Why kids struggle with math
Re GTA students struggling with math, Sept. 22 New or old-fashioned methods of teaching math rarely seem to show a clear-cut or consistent pattern of improvement as educators continue to pour over the annual EQAO test scores of Grade 3 and 6 students.
Why is this so? Math is a subject that requires intense concentration and continuous application and practice. It opens the door to an infinite number of possibilities ranging from technology, business, accounting, to medicine and engineering.
Star columnist Paul Wells correctly points out that people who are comfortable with numbers use all sorts of strategies to work with them. Most students who do well in math either spend large amounts of time to understand its many complexities or are genetically predisposed to achieve success.
An untold number of students who struggle in math are guided through the daily motions, and further hampered by large classes, along with sporadic labour disruptions and teacher absences that sidetrack students, who then branch out into other programs.
Few people would quarrel with this observation. We would do well to stop overanalyzing and overwhelming students, teachers and society with annual EQAO tests that only end up costing millions, taxing the time and energy of both teachers and students and making many students feel inferior and underappreciated.
With the right choices, schools can make better use of student time and teacher resources. Robert Ariano, Scarborough Paul Wells’ article on the failure of our current crop of math learners missed a very important point.
Why is it most people do use that part of their brain that structures mathematics in a logical sequence? The main fear of math is simply not understanding why it is needed. It does not appear to fit into hunter gathering, raising animals or growing food. Research needs to be aimed at where in the brain math learning is waiting to be awakened.
On another note, another part of the problem is that the few who understand the advantages of mathematics, i.e. enslaving a dollar-based world, are not enthusiastic about losing that advantage. John Oliver, Scarborough When is the ministry of education going to realize that mixing math-phobic elementary teachers with a new pattern recognition curriculum can only result in a disaster similar to our hydro rates?
A math curriculum laden with pattern connection recognition will not work if you don’t possess the necessary math skills to discover the pattern.
However, there is a pattern with our hydro rates; they simply increase 15 per cent annually. This can be calculated only if you know how to subtract the appropriate annual costs and divide by the previous year’s cost. Mike Zichowski, Thornhill The province’s answer to students failing math tests is to add math coaches to classrooms. Their role is to coach the teachers who we are already being paid to coach the students. What do math teachers do on their professional development days, which usually conveniently occur at either end of extended holidays?
Is it any wonder that the province can’t make ends meet when it hires people to do the jobs of people who are already being handsomely paid? C. R. (Ray) Luft, Mississauga Months of holidays, Christmas and Easter at home, sick leave when needed, a guaranteed pension on top of a very good pay. Honestly, name another job that would offer such largesse and tolerate such results. Rita Cecchini, Toronto There seems to be a problem with the mathematical test scores. This is easily solved. Just lower the standards. We will soon have a younger generation with enough paper qualifications to wallpaper a washroom.
Unfortunately they are, for the most part, less literate, less numerate, and less knowledgeable than my parents, who left school at 14. Peter Weygang, Bobcaygeon, Ont. The math results in Ontario have been dramatically dropping over the past decade. Premier Kathleen Wynne, who was formerly a minister of education and a school trustee, doesn’t know why but prefers to now employ the standard Liberal Party course of action to reverse this trend — namely, throw more money at the problem; money which this province is borrowing at a record pace.
How typical — try to solve poor math results in our schools by using the worst possible strategy — Liberal Math. Juris Brunins, Britt, Ont. Why must the wheel be constantly reinvented? If Quebec has already demonstrated that “at least 60 minutes a day is key” to higher math scores, why not find out how those 60 minutes are structured — i.e. proportion of back to basics vs. discovery math — and use it in Ontario.
Brings back to mind the concerns regarding what was referred to as “new math,” which attempts to have students understand the why of math; an exercise in futility for some.
With enough practice most can master the basics, i.e. “old math.” Ann Sullivan, Peterborough To help our children achieve better math results it is important to teach the basics — addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. In order for them to really keep it in their heads forever, there should be a 10-minute question period each day. That’s what we had a long time ago.
Learning the basic math will help with the “discovery math” and any other branches of math in the long run. After all, you should learn to walk before you learn to run, or you will end up on your face.
Also, there are good math teachers and not so good ones. I remember from my own experience, when still in high school, that one year we got a good math teacher and the whole class soared in their math performance. Elizabeth Crhak, Etobicoke Re Making the grade — and then some, Sept. 5 Kudos to the Star on the eve of another school year to highlight the amazing academic accomplishments of these young scholars. To achieve such grades while being very involved in activities both at school and in the community indicates that they are indeed special.
What is very noticeable is the racial diversity; almost all are from families that would be considered visible minorities. And yet there is not one comment, or grumble, about the curriculum they mastered not recognizing their respective cultures. What does stand out is the work ethic.
In the words of Natalie Pundsack, eyeing engineering at Waterloo, “it was important to make it a priority to study and do what it took to get there.”
High school teachers should read the quotes of these 18 high achievers to their classes. Success in school entails attentiveness in class and completing all assignments.
If only I had shown such conscientiousness 60 years ago. Garry Burke, Oro-Medonte, Ont. The combination of having hordes of homegrown experts labouring mightily to design an ever-more creative but dysfunctional math curriculum and shovelling piles of cash at the teachers’ unions has been an unqualified triumph for Ontario Liberals’ electoral fortunes. For taxpayers and students — not so much.
Is it time to admit that other jurisdictions have done better at lower cost and to emulate their methodologies and management techniques? Pav Penna, Georgetown, Ont.
“Is it time to admit that other jurisdictions have done better at lower cost and to emulate their methodologies and management techniques?” PAV PENNA, GEORGETOWN