Comments on: Report: Shortage of Algebra I teachers is missing from the equation

By: Sherry

Sherry — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:06:19 +0000

Algebra is unnessacary to teach to everyone. The only proffessionals that it is a “nessecity” for is a scientist, mathematician, and very few engineers: civil or structural. Otherwise, forcing students in colleges, especially to learn algebra is a waste of thier time and hard earn money for some. The only reason why colleges make it a “need” is to test their own professors on their intilligence to teach.
So, when was the last time you seen an English Lit. professor teach algebra or use it?

By: State law lets districts pay math and science teachers more - The Education Report - Katy Murphy covers what’s going on in the Oakland schools

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:47:45 +0000

[...] The legislation seems to be an effort to recruit more math and science teachers to public school classrooms; lawmakers said the shortage could reach 33,000 in the next 10 years, and that was before the new eighth-grade Algebra I requirement. [...]

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:30:46 +0000

I would have to agree that finding middle school math teachers is hard. Math can be a difficult subject to both understand and teach. However, if the center is recommending 80 hours of training, and 80 hours of follow-up instruction, they should have a general idea of how to teach. Also, I think it should be required and not just recommended.

By: Camp Mawks

Camp Mawks — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:11:05 +0000

Camp Mawks in Mammoth Lakes is a small math and astronomy summer residence camp for youth. No one teaching at Camp Mawks has a “subject matter credential in mathematics” and we see this as part of California’s problem. We do have PHD’s and MS’s in mathematics, physics or EE. We teach to small groups in a non competitive environment. The camp is sponsored by the Glades Institute.

We do have a few full and partial need based scholarships available, one for the July 27th session. Visit us online at http://www.gladesinstitute.com

By: Juliana Jones

Juliana Jones — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:20:51 +0000

Katy, I really like that you go to CFTL and the Center View as a resource.

By: Jake

Jake — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:18:21 +0000

Nextset, I have asked you several direct questions about your arguments. I’ve questioned you about your analysis, and about your tone. I’ve read this forum for a long time now, and it concerns me that you routinely interrupt useful dialogue to insert sarcastic, dismissive remarks.

I am not sure why my comments seem emotional to you. I’ve been criticizing your comments, because I find them unhelpful and disrespectful, but I’m not angry about it. Does it upset you to be criticized?

By: Nextset

Nextset — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:44:47 +0000

Jake: You really have issues here, that’s too bad. Are you a teacher? Are you a student? This must be really difficult for you.

One of the things most striking about children educated in a “liberal” environment is their inability to participate in public discourse. They have been conditioned to shout down any point of view they don’t like – and make personal attacks on the other speakers. It is a primary vehicle for them.

You clearly have this trait. Which is why I suspect you are young and immature – at least career-wise.

Your posts have been different from the others in that respect.

Until I see something about your background that indicates that you have anything to say based on experience in life I just can’t bring myself to take you seriously enought to engage you.

Your emotion (another feature of the immature) in blogging is kind of charming but it gets in the way of discourse.

Adults have less emotion and more point of view. You rant – and you rant against individuals not against ideas. You seem to believe your emotion makes you important. Not in discourse.

I hope you aren’t a teacher but that’s the way it goes. People who couldn’t make it in industry are attracted to certain occupations. Anyway, until I see something more useful in viewpoint exchange I don’t take you seriously. Maybe someone else will engage you.

Back to the thread. There was already a shortage of Math teachers. Requiring much more math for all students should break the bank here. There will be fewer math teachers for any of the districts. It follows that only the wealthier districts will end up with the math teachers. So this new policy is unlikely to advance math progress in the schools unless a way to teach is developed that required less teachers – or uses non-math teachers in a way that moves things along. Thus my thought about the necessity of using more visual aids and fewer teachers to move the subject.

It’s my position that the US (and the world?) is heading into a depression – the “greater” depression – not just a recession. School budgets aren’t going to improve in real dollars and there will be a need to do more with less – to triage if you will. It’s typical of the politicians to claim that we are going to embark on grand new labor-intensive programs to do what’s never been done before – bring higher math to the masses.

Sounds just like the totalitarian regimes of the mid 20th Century. Entertain the people…

By: jake

jake — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:51:00 +0000

Nextset, please explain how you can simultaneously know so little about the Algebra course contents as to wonder if it could be taught by video, and also argue that driver’s ed and “training classes” (which I assume you mean to be vocational courses) are more important?

From this, and your vapid analysis of the “sellers (sic) market for the workers,” you reveal yourself to have little working knowledge of the topic on which you are opining.

So are you simply aiming for snark and smugness? Are you, in fact, trolling for people to argue with?

If so, it’s boring. Please stop. If not, it’s still boring. Please think honestly about whether your post is a valuable contribution before adding it to this forum.

By: Nextset

Nextset — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:46:34 +0000

By inflating the “need”, the new rules will create even more of a sellers market for the workers (algebra teachers). They will be able to change jobs perhaps by turning into a different driveway on the way to work if they become unhappy with their working conditions. And don’t think the school can prevent it with a contract. Unsafe working conditions can be cited to break employment contracts.

Therefore urban or ghetto schools may not be able to hire and keep qualified math teachers, they will be gone to higher class school districts the first time their cars are vandalized – or they are beaten or assaulted at school – or maybe just cursed at? And I suspect cursing may occur as the stress builds up.

I think OUSD had best seriously explore the Internet and DVD instruction program options – supplemented by triaged live instruction.

I can still argue that driver’s ed and training classes (among other things) for all are more important to OUSD than Algebra for all. Advanced classes in math are expensive and should be reserved for those who want it – but basic education (for basic functioning in society) is not as expensive and should be provided for all. What Arnold and Co are doing will deplete the budgets without making the majority of OUSD (for example) students more employable.

Brave New World.

By: realist

realist — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:05:11 +0000

DVC teaches a number of math classes, including Algebra, various levels, online. Perhaps something can be modeled after this? I’m not sure if middle schoolers can take community college courses, although i know high schoolers can.

here are the links for beginning and intermediate algebra classes online (although online has its own challenges and may not work for every student):

http://dvc.edu/schedule/record_detailSU08.asp?keySection=5015Summer2008Mathematics

http://dvc.edu/schedule/record_detailSU08.asp?keySection=5014Summer2008Mathematics