Algebra Competency in The U.S.
Practice and Problem-Sovling Lead to Educational Success
This article discusses the roots of our youth's educational success as being rooted in students' work ethic, practice and problem-solving skills. The evidence is weighed.
Recently, a news article, "Is America Getting Dumber?' [Jacoby, 2008], pointed out the notion that the land of the free may be illiterate. The perception that America is anti-intellectual at heart is shocking. However, we have been going through many cultural shifts since the 1960s and education has in fact, dramatically changed. Therefore, the idea that our nation has guided youth through a maze of inadequacy is troubling to say the least. In this article the evidence of success in U.S. education and possible solutions are analyzed.
The Evidence
More than 20 U.S. States do not have high school “exit examinations” [Planty, et al., June, 2007]. This fact, in and of itself, means that what is known about what adolescents know as they graduate from high school must be questioned. From 2006 and 2007 data [Lewin, 2008], a U.S. Federal Panel comprehensively analyzed and summarized the teaching methodologies, student learning and math competencies of prekindergarten-to-eighth graders.
Several findings suggest that the teaching method is less important than the focus on student “practice” and “problem-solving skills.” The notion that traditional or postmodern ways of teaching and learning are important was refuted. Most importantly, the Panel cited international data that indicate middle-school students in the U.S. rank 25th among comparison groups in math literacy and problem solving of 30 developed nations.
Understanding that U.S. adolescents are performing below international standards in math is startling. The U.S. is not the only Western nation to be experiencing this problem. Johnson [2008] highlights an important aspect of our British education namely, the distinct difference in how girls aged 2-14 are more “gifted” than boys. However, after age 14, these young ladies “…start rating social acceptance above academic prowess” – thus the large cerebral-gap between boys and girls in high school. Johnson also posits that English girls should be praised for being “bad.” Her reason for the distinction between boys and girls may be found in the praise that boys get for challenging societal norms (whether on the street or within disciplinary contexts).
Back to… “Is America Slow?”
Going back to Jacoby [2008] – maybe Americans are "slow?" Or, maybe the U.S. social institutions such as the family and education favor certain types of Americans. Jacoby documents the rise of video culture over print culture and draws the conclusion that the increase in the former has produced a culture of fast-paced information consumption that creates the inability to concentrate.
Practice and Problem-Solving: Directions to Ponder
Will Rogers might have been right: the answer is a little bit more dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds. Listening to the Federal Panel [Lewin, 2008], this is exactly what is needed – more practice and work in school. Policies such as “No Child Left Behind” run the risk of being a “good idea,” but “bad in practice." What about no child left in line at a University’s admission desk? (especially, hard working and creative students). Thousands holding U.S. graduate degrees understand that “work ethic” takes precedent over “brain power.”
Solutions
If work ethic and “practice” are essential, how do these changes transform education? One avenue is through following the lead of organizations interested in promoting the incorporation of all aspects of learning. The National Center for Fair & Open Testing (NCFOT) appears to be this sort of institution. Their mission recognizes the fallacies of standardized tests [NCFOT, 2008]. NCFOT “work(s) to ensure that evaluation of students, teachers and schools is fair, open, valid and educationally beneficial.” If NCFOT can learn from the Federal Panel, real change in U.S. education may occur.
References
Jacoby, S. (2008). "Is America getting dumber? Call me elitist if you will, but we’re becoming a nation of dummies." The Dallas Morning News. March 9, 2008. Online edition.
Johnson, R. (2008). In praise of bad girls. The London Sunday Times Online. March 16, 2008.
Lewin, T. (2008). Report Urges Changes in Teaching Math. New York Times Online. March 14, 2008.
National Center for Fair & Open Testing (NCFOT). (2008). Misson Statement.
Planty, M., Provasnik, S. and Bruce Daniel. High School Coursetaking: Findings from the Condition of Education 2007. U.S. Department of Education - National Center for Education Statistics. June, 2007.
