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Monday, May 16, 2005
New Math and Diahann Carroll
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So the state school board approved an integrated math curriculum. Gotta love the eduspeak. Here’s a blurb from my colleague Mary MacDonald’s story explaining what that is:
**The new math standards for Georgia high schools will require teachers to weave elements of algebra, geometry, statistics and other topics into their classes, instead of teaching them as separate branches of math.
The curriculum, which will be phased in over several years, is based on a Japanese model not commonly found in the United States.
James Pratt, the high school math supervisor for Cobb County, said the integrated approach is common sense. “The way that we deal with math on an everyday basis anyway is not, ‘Oh, this is an algebra thing. This is a geometry thing.’ It’s math,” said Pratt, who served on the committee that revised the standards. “This will allow students to see those connections.”**
Integrating is tricky. The Gwinnett district tried integrating the social studies curriculum several years ago, but it had to abandon the idea after other school districts and textbook publishers didn’t jump on board. That’s not to say integrated math won’t work. It’s a statewide curriculum, and there seems to be support from informed sources.
Integrated math: thumbs up or thumbs down?
P.S. On an unrelated note, no offense to Diahann Carroll, who received an honorary degree from Spelman on Sunday, but what is the deal with honorary degrees??? Are they a slap in the face to those who attended classes and actually earned their degree?
