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.

Math failure is due to incompetent teachers. End story.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Parents need textbooks. Kids don't.

That's because they are not using them. Are you saying kids' brains are different today? Then put all the exercises online or make it downloadable. From what I can see, they don't memorize or do many exercises. Yes parents need textbooks so they can help their kids -- this matters too. I am lost. How does that help my kids?

Who's in school here?

The question is not who is the student it is who is the teacher. The parents are the teacher, every single night. The kids do not understand the material, they are given homework they can not accomplish, the parents teach the material. If the child goes to school the next day and asks the teacher to reteach the material they can't because they have to stay on track and move to the next lesson whether the kids understand it or not.

Rich parents hire a tutur which is why wealthy neighborhoods perform better.

To the PP that needs the book. I just use Khan academy to review the material. It is better than most the teachers anyway and can be watched more than once.

Anonymous wrote:Don't blame my DD. Last year, she had As both quarters in Geometry and failed the final exam for a B for the semester. This year in Algebra 2 Bs both quarters and she studied for the exam with a tutor and still failed. There some fundamental disconnect between the class itself and the exam.

She brought home an Algebra 2 textbook but rarely uses it; instead, she gets many packets of work.

Where is that? She gets letter grades?

Don't blame my DD. Last year, she had As both quarters in Geometry and failed the final exam for a B for the semester. This year in Algebra 2 Bs both quarters and she studied for the exam with a tutor and still failed. There some fundamental disconnect between the class itself and the exam.

She brought home an Algebra 2 textbook but rarely uses it; instead, she gets many packets of work.

It comes down to money..worksheets and online homework are a lot CHEAPER than traditional textbooks. It's a shame- especially for younger kids- whose brains process print material much better than online math games, etc, etc.

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.

Parents need textbooks. Kids don't.

That's because they are not using them. Are you saying kids' brains are different today? Then put all the exercises online or make it downloadable. From what I can see, they don't memorize or do many exercises. Yes parents need textbooks so they can help their kids -- this matters too. I am lost. How does that help my kids?

Yes, that's exactly what the research says. Kids brains are starting to be wired differently.

I have not used a textbook in years. Students have a binder for my class that we keep organized with notes, activities, foldables, study guides, games, etc. In my low level remediation classes, we use an interactive notebook (a composition book) so that nothing gets lost or ripped out. Every homework I create myself, with problems that match those we went over in the notes during class.

On the class website, I have links for every unit to additional practice (with immediate feedback), review videos (like khan academy or youtubes of teachers solving problems), games where kids can practice the skills, etc.

At the beginning of the year, I send home a "textbook correlation" packet. It says "Unit 1 is basically chapter 4 in the textbook, if you need to review the material as a parent, here is your guide. If you want the textbook, have your student check it out from the library at school, I'm not sending them home." Every year I have about 1 parent ask for it out of 120-150 on my roster.

Parents have heart attacks over a lack of a textbook. The kids really don't care.

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.

Parents need textbooks. Kids don't.

That's because they are not using them. Are you saying kids' brains are different today? Then put all the exercises online or make it downloadable. From what I can see, they don't memorize or do many exercises. Yes parents need textbooks so they can help their kids -- this matters too. I am lost. How does that help my kids?

Who's in school here?

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.

That's because they are not using them. Are you saying kids' brains are different today? Then put all the exercises online or make it downloadable. From what I can see, they don't memorize or do many exercises. Yes parents need textbooks so they can help their kids -- this matters too. I am lost. How does that help my kids?

There's also the case that students don't need to pass the exam to pass the class. So if you're happy with just a passing grade in the class and can get it without passing the exam, what's the point in trying? Not my personal philosophy, but it was mentioned in the article as well.

Agree on the textbooks--times have changed and they are unnecessary. Even when I was in school (gradauted MCPS in 1998), the best reviews came from study guides my teachers helped us put together on review days.

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.

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

I'm wondering whether you read the article?

I'm also wondering whether you think that review is only possible if there is a textbook.

The teachers do not exactly "blame the kids". It is typical of a bureaucracy, there is a problem, the people in the trenches know what the problem is and have many solutions (stated in the article) nobody listens to the teachers. Problem persists.

1. Kids need more time to review.
2. Make passing the test mandatory to move on.
3. Slow down the pace for students that have not master the material.
4. Get rid of trick question.
5. Make it a math test, not a reading test.

I would add that there needs to be more help with homework since most parents can't help. Kids get problems wrong on hw and the test, don't understand why, are never asked to master the skills they don't understand and the teacher moves to the next section.

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

Teachers say blame the kids

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/many-teachers-blame-students-study-habits-for-montgomery-county-math-failures/2014/02/05/7151419c-7f82-11e3-9556-4a4bf7bcbd84_story.html