| All states across the United States require standards | | | | trying to cover too much within one year, noting that |
| that must be met in different subjects by specific | | | | some states require even more. |
| grades, especially in reading and math. End of year | | | | Council Executive Director Jim Rubillo points out that |
| testing is required for specific grades to ensure | | | | too many mandatory math concepts taught means |
| schools and students are meeting these standards. | | | | very little in-depth learning by the students. They may |
| The concern is that states, including the Arizona | | | | be able to pass a test at the end of the year, but it is |
| schools, are trying to teach everything at once to | | | | doubtful that many students will carry the concepts |
| students, with teachers losing the ability to teach the | | | | into higher learning without the repetition and in-depth |
| important math concepts in depth. Otherwise, students | | | | instruction required. Too many concepts to teach |
| are learning a little about everything (just enough to | | | | leaves no time for in-depth instruction. |
| pass state tests) but not enough to actually use in the | | | | The council also released new recommendations for |
| real world. | | | | curriculum focal points. The recommendations narrow |
| Many educators in the Arizona schools are | | | | the focus to just three math concepts at each grade |
| concerned that they are being forced to teach for | | | | level with all instruction for each grade built around |
| testing, rather than real in-depth learning that is needed | | | | them. The council hopes states will enter into a |
| in higher grades and college. | | | | discussion on this issue and consider their |
| For example, the Arizona schools require second | | | | recommendations. |
| graders to know 77 math concepts by the end of that | | | | The Arizona schools begin revision of their math |
| grade. That is a lot of concepts, and teachers are | | | | standards next spring and are considering the council's |
| given no guidance from the Arizona schools on which | | | | recommendations, according to Mary Knuck, state |
| concepts are the most important. That means that | | | | director of standards for the Arizona schools. If the |
| equal importance is given to all, and all must be | | | | Arizona schools follow the council's recommendations, |
| sufficiently taught. In order to do this, Arizona schools | | | | it would mean a major overhaul of their current |
| would need to create mandatory day-by-day lesson | | | | standards and testing methods. |
| plans, which they have not done. | | | | The real challenge for Arizona schools teachers |
| The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is a | | | | currently is not the vast array of standards that must |
| highly influential organization, whose recommendations | | | | be taught; however, the real challenge is to teach math |
| are followed by most educators. Almost all math | | | | for both real world applications and standardized |
| textbooks for kindergarten through eighth grade | | | | testing. It must make sense in the real world, or it is |
| reference the council, also aligning with their | | | | wasted. Yet, Arizona schools students must be able to |
| recommendations. | | | | have instant recall in order to answer state test |
| In a report released in September, the council agrees | | | | questions correctly. |
| with many Arizona schools educators that the state is | | | | |