Comments on: NCTM’s Bold and Invigorating Plan for High School Mathematics

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 19:22:43 +0000

In reply to Micihele. Also Illinois!

By: Micihele

Micihele — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 23:07:18 +0000

In reply to Chris. Chris - What state are you in? I was doing something similar in Illinois last week..

By: Ben Sinwell

Ben Sinwell — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 21:09:59 +0000

In reply to Scott. It is a lot to get through, but worth it. I teach high school and will be sure to comment. The final document comes out in April 2018. I hope that it will be much improved by public comment. NCTM's plan is bold and invigorating!

By: Trevor Warburton

Trevor Warburton — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 16:56:11 +0000

Yes. I’ve seen similar things now in my position working with preservice teachers from multiple content standards. It seems like it could be very beneficial to emphasize the practice standards across all grade levels and use different content to get to them, but make the practice standards the focus of teaching and the specific content secondary.

By: Dan Meyer

Dan Meyer — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 04:39:51 +0000

In reply to Tom Hoffman. Math teaching! How the mighty have fallen!

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 01:57:37 +0000

Probably the same kind of high school math teachers who find time to read Dan’s takes on the world and even those of the other readers on his blog.

In fairness, you’re right. I’m less than halfway through it, and probably won’t have time to thoughtfully reflect and respond before NCTM’s deadline. I wonder if more teachers would participate if this was released during the summer or around the New Year.

By: Elaine C.

Elaine C. — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 01:07:55 +0000

In reply to Chris. High school teacher here. I'm on page 16 so far. Out of 130+. My ways? Boredom during child's soccer practice, no internet, and PDF on my phone. (Can't grade. Too windy.)

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 01:04:59 +0000

In reply to Tom Hoffman. Yeah I really wonder what % of people who read this (and give feedback) are HS teachers. If so, please teach me your ways...

By: Tom Hoffman

Tom Hoffman — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 23:44:05 +0000

The irony here is that before I was actually teaching quasi-math to high school students (functional programming!) I would have dropped everything and at least skimmed this. Now I’ve got lesson planning to do…

At some point in the distant future I’ll post an update on ye olde blog.

By: Dan Meyer

Dan Meyer — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 16:41:59 +0000

Further, if we are going to place emphasis on the beauty of mathematics, I think we should be hesitant to classify any portion of mathematics as being uninteresting or off-putting.

Certainly, which is why I called them “inessential,” not ugly or uninteresting.

While I might agree that none of these deserve the label “essential”, I do think that all of them are indicative of an algebraic fluency that is essential, at least for any of our students headed in the direction of calculus.

Definitely agree, which is why I’m glad they aren’t excluded from Pathway B, which leads to calculus.