Hollister
– Despite Einstein’s belief that mathematics is the universal
language, local educators are concerned that students currently
aren’t being taught quite so universally.
Hollister – Despite Einstein’s belief that mathematics is the universal language, local educators are concerned that students currently aren’t being taught quite so universally.
Superintendents from three local school districts are looking to introduce a new math initiative that would align the math curriculum from the elementary to the high school level.
The board of trustees from San Benito High School District, Hollister School District and North County Union School District held a joint meeting Wednesday to discuss the initiative. The meeting marked the first time in more than a decade that the three boards have held a joint meeting.
The initiative emphasizes providing a common language for mathematical terms and making sure that math is consistently taught the same way.
Jenny Bernosky, who teaches eighth grade, including algebra, at Spring Grove School, was enthusiastic about the program.
“I’m really excited about speaking the same language and providing a link from middle schools to San Benito High School,” Bernosky said.
Providing a common language for math means ensuring that all teachers at all levels are using identical terminology. While currently some teachers say “reducing fractions” and some say “simplifying fractions,” this would require that all teachers use the latter.
Bernosky, who has taught for 14 years, has already tried to change her terminology in the classroom, offering students a raffle ticket to win a pizza if they catch her saying “reducing.”
She said she will appreciate knowing there is consistency across the grades and schools. She has often had students tell her they learned the math a different way the year before, which can make teaching, and learning, more difficult.
The math initiative was developed initially for Alameda County Office of Education by Phil Gonsalves. He used some of his own experience as a middle school math teacher and incorporated strategies he had learned from other teachers. He said he feels too often teachers do not collaborate on teaching methods.
Stan Rose, superintendent of San Benito High School, was the person who initially brought the initiative before the other school districts. He believes increasing high school exit exam scores will be a natural outgrowth of the program.
Since algebra is the most heavily emphasized mathematics on state exams, this is what is focused on.
“We start with algebra and make a backward map,” Rose said. “How do you get to that goal? What do they need to know in seventh grade? Sixth grade? Fifth grade?”
In districts where the initiative has already been implemented, state standardized testing scores have increased markedly. At Alameda Unified School District, the percent of sixth-grade students performing at a “proficient” level in mathematics increased from 18 percent to 32 percent. During this time, the number of eighth-grade students taking algebra increased from 12 percent to 47 percent.
“Our philosophy is if you teach math well, you don’t have to worry about the (California Standards Test) and the (high school exit exam),” Gonsalves said.
Despite this attitude, the test does seem to be on the forefront of most teachers’ and administrators’ minds.
Debbie Fisher, who is the math division chair at San Benito High School, was enthusiastic about the program, and specifically about the effect it could have on test scores.
“We need to improve our test scores,” Fisher said. “I see nothing but a win-win-win situation – grade schools, middle schools and high schools. I see success whenever you create collaboration.”
If approved by the districts, the initiative would be funded through a $1 million grant from the California Mathematics and Science Partnership grant program, a state grant which is initially funded through the national No Child Left Behind Act.
The boards will make their decisions at their respective board meetings in February.
Alice Joy covers education for the Free Lance. You can reach her at 637-5566 ext. 336 or at aj**@fr***********.com.
