Reply to rumor about compact math true?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The problems with overacceleration were not that kids didn't do well when tested on what they learned in 5th grade. The problems that I heard expressed were from high school math teachers who had to learn to handle kids who had gaps in their learning from skipping things, or who could do the problems, but didn't fully understand what they were doing.[/quote]

That's still anecdotal and possibly one arrogant HS teacher with an axe to grind.  Anyway, I'd like someone to produce any evidence that this isn't still happening.  The secondary math class re-writes under 2.0 are awful.  I have to believe they are producing just as many students with major gaps in understanding.  If someone has data that proves otherwise I'd like to hear it.  Or even just anecdotes from HS science teachers who have noticed better quality students.  Algebra was re-written three years ago, some of those students are in HS now (including my DS).  [/quote]

You actually seriously think that MCPS changed the entire system-wide math curriculum and philosophy because Joe Blow AP Calc teacher at Sherwood HS complained that some of his  kids had bad foundation skills? Really? Seriously? I know this forum likes to slag off MCPS for everything, but really? [/quote]

No, but I do agree with the PP that the problem of over-acceleration has been over sold.  As problems go why should anyone even care?  I also don't care why the curriculum was changed, I just want some evidence it's improved something.[/quote]

There is no data either way that will show you that slowing kids down hurt/helped because standardized tests show only one thing -- can they follow the steps to solve a math problem.  These tests cannot show whether a kid has a deep understanding of basic math concepts like fractions and decimals.

However, they found that although some portion of US kids were doing well on the MAP M tests, they were doing poorly on the PISA math test compared to top rated countries.  The reason was attributed to the fact that MAP tests don't test how to apply math knowledge, only to follow the steps to solve a math problem, whereas the PISA math test mostly tests math knowledge.

Additionally, a lot of kids who score high on math standardized tests have outside math tutoring.  If a child has outside math tutoring even though the child doesn't need the extra help, of course that child will be more advanced than what the school is teaching for that grade. [/quote]

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