http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080119/OPINION03/585720820&SearchID=73306240313918
Fuzzy WASL math is failing our kids
By Val Stevens
An astounding 37 percent of Washington's high school seniors -- about 26,500 students -- have failed the 10th-grade math WASL. By law, these students must keep taking math classes until they either pass -- or graduate without skills. In 2013, the math WASL will be a graduation requirement. In Arlington, these statistics are even more dismal. That's why the Arlington School District offered a summer program on WASL math. Unfortunately, only three of 40 students attending the summer classes were able to pass when retested in August.For years, parents, math professors and industry experts have insisted that the current math WASL curriculum is ruining our kids. They say it fails to give students basic algorithms and computations --the building blocks that teach why math works. Instead, WASL math is "conceptual" or "discovery" math that asks students to "figure it out their own way." Conceptual math is for experts, not beginners. Students need to learn basic math first -- addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. For an eye-opening example of "conceptual" math, see this YouTube clip: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr1qee-bTZICalifornia tried conceptual math for a while, but its student test scores plummeted. The state quickly dumped the "fuzzy" math and adopted international standards -- Singapore's basic, computational math -- and test scores zoomed through the roof. Why hasn't Washington learned this lesson? Because the superintendent of public instruction, Terry Bergeson, wrote her doctoral thesis on conceptual math and doggedly refuses to give it up. Her motto seems to be: "If the square peg won't fit in the round hole, get a larger hammer."Last year, Senate Bill 5528 and House Bill 1906 called for an independent review of the WASL math curriculum. A group of 200 concerned parents, teachers and students with Where's the Math? rallied in Olympia to support the legislation. House Bill 1906 was passed into law, calling for an immediate review of the WASL math standards and curriculum. The State Board of Education wisely selected Strategic Teaching, a completely unbiased and independent organization of mathematicians and teachers to review the WASL math standards. Its review found our standards to be sorely lacking. Key concepts are missing, the standards "lack focus and clarity," and there is too much emphasis on using calculators. Worse, the report said, Washington is not teaching its students the basics. The company recommended that Washington adopt standards that have students memorize basic math facts and learn addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It also found that Washington expects far too little of its students. Our elementary school students are expected to learn only 75 percent of the math elementary school students in comparable states learn. For high school students, it's even worse: They're expected to learn only half the math as students from other states. No wonder math tutoring in Washington has increased 340 percent and there's an explosion of college math remedial classes. After receiving the independent review committee report, Bergeson must now, by law, revise WASL math standards and curriculum. However, the company she has chosen to do the revisions is the Dana Center, a company with a history of promoting conceptual math -- a major conflict of interest. When the Dana Center revised Texas math standards, the results were so deficient that the Fordham Foundation gave the new standards a "C."At the same time, Bergeson has selected her own Standards Review Team. The team is charged with helping rewrite the standards and curriculum so our kids can finally learn math. However, since this is Bergeson's hand-picked group, how sure can we be that they will fight for the basics?This feels like a setup.Washington's students are failing math as it is currently taught. They are graduating without the basic skills needed for everyday life -- never mind the ability to compete for high-level jobs in math and science.Independent, unbiased math experts have recommended we adopt international math standards that get back to basics. But powerful forces seem to be lining up against accomplishing this for our kids. Only you can demand that your legislators and the governor force Terry Bergeson to let go of a math curriculum that is crippling our kids. Please let them hear your voice. Call, write or e-mail with your thoughts. Do it for our kids. Sen. Val Stevens (R-Arlington) represents the 39th Legislative District.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Washington State Mathematics Standards revision - Give your input before its too late
Right now, the Washington State Legislature is looking at drafts to rewrite the Washington State Mathematics Standards. If you go to this website, click on the tab that says "Find Your District," enter in your address and it will tell you who your representatives are, and how to contact them (including clicking to email them).
http://www.leg.wa.gov/legislature/
As a parent or interested voter, your input right now CAN make a difference because it is happening right now and legislators will be making decisions in the next few weeks (or sooner) that will affect what your school district will do, what curriculum is used, and what teachers will teach children for years to come.
I suggest that you write and tell your representatives what your opinion is. If you are like me, you might want to mention what you want in changed in the current lax and vague State Math Standards.
1. A balanced math program with more emphasis on computational skills because right now basic skills practice isn't happening and standard algorithms are being ignored.
2. Clear expectation of mastery of topics so student can have a foundation to learn more advanced years
3. Grade level expectations match grades of other states that are considered to have good standards to encourage publishers to create better curricula.
Here is an article written by a legislator about some of the issues in getting the new standards written:
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080119/OPINION03/585720820/-1/opinion03
Here is a link to the current (2nd) draft of the state standards written by Dana Center:
http://www.utdanacenter.org/wamathrevision/downloads/k12standards_draft_08jan21.pdf
Here is a link that includes criticism of the Dana Center document and puts forth an alternate standards document that will be presented to the state legislature:
http://www.wheresthemath.com/blog/2008/01/21/pre-release-announcement/
I encourage everyone to write and give their input now, before it is too late.
http://www.leg.wa.gov/legislature/
As a parent or interested voter, your input right now CAN make a difference because it is happening right now and legislators will be making decisions in the next few weeks (or sooner) that will affect what your school district will do, what curriculum is used, and what teachers will teach children for years to come.
I suggest that you write and tell your representatives what your opinion is. If you are like me, you might want to mention what you want in changed in the current lax and vague State Math Standards.
1. A balanced math program with more emphasis on computational skills because right now basic skills practice isn't happening and standard algorithms are being ignored.
2. Clear expectation of mastery of topics so student can have a foundation to learn more advanced years
3. Grade level expectations match grades of other states that are considered to have good standards to encourage publishers to create better curricula.
Here is an article written by a legislator about some of the issues in getting the new standards written:
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080119/OPINION03/585720820/-1/opinion03
Here is a link to the current (2nd) draft of the state standards written by Dana Center:
http://www.utdanacenter.org/wamathrevision/downloads/k12standards_draft_08jan21.pdf
Here is a link that includes criticism of the Dana Center document and puts forth an alternate standards document that will be presented to the state legislature:
http://www.wheresthemath.com/blog/2008/01/21/pre-release-announcement/
I encourage everyone to write and give their input now, before it is too late.
Why did I join this blog?
Can one person really make something happen? Can two people? Annette (co-author of this blog) and I talked and wondered what can we really do, anyway? She thought we should at least try to do something.
I think I can help my own kids (ages 10, 8, 4 and baby on the way). I love being a mom and love teaching them (OK, I admit I secretly wish I was a homeschooler) and because of my son's speech & language delay I am a little more concerned with keeping my children's progress going....for both their strengths and their weaknesses.
I love math so how can I help but encourage a love of math, the learning of math in my children? I started supplementing my two oldest's math with Singapore Math workbooks pretty early. And when my daughter balked at the standard addition algorithm (you know, add the ones and carry into the 10s) I had to tell her that the school way was fine and she could do that at school, but I also wanted her to learn this way too.
My next door neighbor with older children had passed along her horror stories. My old roommate was involved in a group that was trying to take action in Washington (wheresthemath.com) . I was suddenly aware of stories of parents who didn't realize their was a problem until their child was in 6th grade and in tears, and the parent discovered long division and all the regular, efficient, quick method of math computation was never taught to their child.
I decided an ounce of prevention was the way to go. That has been my focus the past 2 or 3 years. It has included a year long stint with Kumon (private math program with a monthly fee) and now, for a change of pace in time for the baby, back to Singapore.
I've talked to my friends and family (many of whom live in other states) about the state of math in the US, and the circumstances of why Washington is worse off than some other states. Non-parents, or parents of young children didn't really get what I was saying. But parents of slightly older children would agree with me, or suddenly understand why their children's homework was so strange, or why their children's teacher wouldn't explain how to do a problem and tell them to ask their neighbor instead.
Despite my mild soapboxing, I knew there was nothing I could do. Too many factors were to blame. You can't blame the teachers, because it is the curriculum. And the curriculum was picked based on philosophy of the education community and the WASL math questions and very poor and vague Washington State Standards.
We are at a critical time. The State Standards are being re-written right now! The Edmonds School District is reviewing and choosing new curriculum right now! Maybe a change for the better can happen, and maybe there is something one parent, or many parents can do to tip the scales.
So, I'm going to go ahead and do a small part, and see what happens.
I think I can help my own kids (ages 10, 8, 4 and baby on the way). I love being a mom and love teaching them (OK, I admit I secretly wish I was a homeschooler) and because of my son's speech & language delay I am a little more concerned with keeping my children's progress going....for both their strengths and their weaknesses.
I love math so how can I help but encourage a love of math, the learning of math in my children? I started supplementing my two oldest's math with Singapore Math workbooks pretty early. And when my daughter balked at the standard addition algorithm (you know, add the ones and carry into the 10s) I had to tell her that the school way was fine and she could do that at school, but I also wanted her to learn this way too.
My next door neighbor with older children had passed along her horror stories. My old roommate was involved in a group that was trying to take action in Washington (wheresthemath.com) . I was suddenly aware of stories of parents who didn't realize their was a problem until their child was in 6th grade and in tears, and the parent discovered long division and all the regular, efficient, quick method of math computation was never taught to their child.
I decided an ounce of prevention was the way to go. That has been my focus the past 2 or 3 years. It has included a year long stint with Kumon (private math program with a monthly fee) and now, for a change of pace in time for the baby, back to Singapore.
I've talked to my friends and family (many of whom live in other states) about the state of math in the US, and the circumstances of why Washington is worse off than some other states. Non-parents, or parents of young children didn't really get what I was saying. But parents of slightly older children would agree with me, or suddenly understand why their children's homework was so strange, or why their children's teacher wouldn't explain how to do a problem and tell them to ask their neighbor instead.
Despite my mild soapboxing, I knew there was nothing I could do. Too many factors were to blame. You can't blame the teachers, because it is the curriculum. And the curriculum was picked based on philosophy of the education community and the WASL math questions and very poor and vague Washington State Standards.
We are at a critical time. The State Standards are being re-written right now! The Edmonds School District is reviewing and choosing new curriculum right now! Maybe a change for the better can happen, and maybe there is something one parent, or many parents can do to tip the scales.
So, I'm going to go ahead and do a small part, and see what happens.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Annette's update on District news
Following is an explanation of what is currently going on at the district level. If you have comments, questions or thoughts you would like to share with our local school officers, it would be a great time to let your voice be heard. There is a school board round table meeting on math initiatives on March 5th at the Edmonds School District building, 20420 68th Ave west in Lynnwood. It is from 12:00 - 1:00 pm. Also commenting on this blog about your experiences and thoughts would be helpful to those on committees who are making decisions. Currently my focus has been on elementary issues, as my children are all young. Perhaps those with greater knowledge of the high school issues could add some comments about what is at stake at that level.
Edmonds School District is currently in the process of choosing a new curriculum for math in K-5 and in High School. A letter from the district will be sent home with your child in the next few weeks indicating the three options that have been chosen by a committee of educators and administrators. It will provide dates for math nights where these choices will be presented and parents will be able to ask questions and give input. It is very important that we take the time to review the materials and participate in the meetings. Once curriculum materials are purchased, they are generally in place for at least a ten-year period.
Some of the many questions to consider include: How will the curriculum that is being chosen now align itself with state standards that are still being passed? Will the state recommend their own curriculum that is different from those currently being proposed in the district? Will the curriculum provide our teachers with the right tools to turn math performance around? As parents, how can we be helpful in this transition process? Will we be informed of any weaknesses in the curriculum that we need to supplement for at home?
ELEMENTARY K-5 Materials under Consideration
Bridges – http://www.mathlearningcenter.org
Everyday Mathematics – http://www.wrightgroup.com
http://www.everydaymath.uchicago.edu
Growing with Mathematics – http://www.wrightgroup.com
Mathematics Expressions – http://eduplace.com
TERC Investigations (revised) – http://investigations.terc.edu
MIDDLE SCHOOL Materials in Use (not up for change currently)
Connected Mathematics 2 – http://www.phschool.com/cmp2
http://wwwconnectedmath.msu.edu
HIGH SCHOOL Materials under Consideration
College Preparatory Mathematics – http://www.cpm.org
Contemporary Mathematics – http://www.glencoe.com
SIMMS Integrated Math – http://www.kendallhunt.com
Discovering Algebra and Geometry – http://www.keypress.com
Prentice Hall Secondary Math – http://www.phschool.com
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