David Staples - A Reply

David Staples replied to my blog which was a bit of a surprise because, no offence to myself, I
wouldn't have. He breaks his comment into five different points. Point 1 states that my fight is with cognitive scientists and math profs, not him. He continues by stating that the science is settled here for now and I'm getting it wrong. Cognitive scientists are clear that fluency in basic arithmetic is a pre-condition to deeper understanding in math, to the ability to move on [to] do more complex math problems.

I must admit I had to reread my blog to understand what he was trying to say. After all, I thought I made it clear that I didn't know what made some students good at math and others not. However, after a reread, I realized that he's doubling down on his hubris by claiming that I may not know but he does. In short, it's "fluency in basic arithmetic." For support, I needed to go down to point 5, where he states that my "own research is unimpressive." Just to make this clear David, I did not do research. That's my point. I will leave that to the experts.

He goes on to name two people that I should read regarding the need for diligent practice, four "top cognitive scientists" about the need for fluency and another two so that I can learn what they say about constructivist math curriculum. And then what? I realize what a genius David Staples is? That he's not full of hubris. That, in fact, the Alberta government and every math teacher in the province should listen to what he has to say because he knows what's best for the students?

Why would I? I'm just not that interested. David's the one with the fascination in the math curriculum and what's going wrong with it. I don't teach math. My children don't go to school right now and when they did, they excelled at math. My fascination is with his fascination.

In point 2, he states that "math illiteracy has doubled in [the] last decade in Alberta." When I googled this statistic I discovered in Mr. Staples own article that states this statistic applies to an international test taken by Grade 4 students in 2015 that indicates that math illiteracy rose from six percent in 2011 to 13.2% in 2015. Disturbing yes, but what's the reason?

He goes on to say that he's fighting for a noble cause by saying that it's the "most vulnerable students [hit] hardest as they sometimes lack parents who can afford tutoring or can teach math basics themselves." In point 3, he makes clear that he's fighting the good fight because the "educational establishment has had to be dragged kicking and screaming to even recognize the issue in math, let alone take any responsibility for it or agree it needs fixing." Yet, in his June article, David wrote that, with the K-12 math curriculum rewrite, Alberta's Minister of Education David Eggen staid "We are going to focus like a laser on improving math outcomes." One might say that was taking responsibility.

In point 4, if you're still with me, Mr. Staples says the push for the use of discovery math in the classroom was "driven by careerism and a distaste for previous practices in teaching math, not be by sound research." On what evidence does he make these claims?  Does he personally know the people involved in the "discovery math overhaul of curriculum?" If he does, have they spoken to him about career advancement and a hatred of past practices?

What I do know of teachers is that, except for the rare exception, they want what's best  for their students.  I also understand that teachers make up a large portion of a curriculum review and they are not careerist. How far can they go? How much room is there for advancement? For any of them to believe that promoting discovery math would help their "career" is pure folly. 

Instead of motive, Mr. Staples attributes on me an attitude. That is, my "attitude on the science of learning comes off at the level of Global Warming Denial." I don't know what my "attitude" to the science of learning is but I can state what my attitude to learning is. In point of fact, I am unaware of having an "attitude" on the science of learning. I do, however have on attitude about learning which is that people, both young and old, learn in different ways.

About science, I will say this. Mr. Staples uses statistics to make a connection between poor results in math competency tests and discovery learning. Statisticians use a technique called the null hypothesis when attempting to make a relationship between two phenomenon. That is, their default position is that there is no connection. In this case, a null hypothesis would be that there is no connection between the Grade 4 math results and discovery math. If that hypothesis can be rejected, then there must be a relationship.

In my blog, I suggested that there may all kinds of reasons for Alberta's poor math results in the 2015 International Math and Science Study exam. One of them could be the use of discovery math. However, research is required in order to reject that null hypothesis. To assume that the relationship exists is pure hubris.

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