We begin by acknowledging the contributions of the authors of the KTM. This team of two dozen Palestinian educational experts bravely undertook this challenge to create an inaugural document, never before seen nor used in Palestine.

Results of the Quantitative Content Analysis of the KTM re: NCTM Standards

We found that 40.3% of the KTM activities include at least one NCTM standard (48/119). In the 48 activities, the NCTM Standards were repeated 91 times (total number of frequencies).

The results also showed (Table 4 and Fig. 1) that the measurement standard recorded the highest frequencies (f = 19) with 20.8%, while Data analysis and probability standard recorded the lowest frequencies (f = 7) with 7.7%. For the NCTM Process Standards, the communication standard showed the highest frequencies (f = 9) with 9.9%. The lowest frequency was for the reasoning and proof standard (f = 2) with 2.2%.

Table 4 NCTM standards represented in KTMFig. 1

NCTM content and process standards used in KTM

Table 5 illustrates the content analysis at the Manual’s unit level; the percentage of the NCTM standards in units 1–3 almost had 29.6%, 26.3%, and 36.2%, respectively, while unit 4 recorded a clear decrease in the percentage of the NCTM standards with 7.6%.

Table 5 Frequency of content and process standards in the KTM unitsResults of the Qualitative Analysis of Semi-structured Interviews Used to Propose Amendments to the KTM

Themes denote the proposed amendments intended to strengthen the KTM. First, we focus on feedback about the KTM, illuminating strengths and weaknesses. We include the voices of participants to provide nuance. We draw directly from the NCTM Standards (2000) and their framing to inform this analysis.

Strengths

The KTM was the first official curriculum resource issued for kindergarten education as an alternative to manuals from different countries.

In my extensive experience, we used a variety of external curricula in kindergartens, and this KTM is the first national document that has brought us together as kindergarten teachers (P6).

Weaknesses

Participants noted mathematics is poorly represented in the KTM, resulting in a general and non-specialized form of mathematics. Neither the mathematical learning goals nor the activities show a logical sequence of mathematical skills, as called for in the NCTM Standards’ explanations about mathematical progressions. It is difficult for teachers to make connections between activities and learning outcomes. Further, there is a difference between what is written in the KTM and how it is actually implemented, depending on how each teacher interprets activities.

In relation to the difficulties around implementing the activities, participants indicated that the goals of the activities were not clear. Additionally, there are insufficient descriptions of the materials, resources, and places for implementing the activities. Participants emphasized the lack of clear assessment tools. Also, the stated outcomes are not well represented in the activities.

The activities were written as narrative paragraphs with complex language, which the teachers found disorganized and imprecise, making the existing KTM challenging for teachers, especially those who are new, unqualified, or untrained. Teachers noted that they “implement the activities differently” (P8), and that “I can’t deal with the KTM’s activities” (P9).

Findings to Strengthen the KTM Based on the NCTM Standards

Our analysis of the second- and third-dimension’s data showed four themes and six sub-themes leading to our proposed amendments to develop the KTM to be more useful. Figure 2 illustrates the key amendments and their organization. Because each of themes and sub-themes is important, we present them in order of emergence in our conversations. However, we emphasize that the order does not connote weight nor urgency, as each aspect holds unique importance.

Fig. 2

Proposed amendments to the KTM

In reviewing conversations with participants, our overarching impression is the dedication, passion, and voice of experience reflected by the participants. They were candid and enthusiastic, and eagerly offered insights, with nuanced familiarity both with the KTM and with their professional practice writ large. Their voices provided the following vision, which we describe as proposed amendments to the KTM.

The participants generated multiple urgent suggestions, which we describe in greater detail below. Again, we offer these not in hierarchical order, but rather, in the order in which they emerged in our analysis.

The first theme was early childhood development and developmentally appropriate practices, building from the constructivist ideas of Piaget (1953), and to include play-based learning (Froebel, 1885). Because the majority of kindergarten teachers in Palestine are not professionally prepared for this work, most of our participants mentioned that the KTM should begin with a comprehensive overview of key ideas in early childhood development. Participants called for a focus on brain development in the early years, child development domains, and mental operations in mathematics (comparing, matching, classifying, sequencing). Participant 11, a kindergarten teacher for 3 years, noted, “This content will help me understand the nature of the kindergarten age.” We believe that this foundation is essential for all education of kindergarten students, focused on mathematics content or any other content.

With the need to center developmentally appropriate practices, the participants called for a logical sequence in the mathematics activities in the KTM, linking back again to Piaget’s work in constructivism (1953). The NCTM Standards include a heavy focus on progressions, with documentation clearly noting that “mathematics standards are not isolated concepts” (Coherence Map, 2024; Frye et al., 2013). While honoring the original authors of the KMT, participant 13, a curriculum specialist for 6 years, observed, “The activities aren’t logically ordered.” Participant 16, a curriculum specialist for 33 years, stated, “I suggest rearranging the activities to reflect the sequence of the skills.” The consensus was that the activities should move from more introductory to increasingly challenging, with a logical progression of skills. This continuum of difficulty should apply to the implementation of the content standards, as well as to the process standards, providing students with well-supported, increasingly demanding opportunities to learn.

The next theme was the need to include the NCTM Standards and expectations. Although the NCTM Standards have existed for decades, zero of the teachers and supervisors had ever heard of these, as the use of mathematics standards in kindergarten in Palestine is uncommon. Participant 7, a kindergarten teacher for 10 years, stated, “I didn’t hear about these standards before.” Upon learning about the NCTM Standards through our interviews, there was great curiosity and enthusiasm to access this information, and to learn specifically how these standards might be implemented. The participants immediately recognized this use of standards as something missing from their work, and expressed strong motivation to learn more and incorporate them. Although the KTM is a point of pride for educators in Palestine, as it is the first document of its kind written by and for Palestinians, all participants noted the disproportionate focus on content areas other than mathematics, and a need for specific activities to address these issues. Participant 5, a kindergarten educational supervisor for 31 years, stated, “I recommend adding clear mathematical content to the Manual’s activities.” Similarly, participant 4, a kindergarten educational supervisor for 24 years, commented, “I see that the Manual must be supported by activities that include problem solving, classification, and mathematical operations.” This theme is inclusive of two key ideas to strengthen the KTM. First, it needs a matrix of standards, and second, it needs specific expectations for each activity. These two components are necessary to enrich and clarify the content, to ensure all learners have access to what they need.

The final theme that participants addressed was activity restructuring. Currently, each mathematics activity is written as a short paragraph of a few lines, providing an overview of the activity with limited granularity. Moving forward, the activities would be strengthened by including more instructive details. Participant 16, a curriculum specialist for 33 years, explained, “I suggest re-designing the activities, including… defining of the objective” as well as “guidelines to help teachers in implementation.” As the activities serve as the heart of this work, we offer a more detailed description of the ways participants envisioned updating the activities in the KTM.

In considering this vision to restructure the activities in the KTM, several sub-themes emerge. In sub-theme 4.1, mathematics concepts and skills, the participants emphasized the need for activities to include headings identifying the mathematical concepts and skills. This might be the specific NCTM Standard, or might be reworded to meet the local Palestinian context, as connected to social constructivism (Vygotsky & Cole, 1978) and also culturally sustaining pedagogies (Paris & Alim, 2017). Specifically, the KTM would benefit from including explicit mathematics concepts and skills as objectives. Emphasizing this, a kindergarten teacher (teaching for 2 years) noted, “I see that there are concepts that must appear in the activity for the teacher to focus on. If the concepts are not clear to me as a teacher, I may consider them implicit concepts and not focus on them.” Adding clear concepts to lessons is a way to strengthen the work already in the KTM. To further emphasize the NCTM Standards, we suggest labeling each specific standard as related to the activity, as a tag.

“I see that questions should be added to the KTM to put the children in a productive struggle, a challenge, or a problem they should think about,” noted participant 2, a kindergarten teacher supervisor (22 years). This comment addresses sub-theme 4.2, the investigative component. We propose in the revised KTM activities to facilitate problem-based learning and well-supported productive struggles, as implied repeatedly in the NCTM Standards. We suggest having teachers raise questions that stimulate the children’s thinking, enable the children to employ mathematical reasoning and proof, and enable them to integrate mathematics with various subjects in kindergarten.

The next sub-theme was 4.3, the need for explicit instructions for each activity. Participant 2 noted, “The teacher must know the main implementation steps and where the activity should be implemented, inside or outside the kindergarten.” Providing clarity leads to greater equity across Palestinian schools, as teachers will more clearly understand expectations. Participants specifically called for a list of materials, duration, and ideas to connect the activities with home and family contexts.

The technology component emerged as a key focus (sub-theme 4.4). Like many, participant 17, a curriculum specialist (27 years), noted, “Since we are in a technology era, it is better to add hyperlinks or connections to other digital tools or resources.” Given our increasingly digital reality, we note multiple ways to enrich our activities through technology, as named as a specific component in the NCTM Principles, which are related to the NCTM Standards.

Furthermore, we conclude there is an urgent need for an assessment component (sub-theme 4.5). “I suggest that the activity include tools to ensure that the learning outcomes of the activities are achieved, such as rubrics,” noted participant 14, an educational specialist for 23 years. Both formative and summative assessments should be included, as well as self-assessment. Although equitable and reliable assessment is not explicitly named in the NCTM Standards, it is certainly implied and is part of the NCTM Principles, residing under the same umbrella of influence. The teachers we interviewed made clear that knowing how best to evaluate their students is essential.

Finally, sub-theme 4.6 is the values component. Participant 15, an educational specialist of 11 years, summarized this construct, noting the need for children to have opportunities to engage in “cooperation, acceptance of differences, tolerance, justice, altruism, patience and respect.” Underscoring these characteristics within Palestinian culture is essential, as they serve to humanize our children and communities.