CHANGE INITIATIVE
By Phillip Antonino
FAMOUS QUOTE
“The Math curriculum that we have
just does not seem to be right”.
Math teacher,
Laney High School, August, 2002
WE NEED A NEW MATH
CURRICULUM
• What is currently wrong?
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Too many courses.
No standardization.
Algebra IA (the “recycle bin”) and IB are not working.
Too many honors courses.
SAT Prep being underutilized.
Scores are too low.
Too much segregation of students.
Curriculum actually contributes to “The Gap”. We have
created “Class Gap”.
- Some teachers like the status quo for their own selfish
interests. “I refuse to teach on-level courses.”
The status quo is not working
25-15-9
• 25 – number of Math courses
recommended by our state.
• 15 – number of Math courses taught
at Laney High School.
• 9 – number of Math courses taught
at Souhegan High School.
Too many courses
INEQUALITIES
• New Hanover County’s
curriculum does not
equal Pender County’s
• Within NHC, Laney’s
curriculum does not
equal Hoggard’s.
No standardization
ALGEBRA IA and IB
• Algebra IA is essentially a broken “recycle bin”.
• Algebra IB is essentially an on-level Algebra I
where the majority of the students are the
minority. “Class Gap”.
• We have low expectations for IA. “If you have
over half your students passing, then you are
doing something wrong”.
• EOC Gamesmanship. Algebra IA is our easy way
of hiding low level students from the EOC.
• This concept is not recognized by the state.
Are we really doing what
is best for our students?
“DO WE REALLY NEED ALL
OF THESE HONORS
CLASSES?”
• Honors courses just continue to create
“Class Gap” which contributes to “The
Gap”.
• We have also created a new status of
teachers – the Honors Teachers.
• All of our classes should be taught with
high expectations, and high standards.
Too many honors courses
SAT PREP
• We do not market this course at all.
• This course has a reputation of being “a
waste of time”. Few students wants to
take it. Nobody wants to teach it.
• Why does our school offer summer school
SAT Prep at cost?
• SAT Prep should be encouraged, and sold
to all college bound students especially
those students identified through PSAT.
• This is a measurable event.
SAT Prep is underutilized
RECENT MATH SCORES
Our School/County/State
• Algebra I – 74.9/79.2/80.0
• Geometry – 70.0/71.1/67.2
• Algebra II – 81.5/81.6/79.5
Are you satisfied with these scores?
“CLASS GAP”
• The majority of our on-level classes
is the minority.
• Certain teachers have become the
“Honors Level” teachers.
• Honors classes go against the grain
of inclusion.
Too many honors classes
TO FIX OR NOT TO FIX?
• Start with review of national standards.
• State curriculum needs changed. Too
much duplication, and out of touch with
reality.
• County curriculum needs changed. We
should at least be standardized within the
county.
Shame on us!
National Council of
Teachers of Mathematics
(NTCM)
• Content Standards
– Numbers and
Operations
– Algebra
– Geometry
– Measurement
– Data Analysis and
Probability
• Process Standards
– Problem Solving
– Reasoning and
Proof
– Communication
– Connections
– Representations
Excellent set of standards
MY PROPOSAL
12 COURSES
(*state recommended courses)
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*Pre-Algebra
*Algebra I
*Geometry
*Algebra II
*Precalculus
*AP Stats
*AP Calculus
• *Technical Math I
• *Technical Math II
• *Advanced
Functions
• *Discrete Math
• SAT Prep
Less broad, and richer
JUSTIFICATION
• Change Algebra IA/IB package to PreAlgebra, and Algebra I.
• Eliminate our “Class Gap“ by eliminating
Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra II, and
Honors Discrete.
• Overall – better class balance across the
board. Create a level the learning field.
Low cost, and high impact changes
JUSTIFICATION
CONTINUED
• Focus of effort continues to be on college
bound students.
• More emphasis on SAT Prep.
• Discrete Math as a higher level elective as
an alternative to Precalculus and Advanced
Functions.
• Continue with alternate Technical Math I
and II options. This is good.
• Natural guard against “Honors Teachers”.
Again – low cost, high impact changes
PROPOSED PATHWAYS
Pre-Algebra
Algebra I
Technical Math I
Geometry
Technical Math II
Algebra II
SAT Prep
Advanced Functions
Discrete Math
*Pre-Calculus
**AP Calculus
**AP Stats
*Recommend Pre-Calculus remain as honors level course.
**Recommend Calc and Stats remain as AP level courses.
Clear and concise
ANTICIPATED
RESISTANCE
• EOC Gamesmanship. Fear that Algebra I
scores will drop. “I think the opposite will
happen”.
• Loss of honors courses and the artificial
boost to the GPA. “GPA scores are
currently over inflated. This will serve to
bring us back to reality”.
We need to do what is best for our students
ANTICIPATE
RESISTANCE continued
• Some teachers will be required to
step out of their comfort zone.
“This will help level the teaching
playing field, and provide a natural
counter to low level teaching
“burnout”.
One team of teachers