Textbook review in Stafford

Math Textbook Review – There is a concern & some irregularities. The state has (9) books to review, which are on display up at George Mason University. Stafford only has (6) of the (9). The three we don’t have are all Traditional Math. The six we do have are all “Reform Math”. Why is that? Unless we can get the Traditional books to review, all we have to choose from is “Reform Math, Reform Math or Reform Math”.

It is surprising that Central Office only obtained “Reform Math” books- since the School Board on many occasions over the last five years have said they want to look at other alternatives. Additionally, the state has not approved the book list yet. They do that after they determine the books meet all the VA SOL requirements. The states final approval will not be until May 2011. Stafford should not be picking a book until the state approves them. Neighboring counties take up to a year to review new books. We have a month? Something is not right. More information to follow soon about the “irregularities”.

Kay was not aware of all the details. Dana (myself) contacted the publishers. One of them told me Stafford has been designated a Reform Math District for K-5 and that’s why only those types of books were sent. The state said they certainly didn’t do it. The same publisher sent Tradtional Math books to the middle schools in Stafford, just not K-5. Another publisher told me the decision to send Reform Math books rather than Traditional Math books was based on many conversations between the publisher and two members of Stafford Central Office staff. One publisher was aware the School Board wanted to look at other options, one was not. Bottom line is choice has been taken away.

Before we can determine which program is best – BOTH need to be reviewed. How can one say one is better than the other, until they have looked at both? We have been robbed of choice.

I spent at least 4 hours today examining the top three preferred elementary Math textbooks. If you look only at how multi-digit multiplication is taught you will see that one book is clearly traditional and procedural in its approach. One is somewhat in the middle between procedurally driven and deeper standards-based instruction. The third is what I consider to be standards-based because it allows for students to make sense of the math as it reinforces the concepts behind the procedure. The math hasn’t changed, but how we approach it needs to change. Dana, we do have a choice, and in the end I hope Stafford County will do what is right for our students, not going back to 1950′s era way of teaching.

I am not silent. I do speak what I feel. I do however understand that as students move into higher math, it does become more procedural. I know that what I do in elementary develops the understanding that students need in order to be successful with those procedures. I know this based on the research I studied during my recent graduate courses in the teaching of Mathematics.

It is fortunate for your daughter that she is so bright. Do know that she is the exception, not the rule.

Finally, I also want people to realize that teachers use textbooks as a resource, not their curriculum. Changing our textbook will not change the way I am teaching math, just one of the resources I am using to do so.

I wish my fellow committee members (above) would use their real names. There are no “Kay’s, Bea’s or Glenn”s on the committee roster. Records are kept of all those who attend.