, number-sense, and reasoning strategies learned when the content was introduced (NCTM 1989). Practice experiences can be made more meaningful if they offer elements of risk taking when choosing and using numbers so that the activities are indeed unique and challenging each time they are used.

The views expressed in the “Soundoff” editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Panel of the Mathematics Teacher or the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Readers are encouraged to react to these editorials by writing to the author, with copies to the Mathematics Teacher for consideration in “Reader Reflections.” Please double-space all letters that are to be considered for publication. Editorials from readers are welcomed.

An algorithm is “a finite, step-by-step procedure for accomplishing a task that we wish to complete” (Usiskin 1998, p. 7). Algorithms have served as a major focus of mathematics education in the United States for decades. Because school-based mathematics focuses on computation and estimation, the tasks of developing number sense, place-value understanding, and strategies for computing with algorithms remain of great importance to elementary school teachers. “The use of algorithms allows students to look at math as a process rather than as a question answer type activity … they can choose from their toolbox. Algorithms provide a comfort zone for some students and encourage students to pursue better ways as they get comfortable with them” (Mingus and Grassl 1998, p. 56).