Taking Math Matters into your own hands

EDITOR: The truth is that most of our children are failing in Math and apparently no one else cares about this. The high officials send their own children to the few elite schools where the students pass Math. Some say that if there is a good Math teacher in the other schools, they are usually transferred to the elite schools. Additionally, although the Math teachers ask for more teaching time, additional text, workbooks, printing services, tests, equipment and priority in scheduling, their cries go unheard.

Some administrators do not expect the students to pass Math and this self-fulfilling prophesy works. Sometimes teachers organize extra classes, but the administrators do not use their influence to require the students to attend. Lack of exposure to Math and Science by administrators limits their understanding of what is required in those areas and results in inadequate planning for those subjects.

Consequently, many parents are taking Math matters into their own hands. They send their children to private lessons. They teach their children what they know. Times tables, addition, subtraction, multiplication, long division, mental math, logic, reasoning and more are taught. Khan academy, YouTube and other websites are utilized.

The unknown quantity of the Math performance of our students is being kept from those who should know. What officials, schools and teachers are doing about the poor Math performance is another unknown quantity. If we do not know where we are, where we are going and what we should do to get there, we are doomed to making the same Math mistakes.

So, should parents be left to fend for themselves and their children in the matter of Math? Those who have a role to play in this equation need to come forward so that we can prevent the recurring decimal of Math failure.

Anthony G. Stewart, PhD