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Challenging Assumptions in Mathematics Education
"First, we want to dispel the myth that engaging in a variety of activities other than direct instruction can't advance the curriculum in and of itself. Projects and student-centered methods can be just as effective at relaying the curriculum to the students. So we want to begin by explaining that done right, more progressive models of mathematics can achieve the same result as 77-minutes of direct instruction.
"The second important fact that we need to remind math teachers is that they can reduce curriculum without sacrificing overall learning in mathematics. Marzano (2003) found that 'the TIMSS [Third International Mathematics and Science Survey] indicates that U.S. mathematics textbooks address 175 percent as many topics as do German textbooks and 350 percent as many topics as do Japanese textbooks. Yet German and Japanese students significantly outperform U.S. students in mathematics and science (Schmidt, McKnight, & Raizen, 1996)' (p. 26). Furthermore, Marzano actually suggests that 'Schools should drastically reduce the amount of content teachers are required to address in class' (p. 27). So as we prepare math teachers for teaching longer blocks with less overall class time, we want to revisit the curriculum and determine what is absolutely necessary and what can be dropped in favor of deeper learning."
- Journal Entry Dated March 21, 2018
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Results of Survey
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