Common Core Math

[Anonymous]

This raises the question of why PP's child is no longer in that private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm also a bit stunned by the idea that it's a waste of time to debate math education with the people who are supposed to be doing the math education.

Isn't the core issue exactly that the people who are supposed to be doing the math education are just not capable of doing it? Asking an education major how to develop a math curriculum is like asking a blind person "What color is that square?".

If that's what you think, then you might as well thrown in the towel and go home. It's hopeless. There is no possible solution.

(Also, people keep talking about "education majors". At how many degree-granting institutions is it possible to major solely in education, just education, as a single major? Also, what proportion of teachers have only a a single bachelor's degree and nothing more? I don't know the answers to these questions. Do you?)

When I was in college (state university) there was an elementary education major. The people I met doing this major weren't the brightest bunch. In fact, EL ED was pejoratively called an "MRS." degree. These were generally not people who were good at math. I think it does help to have someone teaching math who understands it pretty well.

[Anonymous]

They were not good at elementary math?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm also a bit stunned by the idea that it's a waste of time to debate math education with the people who are supposed to be doing the math education.

Isn't the core issue exactly that the people who are supposed to be doing the math education are just not capable of doing it? Asking an education major how to develop a math curriculum is like asking a blind person "What color is that square?".

If that's what you think, then you might as well thrown in the towel and go home. It's hopeless. There is no possible solution.

(Also, people keep talking about "education majors". At how many degree-granting institutions is it possible to major solely in education, just education, as a single major? Also, what proportion of teachers have only a a single bachelor's degree and nothing more? I don't know the answers to these questions. Do you?)

When I was in college (state university) there was an elementary education major. The people I met doing this major weren't the brightest bunch. In fact, EL ED was pejoratively called an "MRS." degree. These were generally not people who were good at math. I think it does help to have someone teaching math who understands it pretty well.

When was this, and is there still a single-major elementary education major there?

[Anonymous]

80's. Look at some university websites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:80's. Look at some university websites.

I don't know where you went to college.

[Anonymous]

Try looking at any major state university. Perhaps they call it by a different name.

[Anonymous]

http://www.education.udel.edu/ete/

[Anonymous]

http://catalogs.cofc.edu/undergraduate/elementary-education-major-requirements.htm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://catalogs.cofc.edu/undergraduate/elementary-education-major-requirements.htm

OMG. I wish I hadn't read that. Scary. But yes, it's true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://catalogs.cofc.edu/undergraduate/elementary-education-major-requirements.htm

OMG. I wish I hadn't read that. Scary. But yes, it's true.

What is scary about that page? I just took a look and it seems like a normal series of course requirements for an undergraduate degree.

[Anonymous]

I have to agree about the college page, if you have a science mind then there are lots of great options available.

I will say that I am an engineering major and when we had to mix in with students who were in non-engineering fields, i.e. economics... it would blow our minds at how the professor would go over and over the same simple algebra formula for the rest of the class, but when we were in classes like English lit then non-geeks really understood and picked up on nuances we could care less about.


What I'm saying is there is a math mind type but I can't imagine until you get into the higher levels of middle and high school that you need to possess that kind of talent. You could train anyone to teach elemenary and simple middle school math. It's just not that hard.

Well except 8th grade algebra apparently that is a REALLY HARD MCPS subject.

[Anonymous]

I will say that I am an engineering major and when we had to mix in with students who were in non-engineering fields, i.e. economics... it would blow our minds at how the professor would go over and over the same simple algebra formula for the rest of the class, but when we were in classes like English lit then non-geeks really understood and picked up on nuances we could care less about.

What I'm saying is there is a math mind type but I can't imagine until you get into the higher levels of middle and high school that you need to possess that kind of talent. You could train anyone to teach elemenary and simple middle school math. It's just not that hard.

I agree with this but the people training the elementary school do not understand math. The people creating the curriculum really do not understand math. So while it is possible to train education major types how to teach math to K-8 students, at some point up the chain someone needs to actually understand math. I see ES teachers trying to apply reading/language concepts to math ineffectively and incorrectly quite often. Math is not a verbal discipline and you don't solve vagueness by just guessing based on context clues as you do with reading/writing. Exactness and understanding how the specific values relate consistently is key, yet completely missed by MCPS again and again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I agree with this but the people training the elementary school do not understand math. The people creating the curriculum really do not understand math. So while it is possible to train education major types how to teach math to K-8 students, at some point up the chain someone needs to actually understand math. I see ES teachers trying to apply reading/language concepts to math ineffectively and incorrectly quite often. Math is not a verbal discipline and you don't solve vagueness by just guessing based on context clues as you do with reading/writing. Exactness and understanding how the specific values relate consistently is key, yet completely missed by MCPS again and again.

People keep saying that. But when I do math, I think in words.

[Anonymous]

People keep saying that. But when I do math, I think in words.

Even if you are seriously challenged in math, I doubt this is true.