National math test scores continue to be disappointing. This poor trend persists in spite of new texts, standardized tests with attached implied threats, or laptops in the class. At some point, maybe we should admit that math, as it is taught currently and in the recent past, seems irrelevant to a large percentage of grade school kids.

Why blame a sixth grade student or teacher trapped by meaningless lessons? Teachers are frustrated. Students check out.

The missing element is reality. Instead of insisting that students learn another sixteen formulae, we need to involve them in tangible life projects. And the task must be interesting.

If we really want kids to learn math and to have the lessons be valuable, we need to change the mode of teaching. Our kids can master the math that most adults need. We can't continue to have class rooms full of math drudges. Instead, we need to change our teaching tactics with real life projects.

Alan Cook
info@thenumberyard.com
www.thenumberyard.com

Math is CRUCIAL in today's world. I agree that more than half of middle school/high school teachers do not teach math in a useful way, so the kids are not really engaging at all. Learning is a choice, so if the kids are taught the significance and meaning behind what the math can accomplish, they would be willing to learn.

I'd agree with Alan Cook and the resident of Martens-Carmelita neighborhood, "Math is CRUCIAL in today's world." Like MVLA Trustee Mitchner, I find, even as a school board member, it is sometimes hard to get hard information out of my district, rather than just 'impressions'. See the recently posted article on my own attempts at getting middle school math information out of MVWSD administrators.

I could not disagree more with "BAD TEACHERS!". In MV middle schools in particular - we have to fight to retain the best math teachers - because they can use their secondary math credentials, to get higher paying jobs in MVLA and PAUSD - which are secondary school districts and are guaranteed more $,$$$ per student fir the state guarantee. ( pretty sure it is on the order of a thousand). And, the leadership at MVWSD, even the Board, has a history of totally ignoring the math teachers curriculum concerns - even when the math teachers have sent a representative to a board meeting - to complain about middle school math tracking (under new Common Core).

We, the public educational leadership, has to improve. In conjunction with the math teaching professionals (our instructional staffs). Hopefully the MVWSD abandonment of tracking in math will accomplish that. I only wish the math teachers - had been more integrated into that planning.

Middle schools - feed the high schools. Bad middle school math learning - may not show up until high school several years later.

SN is a Trustee of the MVWSD these are just his own opinions and observations

Is Jeff Harding seriously blaming special education students for a district-wide drop in scores? Setting aside the fact that it's just plain impossible for 32 students to negate years of attempted reform by an entire district in just one shot, Harding's "suggestion" is unconscionable. As Superintendent he oversees access to education for ALL students in his district. It is his responsibility to be a leader and a role model, conducting a sophisticated analysis of a complex issue and ensuring that everyone in his district values the humanity and potential of every student they serve. Instead, Harding chooses to scapegoat a vulnerable population, giving implicit permission for others to do the same and ignoring the potential for important insights that could lead to real changes and improve the quality of education in the district.

@Appaled I don't think Jeff Haring "is seriously" .... The article is written by a Reporter. A flesh and bones guy. The article is edited by his Editor, a flesh and blood gal. Sometimes their emphasis is unintentional, or confusingly abridged.

If the MVLA Board would make their meetings "21st Century" accessible (web cast anyone there?) you might be able to actually see and hear what was said, for yourself. You will have to wade through the bare audio recording file which is posted here (gee does it even have a time-stamp index to the Agenda?)

Web Link

In years past, I had to do a Public Records Act / Brown Act request, and then they would cut an audio CD (before the recording was erased).

I know in Palo Alto, because of the timing of the test (close to AP exams, SAT, etc.) the majority of students did not take the test at all, opting to spend that time studying for test that actually matter to them.

MVWSD is obsessed with closing the gap between lower and higher achievers.

When you focus on bringing up the bottom, you often fail to pull those at the top up.

This article says that the lower performers did better this past year, and, well, it looks like that gap is getting smaller as the top performers are being ignored and falling down into the middle area.

Success for Rudolph, as this is his #1 goal "close the gap & increase performance of ELL students". Failure for families with higher performing children. Same old MVWSD!

The article says that 22 students enrolled in AP classes chose not to take the test. The year prior, 122 students enrolled in APs chose not to take the test. So this year 100 more AP-enrolled students were included.

I think abstaining from certain tests is more of a Palo Alto phenomenon. Not positive or negative, just something I've noticed.

@Ignoring that gap. I think you are not tracking WHICH cohort of students this is Testing. Many of the students FINISHED going through MVWSD 3 and 4 years ago. They would have been standards-tested in the 2009-2013 years.

Dr. Rudolph was not around then! Only one of the current Board was around then!
What was the GAP in MVWSD in 2009-201? The NY Times reported earlier this year, based on Stanford research, that the MVWSD GAP (White-Latino) was one of the twenty largest in their extensive national data base.

Fiona Walker's legacy, for 8 years on the MVWSD Board. It is not Dr. Rudolph's legacy.

The DATA that will live in Infamy. Same old Trustee Walter, what damage will she do to equity in MVLAHSD?

Your last comment is out of line just like your comment to Superintendent Rudolph at last Thursday's Board meeting was out of line. You post is simply a personal attack on a respected member of the community for which you have no data to support to your biased opinion. Grow up and leave Mountain View schools alone.

It will be up to us to copy Paste