An editorial by Sandra Stotsky, member of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel, reveals misrepresentation in the author's "study" of MIT graduates. He supposedly found that only a few MIT students mentioned anything "more than arithmetic, statistics and probability" as useful to their work.
It's a great read!
It *is* a great read. And I had to chuckle at the irony of Sandra Stotsky's professional title: 21st Century Chair in Teacher Quality with the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas.
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, while I agree with Wagner that too many public schools fail to teach "effective oral and written communication," I am utterly puzzled by his contention that teachers' obsessions with teaching grammar, test-prep and teaching to "the test" are the problem. Really? Which English teachers? A lot of parents would kill to get their children into a classroom where they knew the teacher cared about grammar, or at least was brave enough to try to teach conventional sentence structure and language usage.
ReplyDeleteLove it!
Do we really care if our students are curious and adaptable if they cannot read and write their own names?
ReplyDeleteWe do not!
That is BRILLIANT!
ReplyDeleteGreat, great find -- thanks so much for taking the time to post it!
Have I mentioned recently that my district's new 20-page Strategic Plan includes 21st century skills but excludes college readiness?
ReplyDeleteMedia literacy is on the Plan, too.
Along with environmental stewardship, global awareness, wellness, and yoga.
Two pieces of good news:
ReplyDelete* the school board forced the administration to add the words "Singapore Math" and "National Mathematics Advisory Panel" to the Plan
* the PTSA forced the district to add the words "K12 grammar scope and sequence" to the Plan
I was the lonely voice crying in the wilderness for "college readiness," so they blew me off.
They didn't even bother to say 'no'!
We may be the only school district in the country with Singapore Math and Natl Mathematics Advisory Panel on its Strategic Plan.
ReplyDeleteI figure Singapore Math alone could keep property values from total collapse.
ReplyDeleteI also asked the board and the administration, on 3 separate occasions, to include SAT scores as "Evidence of Attainment" of increased readiness for college.
ReplyDeleteNOPE!
Not on the Plan.
WAY TO GO!! THAT IS GREAT NEWS!!
ReplyDelete"Have I mentioned recently that my district's new 20-page Strategic Plan includes 21st century skills but excludes college readiness?"
"Two pieces of good news:
* the school board forced the administration to add the words "Singapore Math" and "National Mathematics Advisory Panel" to the Plan
* the PTSA forced the district to add the words "K12 grammar scope and sequence" to the Plan"