a*****g
发帖数: 19398 | 1 IL Report cards to change
摘要：学校要统计8年级代数通过率
Diana Rado1s article on the new State of Illinois school report cards (
School Report Cards to Change, October 30), highlights several changes in
this year1s report cards, including the reporting of data about the
percentage of 8th graders who pass Algebra I. This percentage is supposed to
be an indication of how well a middle school is performing.
With the new report card, having more students passing Algebra I in middle
school is now officially a badge of honor for schools, a
litmus test for high expectations. Unfortunately, it is also an example of
well-intentioned school reformers doing the wrong thing for the wrong
reasons. The result is a poorly conceived policy that may end up harming
students and may work at cross purposes with the State1s efforts to improve
math learning through implementation of tougher math standards for all.
Having well-prepared students enroll in Algebra while in middle school is a
good idea and there is evidence that many can and do
succeed. However, there is a litany of reasons why making early Algebra I
enrollment a proxy for 3high expectations2 is bad policy. Most importantly,
there is overwhelming evidence that in most places where early algebra has
been required for all students, such as the State of California, the results
have been dismal. Large numbers of students fail the course, often more
than once?the high failure rates in early algebra and repeated failures in
9th and 10th grades have prompted some to dub 3algebra for all2 policies
mockingly as 3algebra forever.2 Failing Algebra I in 8th grade destroys
students1 confidence in their ability to succeed in mathematics and has been
cited as a leading cause of students dropping out. Many students would
benefit far more from a strong 8th grade course that prepares students for
success?not failure?in 9th grade and beyond.
While Illinois is not requiring early Algebra I for all, the high stakes now
associated with the pass rates in early Algebra I will undoubtedly pressure
schools to increase enrollments and pass rates. Because there is no common
Algebra I end-of course assessment administered statewide, schools
can increase pass rates either by lowering the bar for passing the course or
watering down the content so that more students pass. This will help
schools look better on their report cards but it won1t help students learn
essential algebra skills.
Finally, the new report card does not take into account the demands of the
new Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, which
moves a big chunk of the content that is currently in Algebra I into the
upgraded 8th grade standards. The new Common Core Algebra I course is
considerably harder than the traditional version of 9th grade algebra, with
content drawn from more advanced high school courses. With ramped-up
requirements in the middle grades mathematics curriculum, the authors of the
Common Core State Standards actually anticipated fewer
students enrolling in Algebra I prior to high school than before and, for
those students ready for acceleration, they recommended a special, condensed
course sequence in seventh and eighth grade. Those who advocated for the new
Illinois school report card considered none of this. As a result, the new
report card is already at odds with the state1s mathematics learning
standards.
There are things we can and should do in Illinois to create effective
policies around early Algebra I instruction. We need policies that
align with the expectations of the Common Core standards, that include clear
benchmarks and measures for success, that have placement criteria to
determine who would benefit from the course, that ensure we have sufficient
middle grades teachers who are prepared to teach a rigorous Algebra I course
, and that have course pathways from middle school to high school are clear
to all and lead to college readiness, regardless of what course you take in
8th grade.
If we really want policies about mathematics courses based on what is best
for students, we need to move away from viewing mathematics as
a status symbol and move towards policies based on evidence, research, and
common sense. In short, let1s give the teaching and learning of
mathematics forall students the kind of first-rate attention it deserves and
not applaud superficial efforts that do anything less than that. |
|
