Mathematics Discussion

Mathematics Discussion

Several of our members have voiced concern with aspects of the Saline Schools' current math curriculum. Some are concerned that our children may not be achieving math proficiency or enthusiasm, and they question the teaching materials implemented during the 1998-99 school year. Although the issues expressed to date generally involve curricula for grades k through 6, there is also interest in current and future directions at the Middle School and High School.

Presented below is a preliminary list of some concerns noted by parents involved with CoRE. This list is intended as a starting point to stimulate constructive discussion. We invite participation by other interested parents, students, teachers, administrators and community members. We suggest that interested persons subscribe to our e-mail list by sending an e-mail to salinecore-subscribe@yahoogroups.com,. Through the e-mail list, we invite all interested persons to comment on these concerns, to expand on them, or to refute them. We will attempt to update this page to reflect any discussion that develops. Hopefully, results of the discussion will provide valuable input to curriculum decisions, as the District's conducts its ongoing review and evaluation.

Preliminary List of Concerns

The following list presents some potential discussion points on the Investigations and Everyday Math curricula being used in grades k-4 and 5-6, respectively.

1. Rapid "Spiraling"

"Spiraling" is the practice of having students work, or "spiral", through course content, practicing previously learned skills while simultaneously learning new skills. Although spiraling is not inherently undesirable, some parents feel that the present math curriculum "spirals" too rapidly.

a) Students are not given an opportunity to learn and consolidate a skill before they move on to another content area.

b) New and old problems are presented simultaneously. Practicing a previously learned, unrelated skills while trying to achieve a new skill is distracting. It requires that a student divert his or her focus from the new problem; it creates confusion as the child has to work to remember the old (possibly non-consolidated) skill while trying to learn the new skill.

2. Minimal Emphasis on Learning Basic Math Facts

The present curricula provide no strategies and minimal practice opportunities for learning basic math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division facts, place value, etc.). The materials provide almost no work at the early grades with either money (and making change) or time (and figuring out elapsed time).

3. Lack of Continuity in Content/Prerequisites Between Grades

Students switch from Investigations in grades k-4, to Everyday Math in grades 5-6, to Connected Math in grades 7-8. Because content is sequenced differently by the various publishers, gaps occur. Certain skills omitted from one level are assumed at the subsequent level already to have been covered. For example, 4^th grade Investigations materials do not teach division with decimal remainders; 5^th grade Everyday Math materials, assuming that students have already covered this topic, never introduce it.

4. Premature Emphasis on Estimation and Rounding.

5. Multiple Problem Solving Methods Taught Simultaneously.

6. Material Sequenced Contrary to the Way Children Learn.

7. Abstract Concepts Precede Concrete Experience.