Ontario Math Petition

From Barry Garileck. Comments on Ontario system of math ed.

An excellent by Dr.Stokke,

An excellent local article.

If you have ever had to teach math to your own child and/or hire a math tutor, complete this 2 min. survey. (Anytime since 2005). https://fixontariomath.com/

From Tara Houle in BC

Recently in the Hamilton Spectator. Read Barry Garileck.

And some good sense from Newsweek.

A Canadian first .

https://www.thespec.com//7385115-the-math-problem-hamilto/

And another good one from Barry Garileck

Everyone who reads this needs to print this article off and give a copy to their School Principal, their Superintendent, their MLA, and their teacher. No truer... words, from an Education Minister, have ever been spoken: "Consider the example of simplifying fractions: a child cannot simplify the fraction 21/35 down to 3/5 without first possessing knowledge of the 7 times tables. The ability to use and apply knowledge necessarily rests on possessing knowledge. So long as we consider using and applying knowledge to be of benefit - and we all do - logic suggests that the statement under consideration is both true and so bland as to elucidate next to nothing."

From the article: "Math, as well as reading, were tested in the latest PISA results. But there were fewer questions asked and a smaller proportion of students p...articipated. Only students in Quebec and British Columbia performed above the Canadian average. Saskatchewan ranked at the bottom among provinces, and even performed below the OECD average, the only province to do so. Students in PEI, meanwhile, showed improvements from previous years. Anna Stokke, a professor in the department of math and statistics at the University of Winnipeg and one of the main drivers for change in math, said she was heartened by the results in science, but remains troubled that students in many provinces continue to struggle in math. Unlike the early stage of learning science, she said that math is relentlessly cumulative, so if students don’t have the necessary background to learn new concepts they will struggle. Saskatchewan has held onto its curriculum and ignored parents, Prof. Stokke said. PEI’s scores, meanwhile, reflect changes in the province. The province went from having no standardized testing to introducing rigorous tests at Grades 3, 6 and 9 about six years ago. The PEI government seems to take feedback and data seriously and uses that data towards improving outcomes for students, Prof. Stokke said. She added: It is extremely important that steps be taken to reverse the decline so that our children have access to a wide range of careers and the skills required to participate internationally.

My latest update.