The Issue with Math
in
The recently released NAEP Math scores reveal little or no gains for fourth grade and eighth grade students in the area of mathematics. This news fuels the nation’s conversation about Math.
More specifically, our critical need to ensure students have the requisite skills to compete in the global economy. So, what’s it going to take to get all kids there? Here is CEL’s stance: Provide teachers and school leaders with the math pedagogical content knowledge and leadership skills necessary to create powerful learning experiences for all kids. What do you think it will take? Read more here.
Center for Educational Leadership
|
Math Progress
The U.S. has consistently been behind the international community in math scores, especially for grades 8 and up. After the Second International Mathematics Study, research came up with a multitude of reasons from societal expecations in mathematics performance to classroom instruction. In China and Japan, children are expected to do well in mathematics. In the US, parents are often proud that their children don't do well in mathematics since they also didn't do well when they were in school. They throw up their hands and point to the lack of the 'math gene.'
More importantly, however, is the lack of recognition that mathematics success must come from conceptual understanding of the symbolic representations that we expect children to manipulate from the time they learn arithmetic operations to the time they grapple with calculus. We are in 2009 and teachers still have classroom desks in rows and expect students to make sense of complex concepts because the teacher has 'explained' them without discourse and without intellectual involvement. In the U.S. we rush to 'cover' the curriculum without regard to student understanding. When we finally come to the realization that it is our job to help struggling students find success, we will change our practice to ensure it. We need to utilize skills and set up physical classroom structures that help to intellectually engage students in the concept, to ensure student discourse, and to involve ALL students in the learning. We must believe that all students can achieve at high levels and not be satisfied that two or three students in a classroom are not doing so. The responsibility for all students' learning is ours.