Susan Gilkerson, a math teacher in South Dakota, addressed the state education board about the new proposed math standards. She criticized the 36-page proposal for being inadequate, arguing that it lacks guidance for teachers on teaching essential concepts like the Pythagorean theorem. Gilkerson believes the current standards provide specific skills students need to demonstrate understanding, while the new standards do not.
Joseph Graves, South Dakota’s education secretary, defended the proposal, emphasizing the need for simplification. He claims that the existing standards are overly complex, confusing teachers and parents. The proposed standards were influenced by new model math standards from the National Association of Scholars, a conservative organization. These new standards aim to remove Common Core math, which has faced criticism since its introduction in 2009.
The National Association of Scholars argues that Common Core has complicated math education and reduced rigor. Their new standards emphasize memorization and concise language. They contrast a 67-word Common Core standard with a 24-word version in their Archimedes Standards. Supporters of Common Core argue that reducing the standards’ length removes valuable information for teachers.
The debate over math standards echoes previous controversies over the Common Core, which was initially adopted by most states but faced backlash. Critics from both conservative and liberal groups have opposed the standards for various reasons. While some states have revised or dropped them, the Archimedes Standards propose an alternative vision, emphasizing clarity and simplicity.
Jonathan Gregg, who authored the new standards, argues that simplicity allows teachers to adapt standards to their classrooms. The Archimedes Standards also prohibit calculators in lower grades and focus on traditional learning methods.
In South Dakota, the math standards proposal has drawn criticism, with an education department survey showing mostly negative feedback. Teachers and university professors have expressed concerns. However, some educators appreciate the simplicity, believing it eases new teachers’ understanding.
Once finalized, the new standards will include an expanded version with more details, although concerns remain about their quality. Some researchers argue that simplifying standards may not lead to more effective teaching.
The proposed standards in South Dakota will face a final vote after a public hearing in May. The National Association of Scholars hopes to influence other states, with Louisiana already consulting them on their own math standards revision.
Source: The Hechinger Report
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https://hechingerreport.org/social-studies-standards-conservative-activists-math/
