tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997838873455865285.post2018263657523387722..comments2023-12-30T01:08:45.828-05:00Comments on Learning in Maine: Rethinking Math CurriculumJim Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12683223394880936587noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997838873455865285.post-11682485159527196262010-06-03T22:02:33.213-04:002010-06-03T22:02:33.213-04:00What stands out to me is that his students come to...What stands out to me is that his students come to him with "remedial needs". How much more would they get out of an inquiry based lesson if they were not remedial? I’d imagine that he could take them even farther with mathematics if they arrived with a solid foundation. I’ve seen this same video on the following blog:<br /><br />http://kitchentablemath.blogspot.com/2010/05/dan-meyer-at-ted-x-nyed-blow-up-us.html<br /><br />(Warning....there are some skeptics of the video on the blog)<br /><br />Personally, I’m all for engaging activities, but feel that you must balance it with practicing the right things that will lead to mastery. His excitement will certainly ignite a spark in many kids, but they’ll need to be solid in such things as factoring and manipulating equations to move onto college level mathematics with success.<br /><br />I hope that the new Common Core standards will provide more students with stronger elementary skills. I'm happy that the new standards require mastery of the STANDARD algorithms and I wonder how schools that use EDM will handle this requirement?<br /><br />BethBethnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997838873455865285.post-7831514978081312332010-05-19T18:12:05.731-04:002010-05-19T18:12:05.731-04:00Perhaps the comment that stood out for me was that...Perhaps the comment that stood out for me was that we help too much. I think in the effort to squeeze so much into so little time, we don't let students take the time to explore and come up with the answers on their own. We are so worried about getting them to memorize the equations or theories that we don't let them explore how to get to those equations on their own. We lower the bar. I am all for raising the bar and letting them explore and think!Dawn Fernandeznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997838873455865285.post-84981361901971619372010-05-19T13:46:55.870-04:002010-05-19T13:46:55.870-04:00Thanks Olga, here are my thoughts: In order for ch...Thanks Olga, here are my thoughts: In order for change to happen there has to be a paradigm shift in math education. I agree with most of what he says. As a long time teacher of Investigations Math, a controversial program at the time that shifted our instruction to a constructivist math approach,I feel there is a big need for a commitment to extensive professional development for teachers if expected to change instructional practices. Often times math teachers are math phobic as well, and are thrown into new ways of teaching without the necessary lifelines needed to support them in this endeavor. Parents also need to be part of the conversation as all we know is how we were taught with great emphasis on the importance traditional formulas and algorithms. I think he was also saying math should be fun. Good teaching and fun should not be antonyms. Thanks for the heads up.Becky Rankshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17353198409505534771noreply@blogger.com