Reform Mathematics - Controversy

Controversy

While "Principles and Standards for School Mathematics" has been championed by educators, administrators and some mathematicians as raising standards for all students, it has been criticized for valuing understanding processes more than learning standard procedures. Parents opposing reform mathematics have complained about decreased focus on basic computation skills and confusion caused by the increased emphasis on exploration and explanation. Proponents of reform mathematics have countered that research has shown that, when done correctly, students in reform math curricula learn basic math skills at least as well as those in traditional programs, and additionally understand the underlying concepts much better. Communities that have adopted reform curricula have generally seen increased math scores by their students.

The development and large-scale adoption of curricula such as Mathland have been criticized for partially or entirely abandoning teaching of standard arithmetic methods such as regrouping or common denominators. Protests from groups such as Mathematically Correct have led to many districts and states abandoning such textbooks. Some states such as California have revised their mathematics standards to partially or largely repudiate the basic beliefs of reform mathematics, and re-emphasize mastery of standard mathematics facts and methods.

The American Institutes for Research (AIR) reported in 2005 that the NCTM proposals "risk exposing students to unrealistically advanced mathematics content in the early grades." This is in reference to NCTM's recommendation that algebraic concepts, such as understanding patterns and properties like commutativity (2+3=3+2), should be taught as early as first grade.

Some, such as the 2008 National Mathematics Advisory Panel, have called for a balance between reform and traditional mathematics teaching styles rather than a "war" between the two styles. In 2006 NCTM published its Curriculum Focal Points, which made clear that standard algorithms were to be included in all elementary school curricula, as well as activities aiming at conceptual understanding.

A common misconception is that reform educators do not want children to learn the standard methods of arithmetic. As the NCTM Focal Points make clear, such methods are still the ultimate goal, but reformers believe that conceptual understanding should come first. Reform educators believe that such understanding is best pursued by allowing children at first to solve problems using their own understanding and methods. Under guidance from the teacher, students eventually arrive at an understanding of standard methods. Even the controversial NCTM Standards of 1989 did not call for abandoning standard algorithms, but instead recommended a decreased emphasis on complex paper-and-pencil computation drills and greater attention to mental computation, estimation skills, thinking strategies for mastering basic facts and conceptual understanding of arithmetic operations.

During the peak of the controversy, unfavorable terminology for reform mathematics appeared in press and web articles, including Where's the math?, anti-math, math for dummies, no-math mathematics, rainforest algebra, math for women and minorities, and new new math. Most of these critical terms refer to the 1989 standards rather than the PSSM.