Comments on: The Great Mathematics Experiment: The Other Side of the Coin http://waternoice.com/2009/01/14/the-great-mathematics-experiment-the-other-side-of-the-coin/ Online magazine for Indian Americans in the Bay Area Mon, 21 May 2012 15:29:36 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Unnati http://waternoice.com/2009/01/14/the-great-mathematics-experiment-the-other-side-of-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-2617 Unnati Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:23:59 +0000 http://waternoice.com/?p=1430#comment-2617 Your article has very nicely illustrated the system of Math in the US. While there are positives to be said about the integrated math system, I think that is not the way. The system is akin to telling an architect to 'conceptualize' a building and expect computers and the likes to design the nitty- gritties. There has to be a middle path which can encompass the positive aspects of integrated math and the traditional method. Your article has very nicely illustrated the system of Math in the US. While there are positives to be said about the integrated math system, I think that is not the way. The system is akin to telling an architect to ‘conceptualize’ a building and expect computers and the likes to design the nitty- gritties.

There has to be a middle path which can encompass the positive aspects of integrated math and the traditional method.

]]> By: Ruchika Chandran http://waternoice.com/2009/01/14/the-great-mathematics-experiment-the-other-side-of-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-2615 Ruchika Chandran Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:24:35 +0000 http://waternoice.com/?p=1430#comment-2615 Very informative. Truly brings home how important it is to be involved in, and an advocate for our kids' education! Though arriving at the "right choice" is still by no means easy! Very informative. Truly brings home how important it is to be involved in, and an advocate for our kids’ education! Though arriving at the “right choice” is still by no means easy!

]]> By: Vidya Pradhan http://waternoice.com/2009/01/14/the-great-mathematics-experiment-the-other-side-of-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-2613 Vidya Pradhan Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:15:14 +0000 http://waternoice.com/?p=1430#comment-2613 The first thing I noticed when I moved my child from a private school to a public one in California was the integrated math taught in the latter. It seemed then and still seems an eminently sensible way of teaching math, using real world concepts. Because of the different and indeed wacky way it is taught, however, I have no insight into the way my child thinks about math or how he solves problems of fractions and percentages( ours was a simple and drill based system). As you point out, one lacuna of the system is that it does not reinforce math concepts, which is why my younger child goes to Kumon to get those drilled into her. The other big problem with integrated math is that it requires a fairly good understanding of and expertise in the English language. An immigrant child who might be otherwise very good in Math may be completely stymied by the requirements of putting his thoughts down in an unfamiliar language. One can easily imagine Ramanujam getting a D in integrated math - there are just so many questions that begin with the word "Explain". This problem gets eliminated in the standardized tests as they are multiple choice but there is a chance the kid might be wrongly identified as having a problem with Math during the school year when what he/she really has is a problem with English. The first thing I noticed when I moved my child from a private school to a public one in California was the integrated math taught in the latter. It seemed then and still seems an eminently sensible way of teaching math, using real world concepts. Because of the different and indeed wacky way it is taught, however, I have no insight into the way my child thinks about math or how he solves problems of fractions and percentages( ours was a simple and drill based system).
As you point out, one lacuna of the system is that it does not reinforce math concepts, which is why my younger child goes to Kumon to get those drilled into her.
The other big problem with integrated math is that it requires a fairly good understanding of and expertise in the English language. An immigrant child who might be otherwise very good in Math may be completely stymied by the requirements of putting his thoughts down in an unfamiliar language. One can easily imagine Ramanujam getting a D in integrated math – there are just so many questions that begin with the word “Explain”.
This problem gets eliminated in the standardized tests as they are multiple choice but there is a chance the kid might be wrongly identified as having a problem with Math during the school year when what he/she really has is a problem with English.

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