Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Article about teaching math

Article on why math reforms fail in the U.S.

Way over-written, but here is the take-home message: "In the hands of unprepared teachers, . . . alternative algorithms are worse than just teaching them standard algorithms."

Also, some interesting stuff about methods used in Japan, buried way way down.

Yeah, what I got out of that was basically that we REALLY need to teach elementary educators numeracy, quit excusing those who don't/won't learn it, and make sure that EVERY teacher in every classroom is actually competent with the math (er-- or probably anything else, really, it's just that math is a particular weakness for so many of them) that they are expecting students in those classrooms to be learning.

I can't say that I disagree, but I think we all have to be willing to look at the elephant in that room:

there are some teachers who really are not subject-competent in this area, and there are also some teachers who probably cannot be made so.

The old saw "Those that can't do, teach"? Um-- yeah. About that. Maybe this is part of the problem.

Yes, the problem is that today's teachers either learned (or rather, didn't learn) their math during the "new math" fiasco of the 60s, or were themselves taught by that generation, and it's only been compounding ever since. There isn't anyone still teaching who learned math before all that started.

This is one of many columns in the New York Times that is directly, or as in this case indirectly, addressing the challenges of the new Common Core requirements for Mathematics. In this case the focus is on the challenge of implementing a whole new approach to teaching without funding in place for proper teacher training. States are paying $millions to meet the addition technology requirements, which in turn are making computer and software companies fabulously profitable. Thus there is no money for training. The teachers in turn are pressured to teach to the new standardized tests that don't actually reflect a deeper understanding. They have no incentive to teach the Japanese way. They don't have enough time.

Well-stated.