A Reflection on "Why Americans Stink at Mathematics"
A reflection on "Why Americans Stink at Mathematics?"
Green, NY Times, July 2014" inadequate implementation can make math reforms seem like the most absurd form of policy change — one that creates a whole new problem to solve. Why try something we’ve failed at a half-dozen times before, only to watch it backfire"
I log onto social media, and there it is ..."What's this new math all about? You should see my child's homework!" accompanied by harsh criticism of the Common Core for State Standards (CCSS). How can it be that once again we might fall into the pattern of proposing improvement in mathematics education only to have the public fail to understand the purpose?
In 2013, a group of top educators met in Boston and issued a statement warning, "We need to dial down the acrimonious policy arguments and relentless criticism of schools and teachers Teaching is one of the most important and demanding tasks for adults in our society, and teachers deserve our encouragement and support as they work to provide the best possible life preparation for their students." As the likelihood of the adoption of new state testing swiftly approaches, it seems that we have instead, dialed this conversation up.
The work of implementing the CCSS is going to take time. We need to embrace a sustained commitment to change over time. From Green, " teachers are once more being asked to unlearn an old approach and learn an entirely new one, essentially on their own. Training is still weak and infrequent, and principals — who are no more skilled at math than their teachers — remain unprepared to offer support. Textbooks, once again, have received only surface adjustments, despite the shiny Common Core labels that decorate their covers." We need to provide the proper training for teachers, and to allow teachers the opportunity to collaborate, discuss, observe, and reflect on changes in instructional practice. We need to recognize that this work is difficult.
We need to help the public understand that educators are in the trenches, giving it 100 percent effort, and that change is not going to happen overnight. We need to help our parents understand the value of our new standards, and the need for US students to improve in order to compete globally. The mathematics of the past, simply performing calculations correctly, is not enough in 2014. And, so we move forward. We embrace change, and we stay the course. When our students are given the opportunity to ponder rich mathematical problems, to discuss, to defend, and to construct deep understanding, we prepare them for the future.
Sue Looney, Ed.D.
President – LMC