Thread by @advantagejanzen

No single person has done more to set back Math education in Alberta and the development of confident learners ready to tackle the problems of the future than @nhungtrandavies … no wonder she has partnered with the govt on this disastrous new curriculum!
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#AbEd #MathEd

https://twitter.com/nhungtrandavies/status/1510739628336156673

Let me take 1/60 of an hr to dissect this tweet that was designed to mislead and misinform…
She’s a person of science (a medical doctor) but that’s a broad term. I have a BSc so I guess I’m a person of science too but that doesn’t qualify me to speak outside my expertise.
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Unlike the dr, my degrees are in math and education and I have taught math for 15+ yrs. I’m constantly reflecting on what I do, reviewing current research/practices, and tailoring my instruction to the needs of my students. I’m an active learner of the science of math ed.
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While being a person of science does not qualify her to speak about math ed, being connected to the minister and the development of this curriculum does speak to her bias. She has lead the “back to basics” math movement in AB so is a natural fit for a regressive curriculum.
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The use of the word, “committing,” also struck me. This tweet doesn’t actually praise the actual proposed curriculum, just what the minister has said she wants. Weird?! Almost like she isn’t fully committed to what’s actually been developed.
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Now the big one… “math without algorithms.” This is biggest lie, the one she relies on the most. I have taught 1000s of kids math and they all use the basic arithmetic algorithms. They’re all still taught and used. It’s just now evident that they aren’t the be all & end all.
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It is baffling that people argue against teaching kids math in a way that best suits their needs as a learner. The common algorithms work but they might not work best for everyone. Teaching kids different ways (or algorithms) to solve problems IS A GOOD THING!
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Better yet, when we give them the opportunity to use and apply the skills they’ve learned to new situations, we prepare them to face the unknown problems of tomorrow. The basics are necessary but the application of them shouldn’t be restricted.
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Moving on, the standard of excellence is pretty high in AB already. Our math students are among the highest performing in the world. There is always room for improvement but drastic changes to an incredibly successful system doesn’t seem wise. Why go backward and not forward?
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“Back to basics” has always sounded like the antithesis to “progress” to me. Claims of “evidence” are never backed up with actual evidence. Yet there is a vast amount of research supporting differentiation in instruction. I see it anecdotally in my classroom daily as well.
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Finally, limiting math education to learning and performing one strict set of algorithms is the exact opposite of social justice! There is nothing more inequitable than forcing all kids to fit one mould instead of providing multiple opportunities to meet individual needs.
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I love watching kids learn math and am so fortunate to get a front row seat for their light bulb moments. I’m just scared those will be much fewer and farther between as the system regresses to outdated practices and robs kids of the joy of mathematics!
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