I didn't feel moved enough to add a post until reading Jay Matthews' article, "Will 8th Grade Algebra Help All Students?", in the Washington Post . The article in essence argues the readiness level of all students for Algebra in middle school, and the possible misplacement of students in Algebra 1 and Geometry classes based on their poor performance on the NAEP test.
Of course I love Math and am a proponent of the belief that “all students can learn/achieve”; even in Algebra and more advanced Mathematics Courses with "hard work". However, the light bulb went off after reading Part One of Charlotte Danielson's, "Enhancing Student Achievement: A Framework for School Improvement". Danielson introduces the Four Circle Model. The viewpoint is that if educators are to help students learn (what we do), our decisions must be based on what educators want (clearly defined school, district, and state goals), believe (guiding principles), and know (educational research and best practices). I began to question whether we as educators have truly ever identified the interrelationship that exists between the four circles and if the four questions have been explicitly asked or answered in the discussion and decision making around education.
More so, I questioned whether teachers have ever considered how what we "believe, want, and know" influences what we "do". Matthews after speaking with folks, the specialists, who knew what they were talking about suggested- "Maybe Algebra shouldn't be for all but for as many as possible".
Just how much do our beliefs, wants, and knowledge affect what we do as educators to foster or deter student learning?
I am the product of two professional parents, an engineer and a social worker, reared in the height of segregation. When speaking to them about their education, they will be the first to tell you that they were disadvantaged; poor by most standards. My father’s parents were not college graduates, my paternal grandfather finished 9th grade but he was a self-taught general contractor who owned 3 acres of land; land which my father still holds today.My paternal grandmother finished 8th grade. My mother was raised by a single mom with a 5th grade education. She still says today that I don’t know how good I have it; as she continues to tell the stories of her impoverished and unfair upbringing. If you ask about their schools, they will tell you they did not have the latest textbooks or technology. Everything was passed down from the white schools when those schools got the newest and best relative to education. There was no differentiation of student; special education, gifted, and regular education students were all in the same classroom with one instructor. So how did they succeed? In fact, how did so many disadvantaged African-Americans of that time succeed?
My mother says without doubt it was their teachers. She insists that with the limited resources the teachers had, they put their souls into making sure that all their students learned and had what they needed to be successful based upon the time in which they lived. Education was viewed as the golden opportunity, their only option. If you don’t believe me, you should listen to her tell the story of a classmate who was considered a slow learner but was taught valuable life skills in addition to academics that allowed him to go on to become a successful business owner (You may even know his name if you are into hair). Listen to her tell you how she had a full scholarship to nursing school but decided that was not for her after she fainted upon seeing a baby being born while working in a hospital one summer in New York City. She had no back-up plan and my grandmother didn’t exactly insist that she go to college. However, a former teacher reminded her that she owed herself more and that she (the teacher) had not educated a quitter. In fact, her best girlfriend had been accepted to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State (College) University in Greensboro, North Carolina and was going to be driven there by her brother. Her girlfriend’s brother asked her to come along to see if she could get admitted. She was admitted that day after passing all the entrance exams and submitting her grades. She had graduated with honors. My father, also an A&T Alumni, spent 4 years in the Air force and served in the Korean War prior to going to college. My father’s major was music before he decided he needed a more challenging major for a better career opportunity, Engineering was his choice. He, however; continued to play in a jazz band on the side to make money.
Here is my point? What if their teachers believed that life for them was hopeless based on the times? What if their teachers decided that the poverty cycle was their only future? These teachers pre-Danielson’s Four Circle Model approached teaching, “what to do”, based upon their beliefs, knowledge, and wants for their students. It was ultimately the belief and want of success for all students within the reach of their hands. The students in my classroom have been not unlike my parents- poor, single parent households, and lack of parental involvement in their education. However, if my parents were able to make it why should I doubt the ability of my students? Remembering that my mother said for sure it was her teachers I chose to be one of those teachers. Something you should know about me. Neither Education nor Math was my major. I majored in Economics and worked in Banking and Finance. In fact, I left Corporate America to enter the field of Education. With me I brought the real-world to my classroom. I taught regular math; when I started teaching I didn’t have gifted students, I didn’t teach Pre-Algebra or Algebra but my students may as well have been in an Algebra class. The fact that someone or some test hadn’t rated them stellar or exceptional didn’t stop me from introducing algebraic concepts and content. I insisted that they could and pushed them to do more. They were placed in positions to make them have to give it their absolute all. In fact 8th grade teachers would ask the students, "who did you have for math?" When the students responded Ms. Tidwell the comment was mostly, "I can tell". Just six weeks ago a former 7th grade student stopped in to see me because she had not gotten her state test scores. She was not the best math student but worked very hard. Mind you, her 6th grade state test scores were partially proficient, 21 points below the passing score. She just passed the 7th grade state assessment and I encouraged her to take Algebra 1 in 8th grade (took me a little work to help get her in). She did and told me it was too hard. I encouraged her to create a study group and come to me for extra help whenever she felt she needed too and she did. That day, as we continued to talk I printed out her NJASK 8 test scores. She had scored a perfect 300 on the math test. I asked her about her current math class; she was taking Algebra 2. “It’s a breeze”, she said. She told me she had spoken to my father last year during career day and was thinking about becoming an engineer. I was proud of her and also of myself. I reached her. What if I had decided to count her out based upon her 6th grade test scores?
Now, I am sure that her perfect test score had to do with her motivation to do well. However, I also believe I had a lot to do with where she is today as a student. I say that because every student in my 7th grade class had been introduced to the same expectations. I expected them all to do well beyond academics. I also expected myself to go above and beyond to make sure I reached them and involved real-world learning and off-the-topic discussions to encourage their critical thinking and process skills. I took interest in their home lives, activities and such.
Today, I supervise a Math and Science Department and approach my job trying to get others to see the view from my window: knowing where people came from, knowing where people are, and believing where people can go. I just have to say, “Barack Obama” to end that thought. I didn’t truly understand who I was as a teacher until I read Parker Palmer’s, “Teaching with Heart and Soul: Reflection on Spirituality in Teacher Education”. I knew for years that I had not taken time to listen to my inner voice. When asked in conversation, "If you were not in the mortgage business what would you be doing?" For as long as I can remember I always answered, "Teaching math". What Palmer helped me to realize is that I taught the content of math but I more so taught the child. Giving meaning to the child’s learning experience. Everyone should read this article.
The difficulty that I must acknowledge is that every teacher’s view is different. I have a very talented staff as it relates to their education and mastery of content. Many are experienced veteran teachers, former engineers, accountants, and science researchers.Some are even new to the profession all togehter and others left prominent corporate careers to teach. As you enter some classrooms you sense those who were called to teach. They recognize how important their role is and more importantly how the view out of their window relates to their students’ success. This idea of success for them may not be tied to the passing of any state test or the NAEP. Then there are others that I pray will someday realize how much their making a connection with their students and an investment in their own learning could benefit their teaching. Yep, my want is teacher quality born from spirituality in teacher education. Understand that I am just as interested in my teachers’ success as I was interested in my students’ success.
Research suggests that teacher quality is positively correlated to student achievement. The major issue remains what variables constitute “teacher quality” and are the measures irrefutable. Most studies reviewed considered a combination of the following variables: teacher certification, teacher preparation programs and academic degrees, years of experience, teacher test scores, teacher experience, and teacher coursework. However, I believe nothing is more powerful or constitutes teacher quality than a "growth" mindset and teachers interested in their professional learning. I did the work required to gain access to the profession and continue to do the work required to affect my teaching and supervising. That is, I created my own Professional Learning Network for the purpose of honing my craft to learn from others, but also to help others in the network learn for the purpose of improving “what they do”. Thus, I am an advocate of Professional Learning Communities and encourage my staff to engage in collegial work and conversation for their benefit and to increase student learning.
Possibly, the question is not, "Will 8th grade Algebra help all students?" but more so, "Will my beliefs, wants, and knowledge affect what I do to help all 8th grade students comprehend Algebra?”
