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Six Myths in New York Times Math Article by Elizabeth Green
By: Tom Loveless
Located here: http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2014/08/07-new-york-times-math-loveless
Comment on the following:
1. Choose one of the Six Myths to reflect on and offer further insight based on what you read
2. Engage in meaningful conversation by posting on others comments about this entire article and the Myths as they relate to Elizabeth Green's article
I would like to offer further insight on Myth #2, Factors Outside School Are Unimportant to Japanese Math Success. According to Loveless, there are juku schools in Japan that focus on basic skills such as drill and practice and memorization. This allows Japanese teachers to focus on problem solving and conceptual understanding because their students enter their classroom with these basic skills already mastered. A daily struggle I have when working on problem solving is students possess varying levels of mastery with regard to basic operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) skills. We work through complex/multi step word problems, but the students struggle to compute rote math procedures. I certainly don’t think this is the only piece to the puzzle, but every piece counts. I also don’t think I agree with sending students to school for the length of day that Japanese students endure.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that there has to be more to the story then the preparedness of the students when entering high school. I also strongly agree that the school day in Japan is too lengthy. Students need to have time to use their school knowledge and investigate at home or else where. No wonder why they surveyed that they hate math! haha
DeleteJanelle,
DeleteI think you're right about every piece counts. I see that at the high school level as well. Students are able to see more content when they are not spending as much time trying to compute basic math facts, either on paper...or using their fingers/drawing visual representations. By learning the basic math fluency, they would be able to spend more time concentrating on problem solving skills.
Myth #3: American Kids Hate Math, Japanese Kids Love It
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that the Green article depicted American students as Math haters. I know my students that do not do well in math usually hate it but I can turn that frown upside down with the first topic they actually GET and do well. As soon as the light bulb turns on the students almost always say, I liked that or math isn't so bad in this class.
Maybe the students that are loud and verbally participating in Japan are being forced to do so or they will lose participation points. With the stress being put on their shoulders to participate beyond their comfort zone they appear the be having fun or "like" math when they are actually just trying to fulfill an obligation. In America I know I try to understand my students, get to know their personalities and disabilities so I know what level of participation they are comfortable with and I try not to push them too quickly beyond those boundaries or I will never get them to learn or enjoy math. They will be too focused on the stress of being forced to speak up even if it is in a group discussion.
I have been finding out throughout my years that more students enjoy problems that they have to think about and try to solve. It is like being a CSI agent and when they arrive at the correct solution they get the same rush they get when playing a sport or getting a game question correct. They find comfort in the "game" of mathematics and it is very rewarding when they know what they are doing, even if they are doing it by themselves quietly.
I think that you are absolutely right. Kids do find math rewarding.
DeleteI don't like that the article used the words "math haters". It seems so extreme and final. If that is what they are told , they will start to believe it, right? I agree that it is important that American teachers get to know their students personalities, and disabilities so we can plan for the best approach to meet the needs of all students. Just because they struggle in math, I do not think they are "math haters".
DeleteYou are so right. when our math teacher comes in the students go crazy. They know there gonna get the best out of her each lesson
DeleteAn attitude about math can often be a barrier to learning. Over the years I have heard many parents say that they weren't good at math so they don't expect their child to be very good.
DeleteMyth 2: Factors Outside School Are Unimportant to Japanese Math Success.
ReplyDeleteI think it is so interesting to read about the jukus, or cram schools. Japanese children attend these private schools in the evening to hone their basic skills, such as fluency of math facts. There is also a focus with parents to make sure their children are drilled on skills at home. Japanese teachers have the luxury of teaching more problem solving strategies and offering more time to develop a greater conceptual understanding of math because they are not burdened with the task of teaching children basic math skills. Clearly, these outside supports do factor into Japanese math success. We, however, are faced with the task of teaching basic fluency skills as well the conceptual understanding of math. Japan certainly seems to be taking things to the extreme. Too much stress on children if you ask me!
I agree. Definitely too much stress on students.
DeleteI wrote on Myth #2 and agree with you, Kelly. Sounds to me like it;s a pretty good gig to be a math teacher in a school. Other organizations are doing all the time consuming work for you!!
DeleteI found Myth #3 very interesting. American Kids Hate Math, Japanese Kids Love It
ReplyDeleteDo American students really hate math? Do Japanese students really love it? Oftentimes the students who feel unsuccessful in math tend to say that they hate math. My 4th grade son says this at least 3 times/week. I do not believe for one minute that the hates math. I think he hates the fact that he is struggling with math. He wants it to be easy for him. It is not.
I think that many student really enjoy the challenge of math problems, especially when they are successful.
I agree... If the student is successful they tend to love the subject.. I remember the feeling of working a long problem out and getting the right answer what a feeling!!
DeleteI agree- we like the things we are good at and we do not like the things we struggle with. However, I do not think when kids make a blanket statement that they hate math that they really don't like math, they just don't like some of the difficult formulas or applications that they need to memorize. Math is so much more than formulas, equations, and solving for x. Like you said, it is problem solving, critical thinking, analyzing, etc., all of which are stills necessary in everyday life that when you succeed at you appreciate.
DeleteI am still left wondering how many minutes a day, and a year, students in Japan spend on Mathematics? Do a majority of the parents in Japan “drill” their children? How often? For how long? Are the jukus part of the public schools? Are Jukus mandatory in some schools? What age do students usually start attending jukus? Who pays for it? I would love to say to my students that they have to attend a mandatory one-hour session daily to improve their math fluency. This might led to Myth #3 though! I think that some of my students struggle in my class because they don’t have the basic math skills. I’m still shocked when I see 9th grade students picking up a calculator to add or subtract 1.
ReplyDeleteI agree, if we asked some of our students to attend extra, daily math enrichment programs, I think they may grow to hate math or resent it. We have so many other activities in our lives outside of the school day and a focus on extracurriculars, so there is no way to fit all of this into a day without giving something up. We also focus on universal, free public education and that does not seem to be the case in Japan- if your family can't afford the jukus it sounds like you may be out of luck.
DeleteI do think that our number one problem in American math is students knowing basic facts!!!! In most grades!! So during math class they are trying to remember basic facts and develop fluency and mathematical procedures at the same time. That's unrealistic, if you ask me. Sounds more like a lot of exposure and little deep understanding. That's not good.
DeleteGreat questions Justin! I have to wonder about the culture parents and schools offer students and how much they instill the ideas of knowing math fluency. It makes life so much easier if our students know the basic math facts, but without rote memorization, I would like to see how the Japanese can have students learn the material.
DeleteAll great questions Justin! I think if I had the answers to some of your questions, I would be more able to make a fair comparison.
DeleteI thought myth #2 (Factors outside of school are unimportant to Japanese math success) was interesting, because all reading about all of the extra, private tutoring that goes on outside of the school day, of course students would tend to score higher on math assessments! If my students went home and spent a few extra hours working with an instructor in math, the outcome would probably be much different, or at least be affected. I also thought it was interesting that the very methods the Japanese teachers are using and seeing success with are directly the opposite of the methods used in the after school program (drills). It seemed to me that the after school programs were providing a basis for the inquiry based learning that occurs during the school day, so students are mastering the necessary basic skills. It's like adding on a few extra periods of math instruction- which is not realistic for our current educational model. This sounds like a very long school day for both adults and kids.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this would make for a very long day for students. It certainly is helpful, however, that children already come to school with all of those basic math skills in tact. This would certainly allow for more time to focus on problem solving.
DeleteI agree, it is like adding a few extra periods for the math basics they we just do not have time for.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article, I chose myth #2: “Factors Outside School are Unimportant to Japanese Math Success.” I’m not surprised at all that this is a myth. It sounds like Japanese parents use several resources outside of school to help their students become better in math. They drill their children at home or send them to Kumon centers, where they focus on basic skills. These centers are voluntary, and the parents do not have to use them. So why are they so popular then? Sounds like most Japanese parents do use them, so factors outside of school would impact student success in math. Also available to parents is the option of “cram school” or Jukus. What is nice about these is that they allow Japanese schools to unload the basic skills, drill and practice, memorization and and any other instructional burdens. How does this help the Japanese teachers in schools? They do not have to spend time on the basic skills, drill and practice, memorization and and any other instructional burdens. That leaves them a lot of precious time to focus on student fluency with math procedures, and focus on lessons that involve problem solving and conceptual understanding. Imagine how much extra time you would have if your students all came into class knowing all that basic stuff?!?! What a dream! It makes me think of organizations such as Huntington or Silvan Learning Centers, but I believe their focus is more support for what the teachers do in class, assisting slower learners and preparing students for state tests, SATs, ACTs, etc. Is that the best use of their time? Would we as classroom teachers benefit from following Japan’s models of Jukus and Kumon centers? I say “OH YES!” and when can they start?
ReplyDeleteI thought Myth #2 was the most interesting. I have often heard that students in other countries attend studies for far longer hours than in America. However, when I read the first article, it was noted that teachers do not teach as long in Japan when compared to their American counterparts. This myth seems to reiterate the fact that foreign students are putting in more effort and knowledge of math facts are stressed more in Japan. There are high school entrance exams in Japan that students must prepare for. This is something that really does not happen for the large majority of students in the United States. Students simply move up to high school. If there were entrance exams with minimum standards, I feel more students would be willing to learn their math facts and learn important mathematical concepts.
ReplyDeleteGreat point about entrance exams for high school. In Japan it seems that the kids are raised to desire academic success. I not sure that the average American family prioritizes academic success the way families in Japan do.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete1. Choose one of the Six Myths to reflect on and offer further insight based on what you read
DeleteI feel that most people think that kids hate math because they had bad experience at it. In all actuality math can be very fun when taught and explained the right way. Certain lessons that we do in class have a great impact and are really fun. Its the harder math lessons that get more push back from the students.
Myth #3: American Kids Hate Math, Japanese Kids Love It
ReplyDeleteThis phenomenon I feel strongly has more to do with many more factors than like/dislike. For instance, if you have a teacher that empowers you to learn content you are more likely to like the subject. However the content itself can be challenging to make exciting in some circumstances which may lead to students disliking it. More often than not I hear from my students that when they like their teacher's way of teaching they tend to be successful.
Myth #6: The Common Core Targets Changes in Teaching
ReplyDeleteI agree that the Common Core does not target changes in teaching. In fact I have been in several conversations where teachers were told that the state tests are not going to be designed so as to "pigeon hole" students into answering with a specific strategy such as a tape diagram. I feel that this is accurate. But on the other hand, given the extent of the content that the modules present I am not sure how anyone could manage to not change and still get the job of teaching the curriculum done.
As I was reading the article about why Americans stink at math, something that always popped into my head was the cultural difference and stress put on a profound education between Japanese students and American students. Therefore, Myth #2 stood out to me and being very significant. In Japan, it seems that even when school is done for the day, students still continue to spend time studying, whether it is something they choose to do, or are forced to do, I am not sure. In America, a lot of students feel that they are forced even to attend the regular school day, and there is limited education taking place once the school day is over. There is a cultural difference between the importance placed on education in these two locations, so it is obviously difficult to compare why the Japanese are so much better at math than Americans.
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