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