 Dear reader,
Here’s one thing we know about U.S. math education: It’s not working well.
Math anxiety among early education teachers is a big topic on our minds — there’s evidence that teachers who are uncomfortable with math can inadvertently undermine their students’ math learning.
At 1 p.m. ET on Sept. 20 we will host a Linkedin Live conversation, led by reporter Ariel Gilreath, featuring multiple early education experts that she interviewed for a recent article. The guests will share their perspectives on how educators can boost their confidence in math and establish a solid foundation for students. Join us next week: We want to hear what you think.
In other math related news, you’ve probably heard the phrase “science of reading,” in connection with a nationwide push for a more phonics inspired approach. Now, following staggering post-pandemic declines in math scores comes a nascent “science of math,” movement that calls for more systematic and explicit math instruction, Sharon Lurye of the Associated Press explains.
It’s the latest in our series “The Math Problem,” a project by the Education Reporting Collaborative that is exploring the math crisis facing schools and highlighting attempts to make up lost ground.
In addition (pun intended), we have even more math stories and ideas for you this week. Proof Points columnist Jill Barshay delves into new research around promising math assessments, while Pamela Burdman of Just Equations argues that students deserve a chance to learn up-to-date topics like data science that reflect how math is being used in many fields and industries.
A reminder: We have newsletters on many urgent topics in education: Please remind friends and colleagues to sign up and consider becoming a member.
Liz Willen, Editor
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