Summary and Response on "Battleground Schools"

Summary:

There exist two predominant stances on mathematics education that exist. The traditional classroom model, called the "Conservative Dichotomy", focuses on fluency and embraces the nature of the learner as a passive observer. A newer model has appeared, called the "Progressive Dichotomy", where understanding is the focus, and the student is encouraged to explore, relegating the teacher to a role of an orchestrator, preparing mathematical opportunities for the student to discover.

The Progressivist Reform (circa 1910-1940) sprang from criticism of a highly instrumentalized method of teaching. In an attempt to develop a more scientific and critical thinker, students were given a "programmed environment" where mathematical experimentation was encouraged.

The "New Math" Reform (1960's), led by the School Mathematics Study Group (SMSG), abruptly introduced university level mathematics into the grade school curriculum in an attempt to produce the next generations of scientists and astronauts. Teacher unfamiliarity of the subject material and media pressure ended the movement by the early 1970's.

A call for accountability began in the late 1970's, when a traditional curriculum and standardized testing were advocated by the United Kingdom and the United States. To prevent a possible implementation of national curricular standards, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) developed their own set of standards, emphasizing the inclusion of new technology. While relational learning was preferred, fluency through instrumental learning was still viewed as important.

Currently the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is at the center of the latest movement. After a poor ranking of American grade 8 math students and a video analysis suggesting that a higher ranking is related to a deep conceptual understanding, the TIMSS published recommended curriculum changes to grades K-8.

Response:

My opinion on the events that inspired this article can be accurately summarized by the following quote:

"If we had in this room a hundred teachers, good teachers from good schools, and asked them to define the word education, there would be very little general agreement." - William Glasser

I believe effective teachers are people who can organize their thoughts, and accurately convey ordered information to an attentive learner. There do exist teachers who are unable to order their thoughts, however, and any number of reforms on the educational system will not result in a better learning experience for the children. The problem lies not with the educational system, but the screening of the educators.