With the rapid development of the social economy, people pay more and more attention to receiving education. The traditional duck-filling teaching model is contrary to the quality education concept of the new curriculum reform and does not conform to the trend of the times. With the deepening of the new curriculum reform, people-oriented teaching ideas have gradually become prominent, teachers in various subjects are trying their best to explore new teaching methods and find differentiated teaching methods. Mathematics is an important setting for middle school courses, and it takes a large proportion in the entrance examination. The core literacy of mathematics is formed in mathematics knowledge skills, but it is higher than mathematics knowledge skills. Based on the background of contemporary education, this article analyzes the value of core literacy and the guiding role of strengthening the core literacy of mathematics in an attempt to add benefits to the effective development of mathematics teaching in middle schools.