from this article in the Salt Lake Tribune HERE
Be sure to check out the comments to the above article.
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Not from the article but of interest is
Welcome to Utah's Math Future
"My point is simple: There is a chasm of difference in expectations between NAEP and the problems used by world-class mathematics leaders. We expect too little from our children, and by lowering our expectations we lower their incentive to achieve."
-John Hoven, PhD (Economist, Co-president of the Gifted and Talented
Association of Montgomery County, MD)The following video shows a Singapore Math example in the classroom. (Please note the reporter's comment at the end slamming Saxon math is made in complete ignorance. There is not room enough to explain here, but please understand Saxon is a great program and 8 of the top 10 scoring schools in Utah use it.)
DID YOU KNOW?
-67% of UVU's incoming freshmen require an average of 3 semesters of remedial math? (SLCC also has similar figures)
-Utah's above national average math scores are actually in the bottom 6th of the nation when compared demographically?
-Nearly 20% of graduating Utah seniors can't pass a basic 8th grade level math test (UBSCT)
-In L.A. and around the country, schools switching to Singapore are experiencing big score improvements. (LA Times article)
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More at:
http://www.utahsmathfuture.com/
3 comments:
Singapore is a better method than Saxon because it provides a cognitive model for understanding mathematics; whereas Saxon provides none, its left to the teacher to explain how to solve the problem AND there is more than one way to explain answers. You'll spend more money training teachers to use Saxon than Singapore AND Singapore will prepare far more students for eighth grade algebra than Saxon. There is a magnitude of difference and furthermore the achievement gains are exponential. Districts will be able to cut costs in extra tutoring and buying supplemental materials (90% doesn't work anyway). Singapore will simplify the education process and end reform, which has become disturbingly racist over the past decade.
I just got assigned two classes of 'extended' and math 12 (39 students each). The kids educated in Tijuana are better at math than the local kids (Everyday and Connected Math).
I should explain that better. The kids are in extended algebra, because they're still learning English. When you ask them questions in Spanish, they do quite well.
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