Sound Politics: Explorations in Math

February 01, 2006

Explorations in Math

Yesterday's P-I had a nice report on a program called "Explorations in Math" which provides math enrichment for elementary kids in lower income communities where math literacy has been lacking. I've been personally involved in bringing Explorations in Math into the Urban League after-school program. It's a worthwhile effort. Although it's still too early to assess its impact on WASL scores, I believe this is the type of academic support activity (and organized by private initiative outside the government school bureaucracy) that is worth investing in.

For more info, see the Explorations in Math web site

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at February 01, 2006 10:22 AM | Email This

Comments

1. If the WASL is still remotely like it was back when I took it (the first draft of it ever given to students), then it won't help much at all. The math section of the WASL is exceedingly lame, focusing more on being able to describe how one gets the answer, rather than whether or not the answer is right, or even whether the process was right.

Posted by: Timothy on February 1, 2006 10:31 AM

2. Stefan

This is very worthwhile, thank you for involving yourself in this program. The nation needs all the math help it can get.

Posted by: Fed Up on February 1, 2006 11:11 AM

3. Stefan, thanks for caring enough to make a real difference in the lives of the underprivileged. Your act is a ray of hope, and a model for all of us to follow.

Posted by: huckleberry on February 1, 2006 11:16 AM

4. MY GRANDFATHER ALWAYS TOLD ME...”KID THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD...ONES THAT CAN COUNT AND THOSE THAT CAN’T.”

Posted by: TACOMA PHLASH on February 1, 2006 01:56 PM

5. here's a wild idea- start putting some bonuses (school wide) on getting math scores up. They all get the bonus or they all don't- but WE DESERVE THE METRIC FOR OUR DOLLAR!!!

Only the Unions will fight it.

Posted by: Andy on February 1, 2006 06:12 PM

6. Only the Unions will fight it.

Or have the tests dumbed down so the scores go up.

Posted by: Mike H on February 1, 2006 08:17 PM

7. The WASL is driving the dumbed-down math curriculum. A math genius can fail the math WASL if they don't know how to verbally articulate their answer.

OSPI commissioned a review of the 10th grade WASL and found the math on 10th grade is only at 7th-8th grade level when compared internationally. Parents, including Sharkansky are terribly misguided on standards and the WASL in our state by assuming they're high standards.

Investigate math in this state for yourself by going to www.wheresthemath.com

We have a math hearing (HB 2506) coming up soon and some good news happening locally for math in our state.

Posted by: Shalimar on February 2, 2006 04:04 PM

8. California tried math according to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics for 7 years -- 1991 through 1998. It failed, as Washington's school math is failing. California got wise and changed to standards emphasizing learning basic math. Now it's becoming clear that students in their districts that quickly adopted the new standards are advancing far more rapidly than those in recalcitrant districts that refused to go along.

It's not often that I suggest that we follow California, but here it's necessary. We've done too much damage to our kids already!

Ted
HS Math teacher

Posted by: Ted Nutting on February 3, 2006 04:02 PM

9. I agree that the WASL does not promote high standards in math. I viewed my daughters math WASL and I was appalled at the type of math questions, and even more appalled by the inconsistent scoring.

Posted by: Big Daddy on February 10, 2006 05:53 PM