DEFENDERS OF FUZZY MATH DO STUDENTS A DISSERVICE
It’s déjà vu all over again. Is
In 2004, I was invited to a D11 Math Town Meeting to testify
about math education. I explained that the longer you stayed in
Now it’s 2007. There’s
a new school board. I suppose they think
I’m the old regime’s Boy Toy, which would explain why I haven’t been invited
back. Not that it matters. As reported in the Gazette, 2007 CSAP scores
show that the longer you stay in
Someone said the definition of insanity is to do the same
thing over and over while expecting different results. Clearly we’re not insane. We’re just flirting with dementia.
In the 1980’s, a philosophy of mathematics teaching took the
education establishment by storm, with the blessings of the National Science
Foundation and the newly created Department of Education. Emphasizing self-discovery, group work, and
self-esteem above all, it also meant less work for teachers, less pain for
students, and seemingly happier parents.
It seemed like a win for everyone.
Until math scores started dropping, and mathematically
knowledgeable parents started actually looking at what their kids were
learning. Then the Math Wars began.
Technical professionals like myself and like-minded parents
are trying to undo the damage of the past two decades by getting traditional,
direct instruction in the math classroom.
I’ve been in this fight for a few years, and I’ve learned a thing or two.
I’ve learned that any solution to the math problem will be
fought bitterly if it threatens the status quo.
Studies that support fuzzy math will be embarrassingly weak or gimmicked
to the point of fraud. Teachers will
play the “we’re the experts” card to silence frustrated parents.
In math content reform, benefits are spread out among
children, families and taxpayers. Costs are borne by teachers who have to
retrain, administrators who have to admit mistakes, and textbook publishers
who’d lose millions of dollars. That’s
we’ve got an uphill battle. Maybe even a
vertical one.
By contrast, solutions that mean more money and clout for
district employees will be enthusiastically supported. Benefits are concentrated in the hands of a
few. Costs are spread out over the
many. This is why D11 is hiring more
“math coaches”, presumably with our new school board’s blessing.
Shouldn’t we be asking why math coaches are even
necessary? What is it about math
teaching that means math teachers need extra help? How come we never hire history coaches? Social studies coaches? Science coaches? Football coaches? Oh wait, forget that last one.
Math coaches are expensive.
Changing math content isn’t. Why
not try the latter before the former?
Parents, learn more about mathematics education reform and
get a dog in this fight. There are all
sorts of things you can do.
Work for school vouchers.
If fuzzy math is really so great, competing schools will fall over
themselves to offer it.
Move your child to a school with a real math program. Most independent and charter schools “get it”. They’ve thrown their fuzzy math books in the
trash.
If you’re happy with your school but want better math,
demand a more traditional, direct-instruction oriented math section for your
child. Once other parents find out that
your son or daughter is finally mastering math, they’ll want the same for their
kids.
Unless we do something truly different and embrace
mathematics content reform, we’ll continue to do the same things and expect
different results. In 2008, we’ll learn
that the longer you stay in