[MOSAIC] suzanne & everyday math

[Marjory Forbes]

I have to agree with Lori's thoughts.  My system uses Math Trailblazers, 
the third of the three "reform math curricula" funded by NSF. Knowing 
the spiral is very important, as with so many programs, there is too 
much to do in a year.  If each teacher or grade level independently  
decides to skip a lesson or unit, there could be large gaps in 
children's knowledge, or missing essential knowledge for a future grade, 
which makes people think that the kids aren't learning with whatever 
program is being used.

We also have definitely found many teachers lacking in mathematical 
understanding which impacts both decisions about what to leave out and 
good teaching in the lessons they do. We originally thought that this 
was more of an issue for older teachers who had never been taught this 
way, but we are finding lack of understanding of younger teachers as well.

That being said, I also believe that teachers should have freedom to 
make thoughtful, informed decisions about supplementing or changing some 
lessons.

Margie


>  Our teachers are struggling to trust  sprialed curriculum, insistent upon immediate mastery and supplementing with drill, drill, drill.  The results, our kids aren't doing well and very few classrooms made it through more than three investigations.  How can we be sure if it truly MI that is failing our kids, as many teachers who would like to go back to rote memorization and worksheets in long supply, or is a comibnation of a failure to implement the curriculum in combination with a lack of deep mathematical understandings as a teacher?