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More Math a Must

“America's schools are not producing the math excellence required for global economic leadership and homeland security in the 21st century.” According to the No Child Left Behind Legislation, we have a challenge to meet in mathematics education today.  As technology advances at an incredible rate, we see that the mathematics achievement of our students has not.  The GOALS 2000 legislation set goals for mathematics and science. Specifically, “by the year 2000, United States students will be first in the world in mathematics and science achievement. “  Sadly, that is far from true. 

We all agree that more of our students need to achieve more success in mathematics.  I propose that one way to improve student success in mathematics is increased personal communication with the teacher through learning logs and personal, immediate feedback using individual whiteboards.  We as math teachers can use writing and feedback strategies to improve our students’ abilities to communicate mathematics and to increase their depth of understanding of the content itself. 

Writing forces a student to meet his understanding, or lack thereof, face to face.  When explaining concepts on a blank page, one sees the gaps in comprehension or has evidence of one’s full comprehension.  Writing allows the student a private place to either demonstrate his learning or request feedback.  Writing assignments can be a safe haven for those students who are too shy, limited in English or uncomfortable speaking aloud in class.  When forced to write, a student cannot nod compliantly when his neighbor explains the concept, but must engage himself in the process.  As the student reflects, synthesizes, acts upon and interacts with the concepts through writing, he truly imbeds his learning or determines what remains to be learned.

Writing allows the student to take ownership of his learning.  And it is in this ownership that empowerment resides.

The flip side of writing for increased awareness and comprehension for the student is the opportunity for feedback from the teacher.  As students receive personal communication from the teacher on the specific misinformation found in their writings, they may refine and deepen their understanding of the content.  The student gets specific help in the area that he needs; help that is uniquely responsive to his work.  As the teacher analyzes the work of her students, she also gains information on the level of class achievement and needs.  From this information she is better able to design remediation or extension lessons.