rumor about compact math true?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find most curriculum 2.0 to be fine except for a few weird things here and there.

IMO the problem is that one size does not fit all. There are kids in holding patterns when they could easily do more and their are kids that are pushed ahead when they need more review.

I volunteer quite a bit at my kids school and from what I see having kids with such varying levels in one class is not doing anyone any favors. The kids that are struggling are not motivated by the top kids. Most of them seem to end up feeling bad about themselves.

This is my experience also. DD is in 3rd grade, and I've been volunteering since K. Have gotten to know several teachers well enough that even they complain to me about trying to meet the needs of 5 different groups of kids in one classroom. It is just not possible to do well. Not at all. The kids know very early on who is 'good' at math, and end up labeling themselves as 'good' or 'bad'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2.0 math is horrible and the data coming in isn't going to get any better until MCPS gets rid of the staff in the curriculum office and resets the math curriculum. Basically, you can put lipstick on a pig but its still a pig.

1. Focus on raising achievement for all students. Stop trying to create an artificial band in the middle by inflating the bottom (remember adding extra points to math exams because too many lower performing students failed) and pushing down the top (eliminating acceleration to "lower" the gap").

2. Re-instate rigor and transparent testing. This is math not comparative basket weaving philosophy. Give rigorous unit tests, real grades and students don't move on until they know the material. Students that know the material and pass should be allowed to move on. Tests should be sent home.

3. Remove the mysticism. Math instructions shouldn't be considered a secret family recipe. Send home math homework with clear instructions and examples. Seriously people -how fucking hard would this be? There are many non-math oriented parents who have absolutely no idea what their kids should be doing but with some fucking instructions and one or two examples could easily help the kids.

4. Offer math booster programs in ALL the schools. Math clubs, homework clubs, and bring in upper level students to help with math tutoring. MCPS already requires SSL hours with students running all over the place desperately trying to get hours in.

5. Stop pretending that an education major who has feared math all her life is capable of understanding and teaching math. A one day training class isn't going to resolve a lifetime of math ignorance. For god's sake don't let these people develop math curriculum!

6. Use technology. Adaptive math programs are available everywhere.

I can support all of these. I would suggest that getting textbooks could go a long way towards goals 3 and 5. I would also recommend flexible ability grouping so that each group would be taught at their level with the goal to be mastery so they can progress to the next level. I think this would help with goal 1.

Other suggestions I have are:

A. Do away with calculator usage in elementary school.

B. Do away with the MCPS grading system of not checking homework, having minimum grades of 50%, and the N, P, E grades that nobody seems to understand. The whole point of grades is so that patents and students can understand how the child is doing. This system doesn't seem to accomplish that.

[Anonymous]

Calculators? DD is in 5th grade, and I have never heard her mention using a calculator. WTH do they use calculators for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2.0 math is horrible and the data coming in isn't going to get any better until MCPS gets rid of the staff in the curriculum office and resets the math curriculum. Basically, you can put lipstick on a pig but its still a pig.

1. Focus on raising achievement for all students. Stop trying to create an artificial band in the middle by inflating the bottom (remember adding extra points to math exams because too many lower performing students failed) and pushing down the top (eliminating acceleration to "lower" the gap").

2. Re-instate rigor and transparent testing. This is math not comparative basket weaving philosophy. Give rigorous unit tests, real grades and students don't move on until they know the material. Students that know the material and pass should be allowed to move on. Tests should be sent home.

3. Remove the mysticism. Math instructions shouldn't be considered a secret family recipe. Send home math homework with clear instructions and examples. Seriously people -how fucking hard would this be? There are many non-math oriented parents who have absolutely no idea what their kids should be doing but with some fucking instructions and one or two examples could easily help the kids.

4. Offer math booster programs in ALL the schools. Math clubs, homework clubs, and bring in upper level students to help with math tutoring. MCPS already requires SSL hours with students running all over the place desperately trying to get hours in.

5. Stop pretending that an education major who has feared math all her life is capable of understanding and teaching math. A one day training class isn't going to resolve a lifetime of math ignorance. For god's sake don't let these people develop math curriculum!

6. Use technology. Adaptive math programs are available everywhere.

I can support all of these. I would suggest that getting textbooks could go a long way towards goals 3 and 5. I would also recommend flexible ability grouping so that each group would be taught at their level with the goal to be mastery so they can progress to the next level. I think this would help with goal 1.

Other suggestions I have are:

A. Do away with calculator usage in elementary school.

B. Do away with the MCPS grading system of not checking homework, having minimum grades of 50%, and the N, P, E grades that nobody seems to understand. The whole point of grades is so that patents and students can understand how the child is doing. This system doesn't seem to accomplish that.

My child is in 3rd grade and has never used a calculator in school or for homework. Also, his current math teacher has the students check their homework by calling on students and having them present their answers and checking off if they got it right or wrong after the teacher presents the correct answer. This system seems very effective for my son's class and my son is motivated to do his homework and wants to get ES's. He proudly shows me his test results and homework after it is scored. I also have a better understanding of how he is developing in math using this system. My only confusion is it isn't clear why he gets a P or an ES. His teacher also doesn't give out many ES's so he thinks of it as the ultimate prize. Not sure if that is good or bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calculators? DD is in 5th grade, and I have never heard her mention using a calculator. WTH do they use calculators for?

My child is in fourth grade, and she says that she has never used a calculator in math class except to check the work she has already done without a calculator.

[Anonymous]

Don't know when calculators become available but ES definitely had them. I saw them in use during group work, usually one kid would say the calculator says... and discussion would shut down. In 5th grade DC received work where teacher wrote how did you get this wrong you have a calculator?

[Anonymous]

Never seen a calculator used at our ES.

[Anonymous]

.. but otherwise suggests are SPOT ON

[Anonymous]

Another point on calculators specific to later grades. Whenever there are questions involving pi or a radical they're told to report answers to two decimal digits, etc. But a lot is lost by not just simplifying and writing a symbolic answer. It's not a huge deal just a missed opportunity to practice collecting terms, understand root of a product is the product of the root, etc. This is a big change from the time I was in school. The focus has really moved from calculation to qualitative, theory being students can get further conceptually if they aren't confronted with their computational weakness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait so I'm confused. Is there going to be CM next year?

I think the answer is "Yes". But can others comment?

[Anonymous]

I think answer is yes but who is in the class is now up to each school instead of central office.

[Anonymous]

Bowers wanted to get rid of. That is what he proposed in Jan. The curriculum office and MCPTA fought back and the result is local control of who gets in.

[Anonymous]

I don't even see how this is still a rumor. All the most recent discussion seems to open Compacted Math to more students, allow schools more options to add students. Bussing 4th graders to MS will not happen. Bussing 5th graders can still happen next year but also will phase out.