Math program not north vs. south

Tue, 07/01/2008 - 3:56pm
By: Letters to the ...

Last week, I wrote a letter for the “Free Speech” section regarding the University of Chicago Math Curriculum.

Even though it may offend some that I am referring to a “Northern” curriculum, I feel strongly about this math program, so I am writing back, this time including my name.

There are upwards of 4 million students using ”Chicago Math,” and it is tested and implemented in the South, not just the North.

I have no experience with it in Southern schools, but my children used it for before moving to South Carolina in 2004, and it is exceptional.

To clarify for madmike of PTC, I am not from Chicago, neither of my children ever went to school in Illinois, and I am not going back home — I am home.

I lived in several states in the Midwest because my husband’s job has transferred us nine times in the past 20 years. I learned new things in each place I lived, but I was never told to “go home.”

I actually took this as a compliment; it meant that I was contributing to my community rather than just sitting around and complaining.

While I am not a native Georgian, I live here, I love it here, and I want to see the state and its children do well.

When I see that the math curriculum is struggling and I hear teachers, parents, and students frustrated with the changes and lack of progress, what kind of person would I be to not try and help?

It is free advice; take it for what it is worth, but pushing people and their ideas away simply because they were born north of the Mason-Dixon Line is no smarter than refusing a drink because it is in the wrong colored glass. There is a big difference between pride and prejudice.

If you really want to peeve the “Yankees,” knock them out of their top slots in math on standardized tests and score higher than “them” on the SAT.

We don’t need to recreate the wheel. For more information go to: http://socialsciences.uchicago.edu/ucsmp/.

Vicki Lynn LeClaire

Fayetteville, Ga.

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Submitted by MYTMITE on Thu, 07/03/2008 - 4:13am.

As an indication of the way all of us feel. As I said in an earlier answer to the 'gentleman' who suggested you go home--everyone came from somewhere. Welcome, and I hope you are enjoying your home in Georgia. My children and my grandchildren are way past school age, but anyone should be willing to accept an idea given in good faith. Sometimes people let their mouths (or in this case, their fingers) overload their brains. I apologize for them.

Submitted by wildcat on Tue, 07/01/2008 - 4:12pm.

I think we did use it in this county. I believe my children went through it during the time frame of the late 80s/early 90s. Maybe someone else (with a better memory) will write in. Is it the one that has the "real life application" problems? And the family project problems at the end of each section?

Submitted by NeedtoKnow on Tue, 07/01/2008 - 6:10pm.

Yeah, that's what my kids had for awhile in Fayette County schools (most of the way through elementary school for all of them). What a joke. Let's teach kids the most difficult way to solve a problem, why don't we? Fortunately, my kids were bright enough to overcome the issues with "Everyday Math."

The next math curriculum seemed to be much better. I'm not sure what happened to make them discard it. But none of the high schoolers I know are thrilled with the new math system they are implementing at that level. Instead of Algebra, Calculus and Trig, they get Math 1, Math 2, Math 3? Yeah, colleges just LOVE that.

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