Guest opinion: Integrated math — is it working?
This year Ramona High School implemented a new way to teach ninth grade mathematics called “Integrated Math.” This Common Core based teaching method mainly focuses on algebra but also teaches pieces of geometry and statistics scattered throughout the textbook.
About a year ago a Ramona Sentinel article was published explaining this new math teaching method. The person interviewed stated:
“We don’t encounter a situation needing a mathematical solution and then say, ‘Oh, let me get out my algebra skills… now let me use my geometry skills.’ In reality, we call upon a variety of mathematical concepts, skills and formulas ALL AT THE SAME TIME in order to solve the problem.”
As an engineer and a carpenter I thought this was an odd statement. It was completely contrary to how I solved “real world” problems in my professions for over 36 years. When I build a house or solve an engineering problem, I break it down into its parts and then one at a time use the proper math method for each part. For example, when I build a home I use geometry to layout the shape of the house and calculate areas. Later, I may use some algebra to figure out some unknown value. Whether it be in the structure of the house or in the cost calculation. I don’t use all my math skills at once and I believe it is foolish to try to teach our children multiple math skills all at once, hopping around from algebra to statistics to geometry and then back again at various times.
Can you think of a time when you had a problem to solve and thought to yourself, “Hmm, I need to use algebra, geometry and statistics, ALL AT THE SAME TIME to solve this one?” No, you use the math skill you needed one at a time.
This bothered me so much that I wrote this article in the hopes of getting feedback from other parents and students in RHS to see if they share the same frustration, confusion and worry that I feel. If you do, please send your comments to rhs.parents.talk@gmail.com to voice your opinion.
Learning math is hard enough for most students without them jumping around from one math subject to another all in a short period of time. This is a non-productive method of teaching.
That’s not how people learn effectively. You don’t teach students ALL the math concepts at the same time or nearly the same time.
There’s an old saying: “Jack of all trades, master of none.”
Efficient problem solving skills teach us to break up a large problem into its pieces. Master each small problem taking all the time required to understand it well. And then move onto the next small problems. AFTER you understand and have solved the smaller pieces of the total problem it becomes time to integrate them into one whole system. NOT the other way around.
Regarding the textbook used for ninth grade math. They use “Core Connections, Integrated I” by Dietker, Kysh, Sallee, & Hoey.
I have taken eight college math classes and have seen many textbooks. This textbook is without a doubt the most poorly written textbook I have ever seen.
A well-written textbook should: State the math theorem to be learned, explain the math concept well, show examples of how to work problems, show clearly the formula(s) to be used, and have practice problems with some answers in the back of the book.
The textbook RHS uses does almost none of this. They explain “what” you are going to learn about and then jump right to problems asking the student to solve it BEFORE they even have a chance to learn anything. Theorems are scattered throughout the chapter and hidden in paragraphs without any highlighting. In chapter 7 they take 20 pages to inform the student about methods to decide if triangles are congruent. In my 1981 textbook this is done in 1 page! My son had no idea what the RHS textbook was trying to say but when he looked at my old textbook he understood it in 60 seconds.
And everything is a complicated explanation. Meandering around having pretend conversations between “Sally and John” trying to figure out through discussion what they should do. So, even the pretend students in the book are confused!
Math is best learned from:
1) Having a good teacher who can explain the concept and answer student questions at a level that the student can understand.
2) Using a well-written textbook.
3) Focusing on the same math subject and concepts for a period of time so that the student has time to absorb and practice many similar problems over that time period until it has been ingrained in their brain.
I don’t blame the teachers. I believe this Common Core method is being shoved down their throats by RHS administration via our glorious inept government that withholds federal school funding if they don’t agree to teach Common Core. It’s like asking a carpenter to build a home and giving him a garden hose and a spatula as tools. And even if they claim it’s not Common Core, it is still a poor way to teach math.
We have become the greatest country in the world using the same math teaching methods for over 100 years and now that the bureaucrats get involved they think somehow we have to change everything. And it has just become worse.
I urge all Ramona parents, students and concerned citizens to look into this and speak out about it. And, send your opinion to the above email address.
RJ Fay is a Ramona resident.