Wednesday, January 17, 2001
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Wednesday, January 17, 2001 |
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Math recommendation coming Monday By PAT NEWMAN
A recommendation for new math textbooks will be made to the Fayette County Board of Education at its Jan. 22 meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. This proposal comes after nearly a year of extensive study and review by a committee composed of teachers, administrators, school board members, parents and a representative from the community, plus a district office representative. According to Kay Seabolt, math coordinator for Fayette County schools, the committee "looked at everything available" and went into the process with no preconceived ideas and a "clean slate." The local process of selecting new textbooks for students in grades kindergarten through 12 coincides with the state Board of Education math textbook review that occurs in seven-year cycles. The state committee chooses the textbooks and programs it will fund, and in turn makes those selections known to county school districts. Last March, Fayette County schools' math textbook adoption committee looked at the elements of a good mathematics program and the components of good math instruction. "The committee developed the Fayette County Philosophy of Mathematics, which in turn guided the textbook selection process," Seabolt explained. Two committees were formed in August, one for elementary and one for middle school and high school, to further the adoption process. "We began by studying the results of a parent, community and teacher survey that asked for input into what was wanted in a mathematics textbook. We then went through a process for looking carefully at how specific skills were developed through a grade level, and then from grade level to grade level. Through this process, the textbooks were narrowed down and put out in the schools for input from the teachers and the community," Seabolt said. At the elementary level, measurement was selected as the subject area to be traced from kindergarten through fifth grade. Pages were duplicated out of the books, according to Seabolt, and reviewed. "We looked at which books did the best job," she said. The same process was done for middle schools with graphing. The field was narrowed from seven to four, which include publishers SBG Silver Burdett, McGraw Hill, HBJ Harcourt Brace and Chicago Everyday Math for elementary schools. These texts are now on display at area schools for review and evaluation. High school text publishers include Glencoe, Holt, McDougal and Prentice Hall. Elementary books are evaluated on appropriate problem solving skills, how the text correlates with the quality core curriculum and county curriculum, the adequacy of practice provided, real life applications, user-friendliness, how assessments match objectives and what suggestions are provided for remediation and enrichment. The higher level books are reviewed in similar fashion. Seabolt said she and the committee are happy with the recommendations to be presented to the board Monday night. The next step must include a public review period and approval of funding.
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