Dr. Boaler advocates for a different way to teach math, but uses straw-men about the way she presents math as currently taught in the US.
Dr. Boaler uses a link to a study by University of Chicago Psychologists, complete with a graph plotting anxiety vs achievement. The study makes references to the need for STEM professionals but uses PISA math data. The use of PISA math results seems inappropriate in this context as PISA is hardly a measure of the mathematical progress needed by 15 year-old students on their way to becoming STEM professionals.
Dr. Boaler uses a link to a study by University of Chicago Psychologists, complete with a graph plotting anxiety vs achievement. The study makes references to the need for STEM professionals but uses PISA math data. The use of PISA math results seems inappropriate in this context as PISA is hardly a measure of the mathematical progress needed by 15 year-old students on their way to becoming STEM professionals.
The place to look for relevant international data is TIMSS. Results of 2015 4th grade math
Percent of students scoring at the advanced level:
50% - Singapore
45% - Hong Kong
41% - Korea
35% - Chinese Taipei
32% - Japan
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27% - Northern Ireland
20% - Russian Federation
17% - England
16% - Kazakhstan
16% - Florida, USA
16% - Florida, USA
14% - United States
14% - Ireland
14% - Norway
TIMSS 2015 8th grade math results:
54% - Singapore
44% - Taipei
43% - Korea
37% - Hong Kong
34% - Japan
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15% - Kazakhstan
14% - Russian Federation
13% - Israel
12% - Hungary
10% - United States
10% - England
10% - UAE
9% - Quebec, Canada
7% - Florida, USA
10% - UAE
9% - Quebec, Canada
7% - Florida, USA
7% - Canada
7% - Australia
5% - Norway
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Notice how the top five countries have separated from the others as most of the other countries have declined in percent of students scoring at the advanced level in grade 8.
Dr. Boaler has been selling her stories about how to teach math for a long time. The top five scoring countries are not following her guidance. If the USA is planning on increasing its supply of native born STEM professionals, it is past time to dismiss Dr. Boaler’s poor advice and pay more attention to instructional practices that produce advanced students.
It seems there is a growing cottage industry blending psycho-babble with concern about how feelings are effecting math achievement. Unfortunately many administrative decision-makers are unable to separate wheat from chaff. If only there was more concern about finding, developing and using effective instructional materials and practices, what a wonderful world it might be.
It seems there is a growing cottage industry blending psycho-babble with concern about how feelings are effecting math achievement. Unfortunately many administrative decision-makers are unable to separate wheat from chaff. If only there was more concern about finding, developing and using effective instructional materials and practices, what a wonderful world it might be.
2 comments:
If I could offer a suggestion based on another online conversation. I'd refer to Jo Boaler as Dr. Boaler rather than Ms. Boaler. That avoids the appearance of any sexism and allows the reader to focus on your argument which I think are valuable.
Thank you, Anonymous
Changes made from "Ms." to "Dr."
-- Dan
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