During the school deliberative session, a resident (37:00) in Pelham presented a warrant article to adopt Singapore Math. In part 1, I explained how this was not a bad idea. In fact, it’s better than continuing down the failed path set for students in the school district.
What math program would Pelham be replacing ? Reveal Math. Reveal Math is the $96k Common Core aligned math program chosen for Pelham students.
Here’s what you should know about Reveal Math:
1) Reveal makes a commitment to DEI. Reveal math is focused on the failed fad of DEI as a priority.
2) Reveal Math is less about mathematics and more about everything else, like Social and Emotional Learning SEL. (Page 16). Reveal Math will direct learning towards social and emotional learning instead of math. Reveal Math can then collect, and possibly share SEL (mental health) data on Pelham students. If there is a data breach, your child’s mental health data will also be at risk. As you read through the white paper, ask yourself, where’s the math?
3) Reveal Math is aligned to the dumbed down Common Core Math Standards. Why Common Core failed.
4) Here is information from another article about a school struggling with math proficiency. They too chose “Reveal Math” like Pelham. Here is what one person said about their decision:
“Ressler claimed Reveal Math does not promote math proficiency as one of its focus areas. “Why would anyone think this proposed math curriculum is acceptable when our Ss are already not proficient in math?”
Now let’s hear from the teachers.
Here are comments from teachers across the country who offer their insight on how Reveal Math worked in their classroom. It looks like Pelham taxpayers might have to spend even more money to supplement the numerous flaws in Reveal Math.
Are Pelham teachers free to express their true feelings about Reveal Math? I don’t believe so. Watch for Part 3 (coming soon) where documents show how many Pelham staff have left the district because of the hostile working environment.
One person at the Deliberative Session (1:11:09) mentioned that Singapore students spend more time in school than American students. Yet we know that there are some Charter Schools in New Hampshire using this curriculum. Charter Schools have to take all students too because they are public schools.
Singapore students attend school 200 days a year for six hours per day. In New Hampshire students spend, on average, 6.54 hours in class and attend school 180 days a year. That’s not a significant difference, and certainly not enough to dismiss improving math instruction in the school district.
In her 2020 book titled The Secrets to Singapore’s World Class Math Curriculum, Wenxi Lee, a native from Singapore learned math by using Singapore Math as a child. She is now a doctoral student in mathematics education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She explains in her book why the curriculum produces highly successful students in mathematics. Lee notes that Singapore students consistently rank at the top of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) She argues that Singapore Math, “when properly understood and applied, can greatly benefit American children.”
Why are public schools refusing to help students attain the level of success we see in countries like Singapore? Why is it some people in Pelham insist that these students are not worthy of this kind of quality math program?
There is a lot of NON-Math going on with this $96k math program. This seems like the last math program you want to adopt when you’ve been struggling to teach math to students. Singapore has a proven record of success, so it makes you wonder, does anyone really want success in the Pelham school district?
It’s your money, and your kids.
Part 1
