Even Pittsburgh hates Everyday Math k-5

Seattle Schools, in one of their classic non-transparent and non-data driven decisions, made the pronouncement to adopt Everyday Math on May 30th, 2007. This despite overwhelming evidence that EDM was an extremely poor choice.

Guess what? Everyday Math continues to demonstrate that it is a dismal k-5 choice most everywhere.

Some facts:

On March 13th NMAP informed teachers and administrators across the nation to avoid spiraling curricula that do not emphasize topic mastery.
Translation = AVOID EVERYDAY MATH and similar curriculum.

On March 13th NMAP said to avoid spiraling curricula that do not emphasis topic mastery.

Translation AVOID EVERYDAY MATH and similar books.

Pittsburgh decision-makers are now dumping Everyday Math k-5. See the linked article.

Whenever you see administrators directing teachers to utilize EDM in a supplementary role, the meaning is clear....
.... We we are stuck with this for a few years, we spent a lot of money, we can't just throw it away (even though we would like to) --- so let's call it a supplement.

When if ever will SPS extremely poor math decision makers ever be held accountable??
Thank God the Directors seem hesitant to follow this nonsense k-12 with the adoption of the zenith of math nonsense IMP at grades 9 - 12.

Just remember that Everyday Math was a textbook most aligned with the Math WASL...
... be sure to remember that when voting for Dr Rich Semler and against Dr Terry "WASL" Bergeson for superintendent of public instruction.

Unless of course you wish to continue the $1 billion dollar WASL voyage into ignorance.

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Even more puzzling and confusing is why with Schmitz Park currently using the best k-5 curriculum in the world this year Singapore Math, did the district recently deliver Everyday Math books to Schmitz Park? .... Every teacher in West Seattle knows that this school delivers high caliber math students to local middle schools. Does Schmitz Park really need to use EDM next year just so it can be in line with a dubious math uniformity plan? Perhaps this one school should be given the opportunity to prove that a curriculum other than EDM is a more viable option for Seattle’s struggling math students.

All those who think positive academic results in math are important to the SPS, raise your hand.

You wonder why our USA PISA Math score is 474 and in free fall? I should think administrative direction (in the absence of data) like this would be an adequate explanation.

Also keep in mind the expensive consumables and $2 million worth of math coaches annually it takes to keep this house of cards standing. Gee pardon me, I almost forgot to mention the cost of the ongoing seemingly never ending Math Professional Development for teachers, which contains nary a shred of math content (I have no idea how much this costs annually).

If this incredible nonsense continues it is definitely time to get out those old barricades from 1789 and put them in place at 3rd and Lander.

Note: It took Ms Huong Nguyen less than 90 minutes to review EM and assess Everyday Math as choppy and incoherent prior to the EM math adoption decision. Imagine what might happen if the SPS leadership listened to teachers rather than bullied them.
The NMAP gives Ms Nguyen a big thumbs up on the results of her 90 minute assessment.

NMAP gives the SPS a big thumbs down on the Everyday Math adoption.
What are we going to do now? Probably more of the same if it is left up the the administration. Hopefully the School Directors will intervene.

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From the Post Gazette Article:
"I think this is a really good opportunity for us to get math right," board member Jean Fink said.

Now there is a thought perhaps Seattle might try that after the last decade of math nonsense.