Just wanted to share with you my reading and study on math. Lest anybody think I get all my info from the Ed Center, the truth is I actually get very little over there. Sure, I'm receiving updates from the Math Planning Team, but those aren't too detailed. Mr. Vallerini and Mrs. Lenhard are the Board Members on the Curriculum Committee, so they are more involved with them. I'm sure I could get all kinds of materials at the Ed Center, but my style is to do my own research. Below is a list of what I've been reading the past year or so (approximately 90% of this was sourced be me directly...the advantage of self-employment is plenty of time to surf the web...some of them are on my shelf waiting to be read ASAP).
Please suggest any reading you think I should be doing!
in no particular order (list updated 1/18/09)...
Books
The Equation for Excellence: How to Make Your Child Successful at Math (Vohra)
Math Doesn’t Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math without Breaking a Nail (McKellar)
Math for humans: Teaching Math through 8 Intelligences (Wahl)
Math Wars: A Guide for Parents & Teachers (Latterell)
Standards-Based School Mathematics Curricula: What are they? What Do Students Learn? (Studies in Mathematical Learning), (Senk & Thompson)
What’s Math Got to Do with It? (Boaler)
What Successful Math Teachers Do. (Posamentier)
Articles & Reports
"Rigor Redefined," Wagner. Educational Leadership, 10/08
“A Formula to End the Divide,” Posamentier, Bergen Record, 6/19/07
“Abandoning traditional math approach doesn’t add up.” Posamentier, Bergen Record, 6/11/08
“How Does it Add Up?” Views on Math Education.” Posamentier. Education Update, Inc.
“Where Has All the Knowledge Gone?”, Boaler, Education Week, 10/8/08
“Reaching for Common Ground in K-12 Mathematics Education,” Ball, Milgram, et al., Notices of the AMS, 10/05
“Study Suggests Math Teachers Scrap Balls and Slices,” Chang. NY Times 4/25/08
“Report Urges Changes in Teaching Math,” Lewin. NY Times 3/14/08
“Clarifying Misconceptions about Investigations in Number, Data and Space,” Prince William County Schools Mathematics Focus Group
“Are We Failing Our Geniuses?,” Cloud. Time. 8/16/07
“10 Myths (Maybe) About Learning Math,” Mathews. Washington Post. 5/31/05
“Learning from Singapore Math,” Leinwand & Ginsburg. Educational Leadership, 11/07
"On Professional Judgment and the National Mathematics Advisory Panel Report: Curricular Content," Thompson. Educational Researcher, 12/08
Final Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel
Curriculum Focal Points for Prekindergarten through Grade 8 Mathematics, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2006
Websites
What Works Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences
Mathematically Correct
Mathematically Sane
Math Panel Watch
National Assessment of Educational Progress Mathematics Study 2003
Math Forum at Drexel University
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11 comments:
Hi Laurie -
Just wanted to say: keep up the great work on the BOE!
Don't let the nattering nabobs of negativism on that other blog get you down. As you probably know, they're lives are consumed by finding reasons to complain about anything and everything in the Village.
Sincerely,
A Village Resident
Hey, Laurie. Wow, that's a lot of reading. Thanks for sharing...I might actually check out a few of these books and websites, if they can help me learn more about the math issue. It is rather confusing with all the arguments among the so-called experts, right? Not sure how we parents are supposed to figure out what's right and wrong. Just learn what we can and do our best I suppose. Thank you!
Hey Laurie, pick up a copy of, "The closing of the American Mind" by Alan J. Bloom.
It will open your eyes to the state of education in America. Or you could pick up just about any book written by Abigale Thurston on education.
That is if you can separate your politics from your reading list.
Oh, yea, I forgot. You could also pick up a copy of "Illiberal Education," if you dare to truly dig into the state of mind of education today.
Wow, a dare! I'll check it out. BTW, I've already read Bloom's book, long long ago. I seem to recall much focus on popular/rock music. At the time I wasn't thinking much about public schools. It's actually on a bookshelf around here somewhere. I'll take it out and refresh my memory. Thanks.
Laurie, I hope you will just ignore those people who missed the points of your original post. You were right to stand up to the spin doktors. I was glad to hear from you as I admit you have been pretty quiet on the BOE ;) Sure did speak up with a bang! Keep it up. Thank you!
Ignore the political axe-grinders like 5:33 / 5:35 -- their petty partisan agendas have nothing to do with what's best for our children's education.
That is if you can separate your politics from your reading list.
There they go again.
The Lunatic Fringe just can't keep ad hominem attacks out of the education discussion.
No wonder the rest of the Village laughs at them.
Over on that other blog, they're screaming:
"You're either with us or against us"
Don't listen to those extremist radicals. They have their own divide-and-conquer agenda, which has nothing to do with helping our children.
Is there a reason why someone--anyone--on the BoE doesn't engage any of the citizen speakers who address the members during the public comment portion of a meeting? Ms. Maskin stood and delivered a comprehensive OPINION at the most recent meeting and not a peep was heard from the Board. Why not challenge her on some of her points? My assumption is that you guys know at least as much as she does--why not challenge her perspectives with some of your own? I'm not suggesting that this be done in a disrespectful manner. Rather, have a public dialogue with these critics who just want to be heard AND acknowledged. Responding to points made at a Board meeting on a blog the following day is like swinging at a pitch after it's in the catcher's glove.
The public view is that nothing gets done at these meetings except talk, talk, talk. Decisions seem to be made while the citizens are not watching--which leads to distrust and frustration. Obviously, there's enough of that going on right now.
It's too bad that the chronic complainers are unable or unwilling to heed the words of President Obama:
"On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics."
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