Future elementary and middle school teachers need a clear, coherent presentation of the mathematical concepts, procedures, and processes they will be called upon to teach. This text uniquely balances "what" they will teach (concepts and content) with "how" to teach (processes and communication). As a result, students using "Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers" leave the course knowing more than basic math skills; they develop a deep understanding of concepts that enables them to effectively teach others. This Fourth Edition features an increased focus on the ' big ideas' of mathematics, as well as the individual skills upon which those ideas are built.