This is my latest diary of several on the dumbing down of K-12 math education in schools. The same approach to selecting poor programs for my district is being repeated nationwide. To see how it’s pulled off, I present my experiences with my district in:
this movie: My district helped by GE Foundation & AIR chose reform math texts by a rather devious set of political maneuverings. Yet there are serious concerns nationwide about the value of these texts, incl. in the latest DoE NMAP report.
But first, today’s Dilbert cartoon "It's called Math" perfectly captures the problem with the reform math texts that are being introduced to school district after school district despite strong objections by parents. The so called reform math advocates are replacing math training with math appreciation -- the same difference between being trained as a musician or taking music appreciation courses.
Movie abstract: In the Jefferson County Public School District (JCPS) reform math texts were selected by a rather devious set of political machinations involving JCPS, General Electric Foundation and the American Institutes for Research (AIR) foundation. Yet there are serious concerns nationwide about the value of these texts, including by the latest US Dept. of Education Report (NMAP).
I hope you might find that this information forewarns and forearms you to similar shenanigans you may find in your school system.
Viewing note:This embedded flash video is a 30 min talk plus 8 min of Q&A. If you'd like to quickly scroll through and select just a few slides and animations view the movie at the hosting service through this link.
In Conclusion: We cannot afford to weaken math education further. Sound math skills are needed to ensure that our country remains strong in technological innovation, but even more so to develop critical reasoning skills that the next generation of the electorate will need to be able to make informed decisions about the direction of this country.
. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Sad thought: After attending the above talk one principal of a private school told me that she does not expect most elementary school teachers to be capable or competent at teaching K-5 math. Most would be quite overwhelmed if not terrified by the subject.
I was floored by this statement, since the teachers should have passed K-12 math, and graduated from college. Certainly some of the discussion about selecting reform math texts was based on the programs included training/programming so that the teachers (referred to as "instructional facilitators") would know how to deliver their lessons.
I can only ask if schools of education are not including training on math (as well as science) instruction to all their students, at least to say, an algebra 1 level. If the general all-around teachers don’t even know math, perhaps there is nothing that can be done to reverse the situation.
As I said, I was shocked to hear such an assessment, and I will visit some education schools to learn more about their curricula.
Humorous thought: Another topic raised by the talk was a discussion by attendee who told how his neighbor could not figure out on paper how to lay out a fixed number of tiles to make an L-shaped patio. Only after an extensive period of strenuously arranging them and rearranging them by hand could she achieve the desired pattern.
The reform math effort recognizes this approach to calculation as one of "use of manipulatives." Many of the reform exercises in using manipulatives are not all that helpful and take time away from developing essential math skills.
However, the neighbor’s plight could solve one other problem in K-12 education—namely, the elimination of Phys Ed from the curriculum! By using heavier manipulatives in math each year, our students can get the Phys Ed they need without lengthening their school day. If we can’t keep reform math out of our schools at least we can use it to solve this other important problem.