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Re: How to End the Math Wars
by Wayne Bishop
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At 11:42 PM 1/6/2007, Michael Paul Goldenberg wrote:
>On Jan 6, 2007, at 8:04 AM, RobynW wrote:
>
>>I think Professors Bishop and Milgram are doing a great service by
>>speaking out against reform math. My kids use Everyday Math and I
>>think it stinks.
>
>Well, as I wrote here the other day, I live in a state where it's
>widely used, and in a city where it's been used for more than a
>decade. This is a VERY education-oriented town, not unlike many
>university towns, and there are lots of highly-educated people here
>with strong backgrounds in math and/or science and/or applied fields.
>There's no hue and cry for the removal of either EM or CMP. None.
I don't know about Ann Arbor but I do know how the decision for EM
was made in Kalamazoo more than a decade ago. EM was piloted along
with Saxon and some others that I've forgotten (if I ever knew). The
Saxon Math pilots came in clearly on top both in teacher satisfaction
and in objectively assessed student performance. So the teachers
were trumped because EM was God's will. Haim's education ayatollahs.
>> Why? Because he doesn't like lattice multiplication?
>
>Funny you should pick on lattice multiplication. I don't much "like
>it" myself. But kids do. Lots of them.
It's called math avoidance. Drawing those silly boxes takes time
away from mathematics. And there's no comprehension expected; most
teachers can't explain it and none try to. Moreover, regarding the
silly (and, generally speaking, impossible) goal of student invented
algorithms, it fails completely. No student ever invented that
thing. It works good for addition, too. I've seen kids do
it. Really quite hilarious if you're into sick jokes.
>Most of them, in the districts
>I've worked with the last five years or so, seem to prefer it. It's
>easy. It's organized. It seems to work. What's to dislike?
See the above.
>You have a gripe with it, I guess? I don't even recall Wayne
>mentioning it.
I have to other forums if not this one.
>Here's my only suggestion, though I expect it will fall on deaf ears:
>read the materials EM writes for parents.
Here's my suggestion, organize a local parents-with-pitchforks group
and get to work on a likely member or two of your school board. Even
run yourself, maybe. The math "experts" in the district office are
the ayatollahs so the only approach that can be successful is a new
superintendent who knows better or a board of ed with enough clout to
make your current one do his job. Tough sledding but not
impossible. In the meantime, don't sacrifice your own children on
this alter. Kumon, Saxon or Singapore Math at home, Sylvan learning,
St. Sensible, ... Opportunities abound for the semi-affluent folks
who know better. Those with no alternatives will be left out, as
usual, and that is pathetic and painful but do forge on
ahead. Follow your mammalian instinct to train your offspring to
survive and thrive in the harsh environment of the real world, not
the fantasy world of "professional" education.
Wayne
>On Jan 6, 2007, at 8:04 AM, RobynW wrote:
>
>>I think Professors Bishop and Milgram are doing a great service by
>>speaking out against reform math. My kids use Everyday Math and I
>>think it stinks.
>
>Well, as I wrote here the other day, I live in a state where it's
>widely used, and in a city where it's been used for more than a
>decade. This is a VERY education-oriented town, not unlike many
>university towns, and there are lots of highly-educated people here
>with strong backgrounds in math and/or science and/or applied fields.
>There's no hue and cry for the removal of either EM or CMP. None.
I don't know about Ann Arbor but I do know how the decision for EM
was made in Kalamazoo more than a decade ago. EM was piloted along
with Saxon and some others that I've forgotten (if I ever knew). The
Saxon Math pilots came in clearly on top both in teacher satisfaction
and in objectively assessed student performance. So the teachers
were trumped because EM was God's will. Haim's education ayatollahs.
>> Why? Because he doesn't like lattice multiplication?
>
>Funny you should pick on lattice multiplication. I don't much "like
>it" myself. But kids do. Lots of them.
It's called math avoidance. Drawing those silly boxes takes time
away from mathematics. And there's no comprehension expected; most
teachers can't explain it and none try to. Moreover, regarding the
silly (and, generally speaking, impossible) goal of student invented
algorithms, it fails completely. No student ever invented that
thing. It works good for addition, too. I've seen kids do
it. Really quite hilarious if you're into sick jokes.
>Most of them, in the districts
>I've worked with the last five years or so, seem to prefer it. It's
>easy. It's organized. It seems to work. What's to dislike?
See the above.
>You have a gripe with it, I guess? I don't even recall Wayne
>mentioning it.
I have to other forums if not this one.
>Here's my only suggestion, though I expect it will fall on deaf ears:
>read the materials EM writes for parents.
Here's my suggestion, organize a local parents-with-pitchforks group
and get to work on a likely member or two of your school board. Even
run yourself, maybe. The math "experts" in the district office are
the ayatollahs so the only approach that can be successful is a new
superintendent who knows better or a board of ed with enough clout to
make your current one do his job. Tough sledding but not
impossible. In the meantime, don't sacrifice your own children on
this alter. Kumon, Saxon or Singapore Math at home, Sylvan learning,
St. Sensible, ... Opportunities abound for the semi-affluent folks
who know better. Those with no alternatives will be left out, as
usual, and that is pathetic and painful but do forge on
ahead. Follow your mammalian instinct to train your offspring to
survive and thrive in the harsh environment of the real world, not
the fantasy world of "professional" education.
Wayne
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