In my experience, there is a pervasive "math fear" in the elementary teaching profession...maybe in the teaching profession in general (secondary math teachers excluded).
I don't understand this whole attitude (or lack thereof) toward mathematics.
If anyone out there has insight into it, I would love to understand more. Please tell me it's more complicated than a simple lack of understanding.
Elementary teachers are generalists with a focus on reading, they are not allowed to specialize. In upper elementary some schools start to let teachers specialize a little with one teacher teaching Science/Math and another teacher teaching Reading/Writing/Social Studies. Also, math teachers are in high demand and get higher pay when they teach at the secondary level. Most people who are good at math and science can get much higher paying and more highly respected jobs than teaching. When our country places a higher value on education and educators, we will have more highly qualified teachers.
