This article in USA Today purports to explain why the US lags other countries in math. Here’s one of the reasons their supposedly-researched article provides:
“One likely reason: U.S. high schools teach math completely differently than other countries. Classes here often focus on formulas and procedures rather than teaching students to think creatively about solving complex problems involving all sorts of mathematics, experts say. That makes it harder for students to compete globally, be it on an international exam or in colleges and careers that value sophisticated thinking and data science.”
As part of the solution they go to the journos’ favorite expert Jo Boaler who recommends we switch over to integrated math for starts. That is, a combo of algebra, geometry and trig over three years, so that there isn’t the gap between algebra 1 and 2, when students have to take geometry in between.
Let me talk…
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