|
Dr. Alfred S. Posamentier |
New Math Standards Will Make A Difference
By Alfred S. Posamentier, Ph.D.
Although for years there was a modicum of unhappiness with
the New York State mathematics curriculum—one which differs
from the other 49 states—real anger did not emerge until
the fiasco of the June 2003 Math-A Regents examination, where
about 70 percent of the students failed the exam and where
for the first time, passing this exam was a high school graduation
requirement. In response to this outcry, Education Commissioner
Richard P. Mills established a panel (of which I was a member)
to study the situation and make recommendations to remedy the
situation. Among the recommendations in the panel’s extensive
report was rewriting the standards, for it was believed that
the then-current standards were not clearly written and provided
teachers little guidance.
Thereupon the commissioner empowered a committee to redefine
the math standards for the state. Our work is now completed
and the commissioner will ask the Regents at their March meeting
to adopt the math standards for grades 9-11 (the standards
for grades Pre-K to 8, were adopted in January).
Aside from
making the standards clearer and more usable for teachers at
all grade levels, what changes can one look for in these new
standards? Those who have followed the development of the mathematics
curriculum over the past few decades will acknowledge that
there have been (and continue to be) “fads” where
some feel they have the solution to establishing a universal
understanding of mathematics. This is not the case here. We
have been driven largely by the one irrefutable factor affecting
our schools: technology. Not only does the infusion of the
calculator and computer affect what we should be teaching,
but also how we should teach it. For example, we don’t
teach logarithms the way we did before the calculator appeared,
and we can inspect geometric theorems much more effectively
using the computer than was ever possible before. As we returned
the 10th grade course to a full year of geometry, we did so
with a de-emphasis on formal proofs and a greater understanding
of what the many wonderful geometric relationships mean and
how they interrelate.
Besides more geometry
(including three-dimensions and transformations) being taught,
more algebra is being suggested for the lower grades than
before. Statistics and probability, earlier relegated to
later study, is now an integral part of the standards. We
are aware that some of our changes will require stepped up
professional development of teachers—something that should
be done regularly under any circumstances.
In addition to redefining
what topics should be taught at the various grade levels,
the standards also require certain processes to be included
in the mathematics instruction. To my mind, chief among them
is the instruction of problem solving, since that is one
skill that transcends mathematics to a multitude of other
areas and is an invaluable talent in one’s everyday-life
decision making.
When we began our yearlong work we studied the standards of
many other states and countries so we could determine the appropriateness
of teaching topics at the various age levels. At the same time,
local concerns were voiced and added additional considerations
to the mix. The business community wanted us to incorporate
more statistics into the curriculum, the colleges wanted us
to provide better prepared students for studying higher mathematics
and science, and at the same time the schools were looking
for us to create courses (especially at grade 9) that would
suit the college-bound students as well as those not planning
to go to college. This made for a daunting task.
The new standards will revitalize professional development;
teachers will become stronger in mathematics, which will in
turn improve the stature of the teacher. These standards should
have remedied the criticism that American math curricula usually
get, namely, that it is an inch thick and a mile wide.
The new standards will not correct all the ills currently
inflicting the study of mathematics in the United States today.
We still face a severe shortage of math teachers, especially
in our urban centers. However, the attraction of the new standards
should liven up the classrooms and make teaching math more
attractive. We believe that these standards, implemented properly,
will spur on more professional development and will ultimately
prepare our youngsters well for at least the next decade.#
Dr. Posamentier is the Dean of the School of Education
at The City College of New York (CCNY).
