More Math in Maryland?

Tuesday's edition of The Baltimore Sun had an intriguing article about the (possible) future of high school mathematics education in Maryland: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.regents01dec01,0,408359.story

The gist of the story is that the University of Maryland's Board of Regents is considering requiring students to take four years of high school mathematics -- not three -- when applying to the university system. Even if a student completes algebra II by the end of 11th grade, he/she would still need to continue with another math course in 12th grade.

The article notes that "The requirements would align with a national trend toward toughening math standards, part of a larger quest to produce more science, technology, math and engineering, or STEM, professionals. The National Governors Association is leading an effort to develop core standards for high schools across the nation and those standards might include similar math requirements."

Walch Education's programs in Maryland align well with this "toughening math standards" approach, especially version 2.0 of our Maryland Algebra/Data Analysis and our Building Math program, which develops STEM skills.

Algebra and data analysis in Maryland and North Carolina

We’re just back from a couple of days visiting districts in Maryland and North Carolina. It was a fascinating trip, one in which we picked up many new insights into the issues and challenges facing educators in those states.

Let’s start with Prince George's County, Maryland, where we met with the mathematics team. They are a group of three intelligent, energetic women who were frank in describing some of the "unintended consequences" of Maryland's High School Assessment in Algebra and Data Analysis. Because the test includes as much as 45% data analysis items, the algebra curriculum has been "adapted" to incorporate instruction to prepare students for the HSA. Inevitably, this leaves out or gives short shrift to some important algebraic concepts.

The result? Geometry and algebra II teachers are left to fill in the gaps. Thinking through these issues, we realized that Walch could provide a solution for Prince George's County by developing a middle school algebra and data analysis program that addresses this domino effect before students reach high school.

Moving on to North Carolina, we found that math and science leaders in Charlotte-Mecklenberg Schools shared our enthusiasm for our new Building Math series. (http://www.walch.com/product/2137 These just-released books, created in partnership with Boston's Museum of Science and with support from the GE Foundation's Math Excellence program, provide middle school students with hands-on opportunities to apply algebra and engineering concepts in real-world contexts.

Building Math is getting a lot of accolades from educators who appreciate how the integration of math with basic engineering concepts can transform the learning experience in the classroom. The Charlotte-Mecklenberg folks are particularly excited about the opportunities for interdisciplinary teaching and learning, with potential for program crossover from mathematics to science and even social studies. We're hoping to return to North Carolina this summer to provide professional development for teachers who will be implementing Building Math there next year.

Our last meeting in North Carolina took place in Winston-Salem. There, we saw up-close a very real problem facing district level educators everywhere. The assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction had invited us to meet with all of the subject area specialists in hopes that we could "take something off their overflowing plates." The fruitful conversation that ensued reinforced a valuable lesson: educators often know what they want to achieve, but finding the time and capacity is a problem.

That's where Walch can help – developing materials and doing the work that curriculum coordinators and teachers would do themselves if they had the time. (Jill Rosenblum)