Here is a list of Board Members to whom you can write to voice your concerns against the adoption of the Math Textbook for PAUSD. Board Members are elected by the Palo Alto community (you), so your voice counts!
Board Members
Melissa Baten Caswell (mcaswell@pausd.org)
1129 Channing Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 823-1166
Term expires 2011
Barbara Klausner (bklausner@pausd.org)
691 Salvatierra St.
Stanford, CA 94305
(650) 324-4220
Term expires 2011
Barb Mitchell (bmitchell@pausd.org)
550 N. California Avenue
Palo Alto 94301
(650) 328-6027
Term expires 2009
Dana Tom (dtom@pausd.org)
1419 Hamilton Avenue
Palo Alto 94301
(650) 321-4506
Term expires 2009
Camille Townsend (ctownsend@pausd.org)
2450 W. Bayshore Road #10
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 493-3410
Term expires 2011
_______________________________________
Points you can raise:
Write to all the Board Members of PAUSD and thank them for their time and energy they put in making these decisions. If you feel strongly about either the process in which the Textbooks were piloted, or if you have specific misgivings about the Every Day Math curriculum, please make sure you say why you want the Board to vote against adopting the Textbook for our Elementary Schools. (See here for the points against why EDM is not the ideal textbook) some include:
- EDM does not place enough emphasis on standard algorithms.These algorithms are simply too important to ignore for our students’ future education. Many other mathematical concepts are built on top of these standard ones – for example, the multiplication and division of polynomials. If we don’t teach them now, they would have trouble catching up when they are in middle school and high school.
- Everyday Mathematics uses a “spiral” approach in its organization. While other parent concerns could potentially be addressed, the spiral is an inherent and fundamental part of program. What is a spiral? Spiraling means that concepts are introduced but not necessarily mastered before new concepts are introduced, then the previously introduced concepts are revisited, etc. In this curriculum, a multitude of ideas is thrown at the kids without giving them time to create a solid groundwork.
- Everyday Math places heavy emphasis on the use of calculators. To me, this is a serious concern, because I would like to ensure that my kid grow up being fully confident to perform fundamental calculations mentally and using paper and pencil.
- Parents will be expected to attend Parent Math Information Nights in order to be ‘trained’ to learn how our children are learning Math, so that we can keep the Home-School connection alive. Additional time required of already very busy parents in order to have this program is not something many parents can devote. Teachers will also have to receive more training (in the form of “PD” – Professional Development) in order to be able to TEACH these new Math methods – will they have time to be properly trained? Will this take away time from the classroom? Why place more pressure on the teachers? It is said that if the EDM curriculum is not taught as the Textbook states, then the program cannot be 100% successful and can fail. Many districts nationwide – see here – DROPPED EDM after a few years of adopting the program. PLEASE ASK THE BOARD WHY EDM WAS DROPPED IN SIMILAR DISTRICTS TO PALO ALTO (ie: Wellesley, MA, Poway, CA, Bridgewater, NJ, Texas…the list goes on)
- First year cost estimate for EDM is $150K for teacher training. Each teacher will have at least 3 days of training which translates to $90K in substitute teacher pay on days the 200 elementary teachers receive EDM training. The teachers could very well end up requiring much more than the 3 days of training. That brings the grand total of first year EDM spending to $245K. What is the Direct cost of EDM to parents:Since parents are not familiar with EDM, they will need to spend additional time or money to help their children by supplementation and costly tutoring.
Indirect cost of EDM to school district:
Addition cost incurred by parents will translate to lower contributions/donations to schools. Parents contributed 1.92 million to PIE
ADDITIONAL POINTS TO MAKE ON WHY NOT TO ADOPT EDM:
1. Seek a waiver from the State until next year
2. Recommend that the Textbook Adoption Committee
a. revisit their recommendation following the process laid out by the strategic plan which requires a survey of the community
b. pilot one or more of the following math programs: SRA Real Math, Singapore Math and Saxon Math in the coming school year to consider for adoption in the following year, along with the pilots of EDM and EnVision
c. in coordination with the PTA of each school, add one parent representative with significant math experience from each school to the Textbook Adoption Committee, such that parent representation is at least 25% of the committee members
d. develop a wider communication plan for the committee’s work including at least three community meetings throughout the year, not at the end of the work, along the lines of the successful strategic planning community meetings
Everyday Math has been used in Hollis NH for the past ten years. After a lengthy debate and with collaboration of the High School and Middle School math departments, Everyday Math will be a bad memory as of the start of the 2010 school year. EDM is like smoking, it’s best not to start.
I would like to see our kids learn the traditional math as the main tool, and use EDM as supplemental materials as the teachers see appropriate based on the students’ interests. Kids need to have a root solid foundation. Traditional math helps kids rooting this foundation. Doing math using traditional math is time fashion and helps the kids to focus on more complicated problem when they go to middle school. I do not want the kids still spend time doing the basic math problems without focusing on the problem itself when they go to middle school. Yes, EDM may help help their analytical skills, but may also frustrate them due to more complex, longer calculation.