CER Op-ed

THE OLD MATH
By Jeanne Allen
From Time to Time: Nando's in-depth look at the 20th century, Scripps Howard News Service, April 26, 2000

        I'm a parent and I'm relieved. This past week, the National Council of Teachers of Math (NCTM) retreated on its hard-line stance that understanding concepts is more important than basic fluency in mathematical computations.

        Since my oldest son is among the majority of children who do well in computation but fail to grasp lengthy word problems and fuzzy lessons, I'm enormously relieved. The NCTM retreat means that textbook publishers, standards setters and, one hopes, teachers, will put more emphasis on getting our kids to know their addition, multiplication and division facts so that they can more aptly apply them quickly and from memory in any number of situations. The release of the revised math standards by NCTM means that there could be less concentration in math books on pictures, word games and even multicultural exercises intended to let us know how other civilizations live and work, which of course has never been a necessary part of mathematics.

        The NCTM move also means that I may not have to fight with my third grader the next time he says, "Mom, can I have a calculator?" The last time I said no, I had to write a note to the teacher because he thought he would get in trouble for not using one.

        I am relieved, but I'm only cautiously optimistic. You see, most schools in the United States already are using books that are heavily dominated by NCTM's policies. In fact, the textbooks under review for adoption next year at my children's school are NCTM-fat. On top of that, the debacle with history standards a few years ago is illustrative. Those voluntary, "national" standards that warranted a 99-1 resolution against them in the U.S. Senate and the ire of even the well-balanced secretary of education, Richard Riley, still had an influence on how history is being taught. At my organization, we still get calls from teachers looking for copies of THE national history standards.

        Some long-time critics of NCTM's fuzzy math proscriptions wonder if there's not just a little bit of lip service being paid to traditional math proponents. After all, if they really wanted to emphasize that correct answers in math are the most important thing, and that drill and basic skills are not dirty words, the latest NCTM document would emphasize "in bold letters that it is important for basic skills to be learned," says Brookings Institute scholar Tom Loveless.

        Even so, though, I am relieved. The warring math factions have for the last year or so been at loggerheads. The less-funded traditional math folks have seemingly always curried less favor with the establishment, though we parents just love them. And yet, for all the name calling by the fuzzy folks and their indignation that their values were questioned, this move proves the squeaky wheel theory, and that, to use another cliché, you can fight city hall - and win.

        Even better is that parents, teachers and concerned citizens nationwide now have even more evidence to offer their schools and curriculum directors.

        We can now state with full certainty and the backing of NCTM that fuzzy math is no longer the preferred approach, and that perhaps there are math programs and books available that will better help our children gain the math skills and knowledge they need to achieve.

        The job now falls to parents to make sure this information is relayed to decision makers in their schools and to demand that their educators impart basic, in-depth math skills before turning to more esoteric goals. So for the power to do that, I'm relieved, but I'm still keeping the pressure on.

For more information on the latest battles in math curriculum, see Math Wars.

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Jeanne Allen is president of The Center for Education Reform, a national, independent, nonprofit advocacy organization based in Washington, DC and a mother of four school-aged children. 
        Founded in 1993, the Center provides support and guidance to individuals, community and civic groups, policy-makers and others who are working to bring fundamental reforms to their schools.

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