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I am a product of the Singapore education system.
We are damn good at math.
I hated math at school.
I'll take that over the no man's land that is K12 math in the United States.
🪡
We are damn good at math.
I hated math at school.
I'll take that over the no man's land that is K12 math in the United States.
🪡
Florida recently rejected dozens of math textbooks because of “unsolicited addition of S.E.L.”.
First of all, good teachers incorporate S.E.L. in their classroom, whether or not it’s spelt out in textbooks.
More importantly, this seems like the wrong battle to fight.
First of all, good teachers incorporate S.E.L. in their classroom, whether or not it’s spelt out in textbooks.
More importantly, this seems like the wrong battle to fight.
What’s at stake here is not culture war conversations about the impact of S.E.L on critical race theory etc.
What’s at stake here is how American students are doing in math.
Plain and simple.
What’s at stake here is how American students are doing in math.
Plain and simple.
In 2018, math performance remained below average for the United States, compared to the rest of the world.
The gap between students from high and low income households is astonishingly wide.
According to PISA test data, only 10 countries have a wider gap than the United States.
The gap between students from high and low income households is astonishingly wide.
According to PISA test data, only 10 countries have a wider gap than the United States.
In the 2018 PISA study, Singapore ranked #2 globally for math, ahead of the United States at #37.
Singapore math is world famous.
There is a lot of rigour.
Singapore math is world famous.
There is a lot of rigour.
Young children are taught to use visualisation techniques to solve math problems.
Helps them see the connection between abstract concepts and visual representations.
Helps them see the connection between abstract concepts and visual representations.
But when I was a kid, I struggled to see how any of the math I learn is useful in the real world.
To me, math was about formulas, drills and practice papers.
Like most Singaporean kids, I got pretty good at math just by spending copious amount of time on it.
To me, math was about formulas, drills and practice papers.
Like most Singaporean kids, I got pretty good at math just by spending copious amount of time on it.
Helped me breeze through the math modules in college.
I have first class honours in economics from UCL.
Don't think I've ever used much of the math I learnt in school and at college.
I have first class honours in economics from UCL.
Don't think I've ever used much of the math I learnt in school and at college.
Julie Gainsburg pointed out that the traditional K-12 math curriculum is focused on performing computational manipulations.
Does little to prepare students for the problem-solving demands of the high-tech workplace.
Does little to prepare students for the problem-solving demands of the high-tech workplace.
School classrooms should give children a sense of the nature of mathematics.
Provide opportunities for students to ask questions, set up and interpret models, and develop independent thinking.
Provide opportunities for students to ask questions, set up and interpret models, and develop independent thinking.
If teachers pose and extend problems of interest to students, they enjoy math more, feel more ownership of their work, and ultimately learn more.
When children are working on their own ideas, their work is enriched with cognitive complexity and enhanced by greater motivation
When children are working on their own ideas, their work is enriched with cognitive complexity and enhanced by greater motivation
Instead of arguing about whether there’s a place for social emotional learning in math textbooks, how about just focusing on helping kids learn math more effectively?
Find the right balance between rigour and making math relatable to learners.
The current debate does neither.
Find the right balance between rigour and making math relatable to learners.
The current debate does neither.
“The culture war right now has nothing to do with whether these kids learn mathematics, and it’s irrelevant and a waste of time.” - William Schmidt, director of the Center for the Study of Curriculum Policy at Michigan State University.
This thread is inspired by @JessGrose's @nytopinion article ‘I Just Want My Kid To Learn Algebra’ and references @joboaler's book 'What's Math Got To Do With It?'
www.nytimes.com/2022/05/04/opinion/math-education.html
www.nytimes.com/2022/05/04/opinion/math-education.html
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Misha @MishadaVinci
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May 8, 2022
Loved it