I had a discussion with someone this past weekend. She said that she has this dream about math. She is in a exam for which she has not studied and is not prepared.
I know that she is not alone in associating math with exams and anxiety and not doing well. Discussions like this are rather uncomfortable for me because I often feel as though I am math's only advocate in a room full of animosity towards a maligned subject and the direction of a conversation often takes a tack where I say something equivalent to "its good to know more math" and then we have awkward silence and we change the topic.
I decided to pursue the conversation anyway and asked an obvious question "why is math different than other subjects in causing anxiety? Why do students fear this subject more than others?" She said something that I think may get to the heart of the matter. With math, students are split into different streams and more or less subtly labeling them as "smart" and "not smart." In grade school, there isn't "English for the smart kids" and "regular English"....there is essentially just "English" and everybody takes it.
I will pose this question: is it a good idea to "stream" math students when it causes a lifetime of anxiety? Can we teach the students who are faster and study more without subtly labeling other people as dumb? Thoughts?
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Hey, I've had that dream!
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree with your sentiment that students often fear math more than other subjects, the 'streaming' argument isn't working for me. So, I'm not going to address your questions directly, but veer off on a tangent instead.
First of all, I think we need to clarify. You mention 'grade school' and 'English' in the same sentence. If by grade school, you mean K-8, then the subject you are talking about is called Language Arts. If by grade school, you mean 9-12, then English is correct.
High school English classes come in the Academic/University, Applied/College, and Essential/Workplace flavours just as math classes do. Same 'streaming' for both.
Elementary school students are split into Language Arts ability groups all the time. For example, it is common in these classes for students to be grouped according to reading level (the 'tortoises' and the 'hares', or whatever politically correct equivalent they have switched to now). In fact, there is such a push on early literacy now that students who are weaker are often spending time out of class with a resource teacher for remediation. In my experience, this happens WAY more for Language Arts than for math.
Instead, here's where I think the root cause of the math anxiety can be attributed. This is a cyclic problem ... many adults/parents with negative memories of math classes pass along their attitudes and fears to the kids. It takes a powerful positive influence in the early grades to overcome this home/societal(?) attitude. While there are passionate, pro-math elementary teachers out there, they tend to be lone voices in the wilderness. Most elementary teachers did not major in math or even take a university math credit other than the dreaded stats course required for their undergrad arts degree. Many have negative memories from the high school math courses they 'survived' in order to get into university. Lots are more comfortable teaching the language concepts, and 'get by' in the math sections. Many of them are anxious and fearful of math, and the kids will pick up on this. In order to turn things around and break the cycle, we need teachers in K-8 classes who are passionate about math themselves, and who are able to get kids excited about math, as well as teaching them the necessary skills and concepts.
Questions: Why do most math majors who are interested in teaching opt for the 'glamour' and 'prestige' of high school, rather than elementary school?
How can we help elementary teachers overcome their own fear/anxiety about math and become more interested in the subject?
Let me clarify that the actual example that was given was "French" because I was talking to a francophone who grew up in Montreal but I exchanged the example for "English." Lets just say "English" = "language arts." But that is beside the point, I went to school in northern Virginia and California, the situation wasn't significantly different than it is here (except my bilingual education was Spanish/English) and the vocabulary was not the same.
ReplyDeleteObviously I don't know how this works so let me ask a few details:
1. do different streams get separated into different classrooms for either/both language arts and math?
2. what proficiency is required for teachers at the K-8 level? In language arts? In math? Are teachers tested for knowledge of subject matter?
3. An article that a student sent me recently (http://www.thestar.com/article/622969) mentions that students seem to be turned off of math between grades 3 and 8. Can we narrow this range down a bit? Where is it coming from?
Mike,
ReplyDeleteIn response to your questions:
1) I'm not 100% sure about the elementary panel, but I don't think any 'streaming' occurs. Likely it is just separate remedial or tutorial groups. All secondary subjects are streamed into applied/academic in 9 and 10, and college/university in 11 and 12.
2) Teacher's college is split into three levels: primary/junior for K-6, junior/intermediate for 4-10, and intermediate/senior for 7-12. For p/j no specialty is required, as long as you have a degree in something (basket-weaving included). For j/i, you must have one teachable, which means you have taken a minimum of 6 full-year courses in one subject area at the undergraduate level. So I, for example, who never had an interest nor any great proficiency with it, could end up teaching grade 7 geography. The same is true for math. I remember sitting in one of my mixed education classes teaching someone how to do operations with fractions AT THE GRADE FIVE LEVEL so that she could teach it later that week.
For i/s you need two teachables, which means 6 full courses in your first teachable, and 4 in your second.
Under no circumstances are any teachers tested for knowledge of subject matter. If one somehow managed to pass 4 courses of math in undergrad, and get through teacher's college, one could spend the next 30 years teaching up to grade 10 math without ever having to have proved that they actually mastered the content themselves. Start to bring it up, and you've got a union issue on your hands. The only situation where you might be tested for subject proficiency would be for an Additional Qualifications course.
3) I'm going to throw this out there: perhaps the enormous pressure the kids are under for the grade 3 and 6 EQAO tests might have something to do with it?
Alice, you ask why 'math majors who are interested in teaching opt for the 'glamour' and 'prestige' of high school, rather than elementary school? ' Personally, I would be bored to death teaching elementary school math. My choice to teach high school had nothing to do with 'glamour' or 'prestige'. Presumably if you teach high school math you would actually like the subject or have an interest in it. That being the case, most people who like math enjoy the challenge of learning something new, or at least keeping their brains active. While the kids are probably much nicer at a younger age, it's hardly stimulating stuff to be doing for years on end.
Didn't mean for that to turn into an essay. Alice, I'd be interested on your take on the EQAO testing ...
I knew if I waited long enough someone else would jump in. Thanks Sarah, that saves me a bunch of typing. To add to your remarks:
ReplyDelete1) Elementary kids are rarely separated into different classrooms on the basis of ability. I have not heard of this currently being done for any subject. There are some special programs for gifted kids (but they tend not to be subject-specific). There are also some segregated classes for kids with significant learning challenges. But these are definitely the exception.
2) The reality is that most K-6 teachers have not taken any math at the university level (other than the stats. course required for their arts degree). Going back even further, look at what is required to enter a BA program in a subject like English, history, geography, sociology, etc. Most programs require grade 12U English and 5 other grade 12 credits. So it is possible (and quite likely) that a primary-junior teacher has not taken math beyond the grade 11 level (3 credits in high school math are needed for graduation).
Side note: Sarah, I did end up teaching grade 9 geography a couple of years ago!!! Hadn't taken it since high school. Did my best, but ...
Other side note: I took a Master's level EDUC course a couple of years ago with experienced elementary teachers who were still needing to have basic fraction operations explained to them and who were clearly intimidated by those scary rationals!
I haven't yet seen an AQ course that tested subject proficiency either.
3) I hate EQAO or any other standardized testing; well, actually I'm not a big fan of exams in general. My son was in grade 3 last year. The test seemed to cause more anxiety for the teacher than it did for the kids.
Instead, I think that from kindergarten to about grade 2 kids really enjoy the novelty of going to school and being a 'big kid' - you rarely meet a child of that age who hates school. That attitude starts to wear off in about grade 3 or 4 as they start getting homework, and realizing that it's not all going to be fun and games. Again, I think the teacher's attitude towards math is really important for maintaining student interest and enthusiasm at this stage.
I would love to teach elementary school math, if I could teach math all day long as I am lucky enough to do in high school. I don't think that would be boring at all. My reason for not going the elementary route (aside from being a J-I teacher's college grad who applied to lots but never got an elementary school interview!) is that I no longer particularly want to teach grammar rules, rock and mineral identification, how to tie ones shoelaces, or the path the apple takes from seed to pie.
Perhaps you've heard the saying: elementary teachers love the kids; high school teachers love the subject; university teachers love themselves. There's some truth here. However, this obviously does not refer to Mike who clearly treasures and adores each and every 'kid' in the MA for Teachers program :)
OK. I am getting the idea that streaming certainly isn't the main cause of math phobia and it may not be much of a factor at all. The testing might be...which is also counter-intuitive to me because I didn't know that EQAO tests themselves were such intense events.
ReplyDeleteThe main factor that is mentioned in Alice and Sarah's comments are teachers going into the classrooms without much knowledge in the subjects that they are teaching.
Here is the irony: In mathematics, the problem is that the main qualification for teachers getting a 'teachable' is that they pass university math credits. When I give a grade to a student for a math course I do not evaluate if they are qualified to teach mathematics.
All of these teachers passed K-6 at some point, but may not have learned every single thing that they need to teach even to the K-6 school students and may not be able to learn it on their own. It is assumed that if these teachers are reaching the teaching qualifications that they know the difference between .002 cents and .002 dollars (and know fractions, area, patterns, etc.). This is not necessarily the case.
When they are taking university credits we are not testing them for that either! We are trying to measure if they are learning the subject we are covering.
Okay, I have to rant. We had a P.D. session yesterday, and they were talking about fostering student success through increasing their connection to the school community ... blah blah blah. The point is that this is supposed to increase literacy (and, oh yeah, numeracy) scores. My problem is that numeracy is always tacked on at the end, and is given very little support. It seems taken for granted that the math teachers alone should be responsible for single-handedly increasing numeracy scores, while the whole school is supposed to be concerned with literacy scores. (EQAO came up again today, which is why I'm bringing this up). In our school, all grade 10 teachers review the literacy test, while nobody except the grade nines and the grade 9 math teachers know what's going on with the EQAO. How is this supposed to help students see the importance of math???? We need ideas to make numeracy a high priority for all teachers and through all subjects (or at least get them to stop saying "I hated math in high school!" That would help.) Ugh. So ... ideas?
ReplyDeleteOK, this is the kind of rant I like to see. The blah, blah, blah cannot be as effective as having high expectations and encouragement from teachers that themselves know mathematics well. I can think of lots of ideas but I don't know how appropriate they are.
ReplyDeleteWhat types of things are done to boost literacy scores? A similar and analogous effort can be expected for numeracy. You will only get this if you demand it.
How about a daily math puzzle during the announcements? I know this will take some effort even if you did it once or twice a week (e.g. Tuesdays and Fridays) and give a small prize and/or announce the winner the next day.
You should also be able to recruit science teachers to help with numeracy. It is their responsibility too. Most of science uses mathematics to make predictions, they should be able to make connections with the math curriculum.
1) Passing the Literacy Test is a graduation requirement. Grade 9 math EQAO is not. Higher stakes = greater pressure on kids to do well and on teachers/schools to ensure kids do well.
ReplyDelete2) There is an implicit expectation that all of us can effectively teach literacy since reading and writing come up in every course. We are expected to incorporate literacy test style activities into every course (hence my Pythagorean Theorem News Report for the gr. 9's). There is not the same expectation for numeracy. It is seen as the domain of math/science types. Refer to previous discussion - many high school teachers claim they 'can't do math' and don't see it as a necessary component of their subject. I disagree. For example, I see geography teachers needing to interpret graphs, population data, probability of certain weather occurring, etc. Family studies (eg. sewing, cooking) & tech. need measurement, unit conversions, and so on. Perhaps you can't find connections for ALL courses, but you can for lots of them. I don't need/want them teaching my curriculum ... I want them teaching the basic skills needed to be a numerate citizen who can cope with the everyday math needed to function in our society.
3) This year's literacy test DID include a question in which kids had to read and interpret info. from a graph.
4) Where I worked last year, we did weekly math puzzles over the announcements and had monthly prizes for the CLASS with the highest overall participation rate. Individual prize winners were chosen weekly from all correct solutions received. Unfortunately the contest was called Brain "Numb"-ers.
5) All schools should have a numeracy committee just as they have a literacy committee. If there isn't one, start one.
6) My rants are good too.
Numeracy should still be a priority and, as one of math's self appointed advocates, I claim it should have as high a priority as literacy.
ReplyDelete1) What is the corresponding graduation requirement for math? I am afraid to ask in fear that you just might respond "students don't have to know any math to graduate from high school."
2) An English course could have students critically analyze a newspaper article that (mis)uses logic and statistics just as easily as a math course can create an exercise which crosses into a literacy test style exercise. I don't think that this needs to be a one way street.
4) The reason I mentioned the math puzzles is because at least at some of the high school and elementary schools that I visited, I seem to remember a trivia question. I don't remember hearing a math question ever, but the one that comes to mind was history.
6) Your rants are great. The last one I waited 6 whole messages before I responded.
Do you have numeracy field trips? When I was in high school we went to a physics department at a university. Here in Toronto we have access to the financial industry and computer gaming industry (for example) that would be an interesting view of how math comes to life.
What else does the literacy side have that the numeracy side should have too?
1) Oh dear.
ReplyDeleteSubject-specific graduation requirements include 4 compulsory credits in English and 3 compulsory in math.
The Literacy Test is portrayed as assessing literacy across ALL subjects, and therefore is \neq an English test.
What does the literacy side have?
1) Money.
2) Commitment from administration at school and board levels, government.
3) More vocal proponents who are willing to get off their butts and run PD sessions, share strategies at staff meetings, push for literacy to be a school-wide focus and by doing these, effect change. Until we stop whining and start DOING things to promote numeracy within the school, 1) and 2) are not likely to change.
Mike,
ReplyDelete1) It's true, unfortunately. They need to have three math credits to graduate, but that doesn't necessarily translate into having to prove that they know any math. Alice is right that the increased pressure for the literacy test is because they need it to graduate. I would say something like "they should make the math one a requirement too" except then we'd have an even lower graduation rate province-wide. (The scores, at least in our school, are awful, but I also think that's because parts of the test are not fair ... I could go on about this for hours. I've actually spoken to a couple of the people who write the tests, and the response is usually 'oh well ... they recycle questions - give them the practice questions off the website!) Sadly, I was at Tim Hortons the other day, and one of our students was at the cash. I gave her a twenty, and she gave me back a ten, two fives, and some loose change. Sigh ... i guess the cents versus dollars is not that bad, considering.
2) While it's true that it should be a two-way street, and that the assumption is that everybody can do literacy, most of the teachers not in math or science would have strong objections if you tried to get them to do something like this. First of all, most of them would have no idea what to do, and second, you would get a LOT of "I couldn't do it when I was in school, what makes you think I could teach it to the kids? I hated it then!" Unfortunate, but true. We actually had to make an announcement at the staff meeting before the math fair for teachers NOT to say things like that, at least for that week.
4) The math puzzles are a good idea. It went over well with the grade nines for the math fair, and we're hoping to expand it next year to at least the 9's and 10's. I also like the idea of a trivia contest ... maybe even math history trivia, to start with. I've been planning to look into possible field trips for math ... we've got all that grant money, maybe we could do something interesting next year.
Alice, our school doesn't have a numeracy OR literacy committee. It's the 'school success' committe. (Ironically?) I got an email from the VP today 'selecting' me for next year's, as the numeracy representative. We've got a whole day session coming up, so I'm hoping to put together a package of ideas that we could use for the coming year. This is perfect timing.
I think the big advantage that literacy has is attitudinal. You'll never, ever, hear someone proudly say that they couldn't read or write in high school, while the opposite gets broadcasted for math everywhere. All those radio and tv commercials, comic strips, and pretty much everywhere you look seems to say that it's okay, and almost expected, for most people to either not like, or not succeed at, math. We've got a cartoon of Ziggy right outside the math office sitting at a desk with a math test in front of him, waving a white flag that reads 'help'. How much more negative can you get???? We've been trying to get rid of it all year, no luck yet. I think if we get everyone on board with changing the overall attitude, the rest (or most of it) should follow.
I gave her a twenty, and she gave me back a ten, two fives, and some loose changeWe actually had to make an announcement at the staff meeting before the math fair for teachers NOT to say things like that, at least for that week.You'll never, ever, hear someone proudly say that they couldn't read or write in high school, while the opposite gets broadcasted for math everywhere.cringe! I hate anecdotes like these.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, I think media has improved and I can match you positive math reference for negative one. So lets start there. I'll send you positive math comics that I have and if we can't get them to take down math-worn-Ziggy then we will at least match them with xkcd and other comics with positive math references.
With literacy one doesn't have such a fight, but we are getting there. This is not a short term battle. We just need more warriors.
Here are some other possible explanations for what turns people off of math:
ReplyDeleteall tests and no play makes math a dull subject
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071017092911.htm
Math + geeky = pbbbt
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512094435.htm
one in support for my streaming comment
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070915104849.htm
asdsadas
ReplyDeleteEvery one of us wants to be a 'Math wizard' but only a few succeed. With that, Math wizards become instant school head-turners, while some are not having a hard time dealing with the subject. Probably accepting the fact that not all of us can be the Math prodigies that we want can help us understand this matter; and that good study habits and focusing can help us get by to succeed.
ReplyDelete