Talk Back to Scholar Here... Civil discourse required, but we value clarity over agreement.
Just to clarify...the teachers in our Math department at Wayzata High School are not "teachers with a few math credits." We majored in Mathematics in college and went on to become teachers. I, for one, took 15 math courses for my major followed by 3 math courses for my Master's Degree in Mathematics Education.
Thank you for the clarification. Wayzata's math teachers are obviously well-qualified. In fact, I was making a point at how well-qualified the department head is. He gives one the impression that he has built a team of similarly-qualified educators. Now I have confirmation of my assumption.
Hi Matt! You suggest that people participate in the curriculum review, but you might also want to have them read up on the Delphi Technique and my LTE that you so kindly posted on your blog here regarding Everyday Math. Unless at least 3 parents join the committee to review curriculum together and don't appear to know each other during the meetings, there's not much hope to change what is the pre-determined conclusion to these committees. It's very unfortunate.
Hi Matt,
I just wanted to make sure that you were invited to our education "Blogger Summit". We hope you can make it and feel free to share this invitation with any other bloggers in the area that might be interested. The invitation is attached below.
Alex
ED In '08 Blogger Summit
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Strong American Schools is excited to announce the ED in '08 Blogger Summit. Conference details are as follows:
May 14th - 15th
Palomar Hotel, Washington DC
Registration is Free!
An opening reception is scheduled on the evening of Wednesday, May 14th. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served before the screening of a new documentary film on education, Two Million Minutes. A Q&A session with the filmmakers is set to follow.
Then join us for an all-day conference on May 15th. Nowhere else will you have an opportunity to meet and network with fellow education bloggers, participate in panels, attend workshops, and help tackle some tough questions on the state of education in America.
Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP today!
Register at http://edin08.com/bloggersummit/
good for giving adequate info.now tell more about new about mathematics.
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Allen
Addiction Recovery Minnesota
Yes, Matt, the proof is in the pudding, and it doesn’t taste good. The 2008 MCA results have come in and only 58.2% of Wayzata 11th graders Meet or Exceed the standards. Given the local attitude toward achievement and high parental involvement, fewer than 6 of 10 kids passing is an inexcusable result.
One can surmise the impact of the curriculum when results of 11th graders are viewed in relationship to the prior grades; in third grade 93% of the kids meet or exceed the math standard, in 8th grade 78% do, yet by 11th grade the number drops to 58%. That means that one in four of the kids who passed in 8th grade failed in 11th. Think of the anxiety and self doubt a 17 year old, one year from graduation, must feel when he finds he can’t even pass the state standards in math. It’s so unnecessary. School administration should be ashamed.
On reading tests the results are dramatically different – 91.3% pass is 3rd grade, and 88.9% pass in 11th grade. Does math ability decline with age? Are our students really so naturally inept at math that we can’t expect the same results from our math curriculum as those of reading? I for one don’t think so. But we live in a community proud of the quality of the education. That’s why we moved here, right? Our test results are some of the highest in the state, and so the education must be good – right? WRONG. Fewer than 6 out of 10 kids passing is not good enough - ever - regardless of the mediocrity of others. Until the parents of the district acknowledge that when it comes to Wayzata’s math program the emperor has no clothes, Integrated Math will continue, and with it the failure of 4 out of every 10 high school kids. And that’s a sorry state indeed.
Thanks for such a well written article. I have a two and four year old so the math program in the high school has never crossed my mind. Thanks for enlightening me with such style.
Wayzata High School initiated the Integrated Math program during my freshman year there. Prior to this program I was a decent math student, achieving mostly B's and some A's. After this program my scores dropped into the C and D levels. I still don't believe that I know math as well as I should due to this.
A friend of mine who is now in medical school had to take a year of remedial math classes in College because of the knowledge deficit that WHS gave him. He too, blames it on Integrated Math.
Indeed, the emperor has no clothes.
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