The Los Anagle-Les Project Summary

Students in modern high schools are expected to master the fundamental subjects of math, science, english, history, and additional mandated circular classes. Not assuming that high schoolers know exactly what they want to be when they grow up, it is understandable that a basic intelligence of these subjects is necessary, however, once students show interest in a career field, the opportunity to start focusing on the characteristics needed

Chapter 4 describes Tom’s school experience in Pennsylvania and Poland, and discussed the relationship between math and many American students. Tom did not like math and thought he was not good at it. When he was asked to solve a problem in his class in Poland, he tried to make an excuse to avoid going to the board to solve it, which the book hinted typically worked in his American classes. However, he was still asked to solve the problem, which he could not do. The book explained that math is a difficult subject for many American students, and that on the PISA assessment American students score pretty low. Despite the bad reputation of American students being bad at math, the state of Minnesota ranked proficient in math. Overall, the chapter explained why students struggle in math and what Minnesota did to produce high test scores (Ripley, 2013).

This program is appropriate in a diverse, 4th grade general education classroom. The modules are made up of “Topics” and “Lessons” that are aligned to Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Each module provides the foundational standards needed for the lessons (i.e. CCSS from the previous grade), as well as the focus grade level standards. The first module introduces concepts which are then spiraled within the next module’s focus. While the modules are thematic and based on each mathematics domain (base ten numbers, geometry, fractions, data, algebraic thinking), some standards are seen across topics and lessons. Each lesson has allocated time to four major components: fluency practice, concept development, application problems, and student debrief.

The educational system in America has always been a controversial topic of conversation. Whether it be about the different techniques implemented in the classroom or the role and effect the teacher has on the students. Most importantly the struggle we stress on the proper and more efficient way to teach our children. We have set goals for ourselves that would be impossible to reach and Ravich explains in great detail about how the American education system does just this. In Chapter 3 of The Death and Life of the Great American School System, Ravitch focuses on District 2 and their implementation of the concept of balanced literacy and constructivist mathematics.

Differently than some other countries, the United States has no national educational system since each state in the country has its own. However, some research from 1999 and 2006 shows that the American educational system is falling in a national scale. Experts argues that the system is ignoring cognitive and social aspects that are important for children’s development which would further help them for adult life. Studies indicates that the educational system is not achieving the real purpose of education: prepare kids for their personal and professional life. As a result, what could be worse than a school system that limits creativity and fails to develop kids with critical thinking and diverse social skills needed for adult life?

The primary goal of this project was to examine the math bowl and try to improve upon it. After three years of being a member of the Montana tech math club I was given the opportunity to run it. So, with the resources available to the math club, I attempted to organize and promote another math bowl completions. Through running this event I hoped to gain insight on short coming that the math club faced. One of these was the lack of participation from the math club members.

Michael S. Teitelbaum argues in his report, “ The Myth of the Science and Engineering Shortage” that while it may be true that there is an increase in STEM jobs in the US, the fact is for the majority of STEM jobs the wages have been stagnant or declining, indicating that there is no demand for STEM graduates. Teitelbaum continues by stating that it is very simple to claim there is a shortage in STEM by hand-picking specialized fields in STEM that may currently have a shortage due to location and specific years, as a result of changing technology, But to state that all STEM related occupations are experiencing a shortage because a few specialized fields are experiencing a shortage is dangerous as it paints a false a narrative of reality to pursuers’ of STEM degrees. In addition when comparing the unemployment rate of occupations such as registered nurses, physicians, dentists, and lawyers to occupations in STEM, that proponents of STEM have valiantly claimed are experiencing a massive shortage, the unemployment for STEM occupations is staggering. With recent graduates suffering the most with unemployment rates in engineering and computer science above seven percent, as well as an unemployment rate hovering slightly below twelve percent for graduates in information systems ( Teitelbaum). Teitelbaum states that while it may be true that the US is consistently scoring in the middle in international assessments, they are still producing a third of all high-performing students in science and fourteen percent of high-performing students in math. In addition, he states he is not against the push for science and math, as he believes all high school students should be adept in both, but that there is “a big disconnect between this broad educational imperative and

Throughout our entire educational career, we have been endowed with the idea that math and sciences are the sole key to obtaining a steady livelihood. Is this idea a fact, or frankly a mere misconception? Technology has been transforming America’s work industry for decades, blossoming a variety of occupations to specialize in. Because of the rapid growth of technology, many American undergraduates focus solely on specializing in STEM fields. Sanford J. Ungar, the president of Goucher College, stands by a different perspective. Unjar believes that the importance of liberal studies must be emphasized.

“How Are Educators Responding? The New Zealand Ministry of Education dines five key capabilities for living and lifelong learning listed as: Thinking, using language, symbols, and text Managing Self-Relating to others, and Participating and contributing” (Crockett). These required skills can also be found in Common Core. Common Core is what a student, K-12, should know in math and English language arts when they transition to each grade. These standards are frequently found in the college and career world worthless. There is a gap in between what college instructors want from their students because of what Common Core taught. College instructors, according to ACT Inc., found that students in middle and high schools are mainly summarizing author's ideas and analyzing source text, but college instructors want students who can “generate sound ideas - a skill applicable across much broader contexts” (Strauss). This is directly related to what 21st century student’s skills should be. “So, according to the folks we’ve asked, the consensus is that students need transparency-level skills in these areas: Problem solving, Creativity and, Analytic thinking, Collaboration, Communication and, Ethics, action, and accountability” (Strauss). Each particular skill has a reason for being on this list. Problem solving is for situations that we cannot conceive right now. In addition, those who are skilled in this area are more likely to not be watched by the higher up more than others. Creativity is something that Common Core diminishes. If you ask a student what creativity is most responses will be, “expression” or “uniqueness”. This is very important to the first skill because thinking outside the box can help find much better solutions. Collaboration and communication go hand-in-hand. Work forces of the future will all be connected through all

The first indicator is the international comparisons of student achievement. These comparisons revealed that on 19 academic tests American students were never first or second and, in comparison with other industrialized nations, were last seven times. The second indicator is that almost 23 million American adults and about 13 percent of all 17-year-olds in the United States can be considered functionally illiterate. Third, the College Board’s Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT) demonstrate a virtually unbroken decline from 1963 to 1980. The average verbal scores fell over 50 points and average mathematics scores dropped nearly 40 points. Fourth, many 17-year-olds do not possess the “higher order” intellectual skills we should expect of them. Nearly 40 percent cannot draw inferences from written material; only one-fifth can write a persuasive essay; and only none-third can solve a mathematics problem requiring several steps. And lastly, business and military leaders complain that they are required to spend millions of dollars on costly remedial education and training programs in such basic skills as reading, writing, spelling, and computation. The Department of the Navy, for example, reported to the Commission that one-quarter of its recent recruits cannot read at the ninth-grade level, the minimum needed simply to understand written safety instructions. Without remedial work, they cannot even begin, much less complete, the sophisticated training essential in much of the modern

A classroom with a critical and creative thinking environment provides opportunities for higher-level thinking within authentic and meaningful contexts, complex problem solving, open-ended responses, and cooperation and interaction. Many students see math as right or wrong and they don’t question or explore more. As a future math teacher, I want students to learn to question, be critical, and be creative. I want my future students to feel engage in exploration and investigation. I want to equip my students with higher levels of thinking and engagement and make mathematics more relevant and meaningful.

Interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is thinning for women as they progress into higher levels. Women in grades 7-12 were surveyed to see if their interest in STEM fields were diminishing. According to Van Leuvan, this survey showed that there was a decline in interest as these girls progress through high school. Throughout middle school and junior high a love for mathematics can be developed. However, a loss of interest is present as soon as girls hit more demanding classes like calculus. Grades will highly diminished and a fear for comprehension of mathematics in the future will develope. According to the article “Women and Minorities in Engineering” a major outlook on success from students is their ability to understand calculus.

Today’s world economies are so tied together and react to one another that only the brightest and smartest will survive. The better educated a student is in the specific career that they have chosen to earn a degree in will give them the educated edge so that they can out compete with foreign markets. President Barack Obama said "In this kind of economy, countries who out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow. Already, China is graduating eight times as many engineers as we are. By 12th grade, our children score lower on math and science tests than most other kids in the world,” (“Full”). American colleges need to do a better job at improving math and science scores so that the graduating student can better compete in the world market Asian countries are continuously outperforming American students. Gary W. Phillips, chief scientist at the American Institutes of Research said “In this case, the bad news trumps the good because our Asian economic competitors are winning the race to prepare students in math and science,” (Dillon). The better colleges prepare students to edge out competitors in the world market needs to be their priority.

Most students of contemporary generations can recall yearly feasts of circular confections, such as pie, cookies, and maybe spherical fruit, donated by more health-conscious parents. On March 14th in schools all over America, math teachers are sure to be celebrating the irrational number pi, approximated to 3.14, which gives rise to indispensable formulas such as the area of a circle or volume of a sphere. Measuring the circumference of a cookie cake may seem like a harmless festive activity, but it contributes to a celebration that feeds into an imbalance in the American education system. The existence of this math-centered holiday shows that schools revere STEM, a catch-all acronym for science, technology, engineering and math, but other uncelebrated subjects may not be regarded so highly. The popular celebration of Pi Day in American schools reflects how increased emphasis on STEM education is linked to the de-emphasis of the visual arts in U.S. public school systems to the detriment of students. When students are denied art classes, they are denied a comprehensive education.

A STEM education is a necessity in the United States because the country is lacking knowledgeable people in such fields. However, one is better equipped for multiple job and career positions with the addition of a liberal arts education. It is nearly impossible to transition to different careers with only vocational training. In 2003, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development studied math and science literacy among fifteen year olds. The United States was ranked number twenty-four in math literacy (Drew 27). They are behind countries such as Finland, Slovak Republic, and Hungary. Likewise, the United States was ranked number nineteen in science literacy (Drew 27). It is obvious that the country is behind. STEM education needs to be reformed at the secondary and post-secondary levels of schooling. Katrina Trinko, a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors, agrees that more emphasis should be placed on STEM education; however, this emphasis should not be at the sacrifice of a good liberal arts education. She writes, “Even technology wizards can become more innovative with a solid background in liberal arts” (Trinko 6). A liberal arts education is beneficial to people in all career fields.