Michelle Malkin » Why Johnny can’t do math (Update: or English.)

Why Johnny can’t do math (Update: or English.)

By Michelle Malkin • June 30, 2008 07:40 AM

So, why can’t Johnny do math? Because Johnny’s teacher can’t even do fractions:

For kids to do better in math, their teachers might have to go back to school.

Elementary-school teachers are poorly prepared by education schools to teach math, finds a study being released Thursday by the National Council on Teacher Quality.

Math relies heavily on cumulative knowledge, making the early years critical.

The study by the nonpartisan research and advocacy group comes a few months after a federal panel reported that U.S. students have widespread difficulty with fractions, a problem that arises in elementary school and prevents kids from mastering more complicated topics like algebra later on.

The report looked at 77 elementary education programs around the country, or roughly 5% of the institutions that offer undergraduate elementary teacher certification.

It found the programs, within colleges and universities, spend too little time on elementary math topics…

…Francis Fennell, the past president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, said the report fails to examine the math instruction students receive while attending community colleges, where many elementary-school teachers start their higher education.

He also said the study’s authors should have surveyed teachers to get their views on how well prepared they were to teach math.

Fennell, who instructs teacher candidates in math at McDaniel College in Westminster, Md., said a common area of weakness among his students is fractions — the same subject the national math panel described as a weak area for kids.

“Part of the reason the kids don’t know it is because the teachers aren’t transmitting that,” he said.

Another part of the reason? Too many teachers are too busy bloviating about the self-esteem benefits of Everyday Math to bother with the basics.

1 + 1 = I feel good about math, so who cares?

_____________

UPDATE (See-Dubya): Meanwhile, English high school teachers want you to know that correct spelling counts, even if you’re having a grumpy day. (H/T Doubleplusundead.)

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#101

On June 30th, 2008 at 6:31 pm, Die Hippie, Die said:

MM said:
1 + 1 = I feel good about math, so who cares?

On June 30th, 2008 at 11:56 am, maurelius said:

Come on Michelle,

Everyone knows 1+1 = 10!

You’re both wrong.

1+1= Whatever the Supreme Court says it equals.
#102

On June 30th, 2008 at 6:40 pm, graysonret said:

I, once, had to “teach” a basic algebra class in high school, simply because the teacher got overwhelmed with the “xs” and “ys”. At the time, I was working with disabled kids on ventilators and had to be around in case of trouble. The teacher asked me if I knew anything about it (I haven’t taken algebra in 40 years, but I remember). The kids thought it was great I was teaching. Adding and subtracting equations was easy. The only other time I had to teach was when a sub teacher had problems with American history (my hobby). I rescued him too. Both times the faculty thought I should change careers and become a teacher. Not on your life!! My conservative views wouldn’t last a month. I may be up there in years, but I remember teachers teaching math. I guess things change. That school’s history department was a joke. Fairfax County..for Gabe, Terrig and others up that way.
#103

On June 30th, 2008 at 8:01 pm, Blind_Mule said:

jamesgreenidge said:
Yet when you see how much school and education (and tests!!) plays a respectful central figure in Japanese anime and manga, you can’t but wonder at the quality of their kids!

Yes james there is a big difference in the values portrayed in Japanese anime and manga compared to American animation, I would personally rather her watch Japanese anime, manga, believe me I know my daughter currently has 26 Japanese anime lined up for us to watch from netflix.(someone help please)
#104

On June 30th, 2008 at 8:05 pm, Blind_Mule said:

mom2jack said:
How on earth does someone like that move through the “system?”

It’s not about an education, it’s about money and statistics.

Example: My daughter had 4 half days the last 4 days of school.
#105

On June 30th, 2008 at 8:08 pm, graysonret said:

Well, at least we’re not as bad as the British schools…yet. One student wrote only an expletive and got credit for spelling:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,374141,00.html
#106

On July 1st, 2008 at 12:51 am, vatodio said:

I agree that our Public Education is not the best.

But that is not the sole reason our kids are failing in Math and Science.

Lack of Parental involvement is equally to blame.

Look around at many of the US University and college campuses and you will find very high numbers of Asians and Orientals, many of whom graduated from Public Schools.
#107

On July 1st, 2008 at 9:36 am, Mister P said:

Look around at many of the US University and college campuses and you will find very high numbers of Asians and Orientals, many of whom graduated from Public Schools.

Wasn’t it an Asian student who killed 37 kids at Virginia tech? The public schools in the cities graduate about 50 percent of their students. Many do well despite the school system, rather than because of it.
#108

On July 1st, 2008 at 9:38 am, Mister P said:

What we need is vouchers, and about 10 years for the free market to fill the gap. Otherwise, as P said, we are sliding deeper into the Third World.

I agree also, and to me Carter’s veto of the voucher system is enough by itself to call him the worse president in US history.
#109

On July 1st, 2008 at 9:28 pm, jamesgreenidge said:

On June 30th, 2008 at 9:44 am, Danceswithdachshunds said:

One of the biggest mistakes in grade school math and science education today is requiring the use of calculators and computers. … Al Gore’s ‘computer on every desktop’ is sucking away precious education dollars for what? To learn how to use MS software that most of us oldsters all learned to use on our own? To go on internet to post crap in my-space? Teaching how to use calculators and computers in grade school has totally obliterated what they are supposed to be used FOR.

One of the biggest scandals going are black kids wheedling their parents to purchase $$ laptops “for school” when in reality over 90% of them are using them exclusively at libraries to download rap videos. I’ve witnessed this at one of the nation’s largest library systems — the Queens Borough library in Queens NY. Go take a stroll any day at any black community branch (as I) and that’s all you see in the wifi laptop section and the librarians aren’t only clueless about it — they’re scared to stopping it and getting beat up! What makes me gnash teeth that the total opposite is true in the Asian community branches. Dell is making a mint on “black coordinated” styled laptops (like sneakers) on the ignorance of black children. It’s such a sham!

James Greenidge
Queens NY
#110

On August 12th, 2008 at 6:23 pm, paboperfecto said:

Money talks, and until schools are threatened with the loss of a child and their money, no change will take place.

I live in a neighborhood where a high percentage of children are homeschooled. The principal at the elementary school our children would be attending was willing to do almost anything to get our kids into his school. Letting them go half days through sixth grade, attending certain parts of their class, etc. It wasn’t quite enough for us and we chose to homeschool, but it is affecting the schools slowly.