Why are MoCo kids failing math exams?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about no available textbooks that correspond to the curriculum being taught, so kids can't really review?!

Good teachers don't use textbooks, because they realize that the vast majority of today's kids do not learn from copying problems over from a book the way we did 20+ years ago.

I go to training after training trying to get old school teachers to wean away from using textbooks. They are a crutch for people who do not know how to follow a pacing guide and come up with activities and lessons that really demonstrate understanding.

Parents need textbooks. Kids don't.

Are you a teacher being trained or are you the one doing the training? This is so foolish I don't even know where to begin. With a good textbook the kids and their parents will at least have a prayer to overcome some bad teaching. Algebra didn't change in the last 20 years. I doubt evolution has worked so fast that kids today cannot learn the same. And why does having a text book equal to copying problems from the books?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at the what the teachers do in all the highest scoring math countries. They use textbooks that have been well designed and follow the national standards. There is no way a teacher working alone is going to create a better math program than using a quality math textbook with the teacher's guide. Look at Math in Focus, which is a conceptual, mastery math progam based on a Singapore textbook called My Pals Are Here. It is excellent. It is ridiculous that I have to teach my kids do 30 to 45 minutes of math afterschool everyday so they have a chance of keeping up in math with kids around he world. A teacher does not have the time to independently develop a world class curriculum.

+ 1000000!

[Anonymous]

The problem is that teachers are not profecient in math. Plain and simple.

My child's middle school math teacher who also tutors students in math, teaches using a notebook in which he has written down what to say. When my DC solve a problem differently the teacher marked it wrong--just because it wasn't exactly the way the solution was written down in his notes. It was pathetic.

MCPS must accept that it lacks competent teachers. The lousy PAR system simply doesn't allow the system to get rid of the worst teachers.

our children are being screwed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about no available textbooks that correspond to the curriculum being taught, so kids can't really review?!

Good teachers don't use textbooks, because they realize that the vast majority of today's kids do not learn from copying problems over from a book the way we did 20+ years ago.

I go to training after training trying to get old school teachers to wean away from using textbooks. They are a crutch for people who do not know how to follow a pacing guide and come up with activities and lessons that really demonstrate understanding.

This is how my child's teacher comes up with "activities and lessons that really demonstrate understanding": downloading free worksheets from the internet from random sites. Yep. Real creative, coherent, and committed. javascript:emoticon('');

[Anonymous]

Oops. last 2 lines were my post. Sorry I don't know how to quote and have my message separate.

[Anonymous]

If teachers are not proficient in mathematics how can they teach it (with or without a textbook)?

[Anonymous]

With a book at least the teacher can learn or re-learn the basics from the textbook itself and show kids how it's done. And the kids can then learn it from the book themselves with or without the help of their parents. If worksheets are sent home with no textbook, there is no lesson to refer to. When I help with homework, I like to know how something was taught since there are sometimes many ways to approach a problem and I prefer to be consistent with how it's taught in school, unless I disagree with it or feel more explanation or deeper understanding is needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If teachers are not proficient in mathematics how can they teach it (with or without a textbook)?

ROTE LEARNING. Through PLCs they are told how to teach.

[Anonymous]

There are videos of these PLCs.

[Anonymous]

When most of these teachers went to school for elementary education, there was no training in pre algebra. The push on math has left out so many basics. The teachers struggle to work with changed-robotic curriculums. They are given class sizes in the 30's sometimes and a "rush to test" atmosphere makes it horrible to teach. I feel for teachers. I much rather them get math specialists than reading specialists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When most of these teachers went to school for elementary education, there was no training in pre algebra. The push on math has left out so many basics. The teachers struggle to work with changed-robotic curriculums. They are given class sizes in the 30's sometimes and a "rush to test" atmosphere makes it horrible to teach. I feel for teachers. I much rather them get math specialists than reading specialists.

That is the point I have been making. Thank you!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With a book at least the teacher can learn or re-learn the basics from the textbook itself and show kids how it's done. And the kids can then learn it from the book themselves with or without the help of their parents. If worksheets are sent home with no textbook, there is no lesson to refer to. When I help with homework, I like to know how something was taught since there are sometimes many ways to approach a problem and I prefer to be consistent with how it's taught in school, unless I disagree with it or feel more explanation or deeper understanding is needed.

+1. Without books, it is really hard for the kids to review the materials themselves. It is impossible for the parents to help. Plus, kids need to learn how to review materials after class teaching. They need that skills for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When most of these teachers went to school for elementary education, there was no training in pre algebra. The push on math has left out so many basics. The teachers struggle to work with changed-robotic curriculums. They are given class sizes in the 30's sometimes and a "rush to test" atmosphere makes it horrible to teach. I feel for teachers. I much rather them get math specialists than reading specialists.

That is the point I have been making. Thank you!!!

Yes. Most other countries have specific math teachers from the get go. I never had the same teacher for math and language art growing up. I really think this is one of the main reasons that Americans kids are turned off by math.

[Anonymous]

The kids in MoCo who are failing math exams are all those kids who soley rely on the MCPS math curriculum and their teachers to teach them this subject.

Those in MoCo doing well in mathematics are those kids who soley rely on enrichment outside of the MCPS math curriculum and their teachers to approprietely and optimally learn this subject.

This hypothesis does not even warrant testing. It is the plain and obvious truth.

[Anonymous]

But that is sad, isn't it?