Re: Math and Competitiveness

[<gbracey1@verizon.net>]

>No one ever talks about markets.  More math.  More science.  More horseshit. 
There is no evidence that "our country is falling behind in math and science."   
In math the U. S. saw bigger changes than all but three of the 17 nations who 
administered TIMSS in 1995 and 2003.  Latvia, Lithuania, and Hong Kong all did 
better.  Somehow I'm not worried.

I don't know I'd say the system is broken but I do think that elementary 
teachers should be more comfortable with math than they generally are.  Archie 
Lapointe made a point some years ago when he said we hold that being bad in 
reading is unacceptable, but being bad in math is OK.

It is also silly to determine what we need based on average scores in 
anything.  The fact is,we have three new scientists and engineers for every 
new S&E job.  65% of them leave in two years.  And we worry about the holding 
power of schools that lose 50% of teachers in 5!

This is just more of the same old song with people who have a vested interest 
in securing more money for science yowling that we're going to hell in a 
handbasket.  Started in the cold war, got goosed by Sputnik,and really 
accelerated after A Nation at Risk in 1983. 

See my March Kappan column and "Into the Eye of the Storm at 
www.urban.org/haroldsalzman.  The Congressional testimony of Michael 
Teitelbaum, a VEEEP at Alfred P. Sloanis at 
http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups/details.aspx?
NewsID=2032.

Jerry
 

From: monicalucido@comcast.net
>Date: 2008/07/23 Wed AM 11:02:42 CDT
>To: arn-l@interversity.org
>Cc: ca-resisters@interversity.org
>Subject: [arn-l] Math and Competitiveness

>Well, from the looks of it, some of the focus of yesterday's testimony on 
math 
>and science in education seems pretty good. Anyone want to take a shot at 
>stating whether or not the message being sent to congress is quality? It 
SEEMS 
>right on, but I could be missing something...
>
>Joe Lucido
>EPATA
>Fresno (see below...)
>
>Stronger Math and Science Education Key to Boosting U.S. Competitiveness, 
>Witnesses Tell House Education Committee 
>Congress should build on its commitment to improving math and science by 
fully 
>funding America COMPETES Act
>Tuesday, July 22, 2008
>
> 
>WASHINGTON, DC -- Improving the teaching and learning of mathematics and 
science 
>in U.S. schools is vital to maintaining America’s global leadership, witnesses 
>told the House Education and Labor Committee today.
>
>“America won’t be able to maintain our great legacy of innovation and 
discovery, 
>let alone compete in today’s global economy, unless we make investing in math 
>and science education a top priority,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), 
the chairman of the committee. “Last year, Congress took a critical first 
>step by enacting legislation to provide workers with the training and skills 
>needed to compete in 21st century jobs. Now we must build on that down 
payment 
>by working with business leaders and key stakeholders to help arm students 
with 
>an excellent foundation in math, science, and other cutting-edge fields.” 
>
>A report released in March by the National Mathematics Advisory Panel found 
that 
>the nation’s system teaching math is “broken and must be fixed” if the U.S. 
>wants to maintain its competitive edge. Among other things, the panel called 
for 
>a comprehensive, systemic effort to strengthen math education, including 
>improving teacher training and professional development.
>
>“This truly is a “Paul Revere Moment” for our country – we must spread the alarm 
>that our country is falling behind in math and science achievement and we 
must 
>get moving with all possible speed to shore up our system,” said Tom Luce, the 
>Chief Executive Officer of the National Math and Science Initiative, which 
partners with businesses 
>to bring math and science education programs to a national level. “Math and 
>science are the new foundational literacy for everyone.”
>
>The panel of experts, which included business leaders, a teacher, and the 
first 
>American woman to travel in space, recommended expanding partnerships between 
>the business and education communities that focus on bolstering STEM 
education, 
>and increasing training and support programs for teachers.
>
>The witnesses also urged lawmakers to fully fund the America COMPETES Act, a 
law 
>enacted by the Democratic Congress last year to provide education and job 
>training for students and workers in math, science, technology, and 
engineering 
>fields. Last year, Congress approved $193 million in funding for math and 
>science education in the COMPETES Act, but President Bush vetoed that 
>legislation.
>
>Phil Mickelson, a professional golfer and the co-founder of the Mickelson 
>ExxonMobil Teachers Academy, explained how he uses math every day, and 
discussed how the academy he and his wife Amy 
>launched helps teachers find creative ways to teach math and science: “Hands-
on 
>demonstrations and exercises not only help to bring math and science concepts 
to 
>life, but also work to pique the teachers’ natural curiosity and awaken their 
>sense of inquiry and problem-solving, also helping them to see these concepts 
>through their students’ perspective.”
>
>“We believe it essential to secure the technical talent pipeline for the 
>future,” explained Brian H. Wells, the Chief Systems Engineer of Raytheon, 
which 
>established a program to peak students’ interest in math through the internet. 
>“MathMovesU is designed to engage middle school students on their own terms 
and 
>make the connection between math, their interests, and ‘cool’ careers. The 
>website is “immersive,” designed to create “aha” moments by presenting math in 
>its relation to some of the topics middle school students care most about -- 
>music, sports and fashion. It uses a variety of puzzles and games to 
encourage the development of math skill in fun and 
>creative ways.”
>
> “If our students are to become our future engineers, computer scientists, 
>mathematicians, and environmentalists, we need to change the way we approach 
the 
>teaching of math and science,” said Dr. Ramona Chang, the Director of 
Curriculum 
>for the Torrance Unified School District in California, where teachers have 
>participated in the Mickelson Teachers Academy. “Academy teachers have been 
>taught how to plan creatively, teach constructively, and reflect objectively. 
>These skills rank in the proverbial “priceless” category for educators.”
> 
>“While both girls and boys have natural interests and abilities in science, 
math 
>and technology, society does not yet have equal expectations for — or offer 
>equal support to — girls interested in these fields,” said Dr. Sally Ride, a 
>former NASA astronaut, and the first American woman in space, who runs Sally 
>Ride Science, an organization that focuses on helping students pursue 
opportunities in STEM fields. “When both girls and boys are encouraged to 
pursue 
>their interests, they are inspired to think about their futures and are 
better 
>prepared to pursue a wide range of exciting opportunities in high school, 
>college and beyond.”