NYC
Honest Open Logical Debate (NYC HOLD)
On
Math Reform
A
groundswell of parent concern over how math is being taught in District 2
schools led to a front page New York Times article last spring, “The New,
Flexible Math Meets Parent Rebellion.” CBS Weekend News brought national
attention to the local struggle last May in the segment, “New, New Math =
Controversy.”
District
2 parents have now gained the support of mathematicians at NYU and the
are
scheduled to take part in a Math Forum sponsored by Community School Board 2
scheduled for
The
controversy in District 2 has gained the attention of Schools Chancellor Harold
O. Levy and members of his recently established Commission on Mathematics
Education charged with investigating how math is being taught in schools across
the city.
District
2 pilots the latest wave of experimental math programs, called the “new, new
math,” echoing an earlier failed reform in the 60’s called “new math.”
Memorization
of math facts is no longer emphasized. Children are encouraged to use language
to describe solutions and the way they feel about math.
Community
response in NYC and across the country has erupted in what have become known as
the “math wars.” Critical parents, joined by mathematicians and scientists
advocate clarity and balance in math reform: urging the inclusion of grade by
grade goals, explicit teaching of standard procedures, basic skill building and
rigor along with the inclusion of some of the creative exercises in the new programs.
The pendulum has swung too far and must be corrected.
(cont.)
One
parent, Mark Schwartz, in testimony last year before the House Education and
Workforce Committee stated: “If medical doctors experimented with our kids in
the same fashion school districts do they would be in jail.” The hearings were
held to review the US Department of Education’s endorsement of 10 of the
experimental programs.
Over
200 of the nation’s top mathematicians, including seven Nobel Laureates and
winners of the Fields Medal, the highest award in mathematics; among them the
department heads at more than a dozen universities including Caltech, Stanford
and Yale, responded to the federal endorsements with an open letter of protest
to Secretary of Education Richard Riley, published in the Washington Post in
November, 1999.
“These
programs are among the worst in existence,” said David Klein, a
State Northridge professor who was one of the
letter’s authors. “To recommend these books as exemplary and promising would be joke if
it weren’t so damaging.”
Several
of the cited programs, Interactive Mathematics Project (IMP),Connected
Mathematics Project (CMP) and Everyday Mathematics are now being used in NYC
schools.
The
new wave of math reform is based on a “constructivist”
teaching philosophy; emphasizing creative exercises, hands-on projects and
group work, with far less attention given to basic skills. Students are asked
to ‘construct’ their own solutions. The use of calculators is encouraged.
Teachers are instructed to serve as “facilitators” and are discouraged from
explaining to students the standard solutions of basic arithmetic. Practice and
drill have been eliminated. In higher grades algebra is de-emphasized. Many of
the programs have no textbooks.
Members
of Chancellor Levy’s Math Commission will consider the new programs, which are
being used in over 60% of NYC schools, including roughly 50 of the city’s
weakest, which comprise the Chancellor’s District .
Plans are set to expand implementation into more schools. One of the most
controversial programs,
the Interactive Mathematics Project (IMP), will be mandated in
Bronx High Schools beginning next year.
Professor
Richard Askey, who holds an endowed chair in math at
the
High
math scores remained stable in some of the privileged District 2 schools, last
year; though some schools’ scores dropped significantly. Across the rest of the
city, 75% of eighth grade students failed the state math test
; 66% failed the city math tests. Answers are critical at a time when
graduation requires students pass a new math Regents exam.
(cont)
It
was the introduction of Connected Mathematics Project (CMP) and Investigations in
Number Data and Space (TERC), two of the District 2 programs, that sparked the
initial parent revolt that led to the California Math Wars. Six parents in
The
“new, new math” programs are based on the 1989 National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics (NCTM) Standards. Frank Allen, past president of the NCTM and
Emeritus professor of Mathematics at
.