I think that the critically-minded folks in education are making a huge strategic mistake when it comes to making mathematics "anti-racist". Unlike the social sciences and philosophy departments where CRT originated, there isn't a lot of gray area in mathematics to hide a lot of meaningless BS. The answer to 2+2 or the derivative of a given function has a correct answer that's independent of race, history, the system in which the math is embedded within, etc. And unlike a lot of the academic departments that produced the CRT advocates, people out in the real world depend on scientists and engineers getting their math correct, else engineering, physics, computer science, and a whole host of other important disciplines don't function properly. If you want to see inequity rear its head, wait until parents start catching on to the schools that teach math well versus the ones that don't, and start shuffling their children accordingly and/or supplement the public school math education with extracurricular instruction.
To be clear, if the CRT folks are pushing for practices that make it easier for everyone to bootstrap a lifelong pursuit of mathematics (something that will be increasingly important as the higher levels of the economic value chain require more mathematics competence), then they have my full support. However, if their net contribution is to water down the curriculum where no one feels like they're being left behind (as opposed to helping kids keep up), they're going to find little patience from parents and future employers, and the project to make mathematics anti-racist will blow up in their faces, as failure won't be easily concealed.
I think a large part of it is because math is often taught in a vacuum, instead of within applied contexts where students can see where it does something for them. Too often, I think we teach it as this abstract esoteric subject, when it's the applications that bring it to life. I'm someone who HATES learning Math for Math's Sake, but as soon as I can see where it's going to enable me to do something that would otherwise be impossible, I'm going to make it a tool just like anything else I would. (Currently revisiting linear algebra for some VR app concepts I'm working on.)
I wonder if part of the CRT push to make math "anti-racist" stems from proponents of that change not really using math much in their lives in the first place, so think it's more a shibboleth than a screwdriver.
You got it right for most people. Much of the everyday math is obvious and simple but some otherwise reasonable people I know don't really grasp it. They can deal with a yard of fabric if they are sewing but do not relate to square footage of carpet. Similarly an ounce of weight confuses them because an ounce is also a measure of volume. Sad but true. They do not know the origin of the terminology.
For me, college level algebra courses were the most difficult but I thrived on applied differential equations and thought the Euler solution for slender column buckling was elegant. I guess I loved math because it kept my GPA at an acceptable level. I think a certain amount of real math would be good for students who have the potential to advance human knowledge, but most just want an app for everything.
There is a big push on to turn school teachers into social justice warriors and then impart that to the students. The granddaughter had hybrid learning last year. The mornings were online and the afternoons in person. All year the online portion was about race. One exercise required the student to circle what shade of black or brown they were. This school district is almost all white with the largest minority being Asian. There was no white option. The entire month of January was MLK month where they discussed laws against cohabitation of two people of a different race. None of the kids knew what the teacher was talking about because they were in the third grade. February is Black History Month. The didn't discuss a single outstanding black man or woman in history. The entire month was dedicated to racist behavior by white people. Then there was the ever popular month of June where they were told to celebrate all matter of sexual practices which the kids didn't get either.
In the afternoon it was actually education. Multiplication tables, grammar, spelling. When asked why the class wasn't talking about race in the afternoon the teacher replied that some things kids your age are too young to discuss. There's hope out there yet.
I think that the critically-minded folks in education are making a huge strategic mistake when it comes to making mathematics "anti-racist". Unlike the social sciences and philosophy departments where CRT originated, there isn't a lot of gray area in mathematics to hide a lot of meaningless BS. The answer to 2+2 or the derivative of a given function has a correct answer that's independent of race, history, the system in which the math is embedded within, etc. And unlike a lot of the academic departments that produced the CRT advocates, people out in the real world depend on scientists and engineers getting their math correct, else engineering, physics, computer science, and a whole host of other important disciplines don't function properly. If you want to see inequity rear its head, wait until parents start catching on to the schools that teach math well versus the ones that don't, and start shuffling their children accordingly and/or supplement the public school math education with extracurricular instruction.
To be clear, if the CRT folks are pushing for practices that make it easier for everyone to bootstrap a lifelong pursuit of mathematics (something that will be increasingly important as the higher levels of the economic value chain require more mathematics competence), then they have my full support. However, if their net contribution is to water down the curriculum where no one feels like they're being left behind (as opposed to helping kids keep up), they're going to find little patience from parents and future employers, and the project to make mathematics anti-racist will blow up in their faces, as failure won't be easily concealed.
Too many kids today hate math. It's not that difficult if teachers understand the basics of real math enough to teach it.
I think a large part of it is because math is often taught in a vacuum, instead of within applied contexts where students can see where it does something for them. Too often, I think we teach it as this abstract esoteric subject, when it's the applications that bring it to life. I'm someone who HATES learning Math for Math's Sake, but as soon as I can see where it's going to enable me to do something that would otherwise be impossible, I'm going to make it a tool just like anything else I would. (Currently revisiting linear algebra for some VR app concepts I'm working on.)
I wonder if part of the CRT push to make math "anti-racist" stems from proponents of that change not really using math much in their lives in the first place, so think it's more a shibboleth than a screwdriver.
You got it right for most people. Much of the everyday math is obvious and simple but some otherwise reasonable people I know don't really grasp it. They can deal with a yard of fabric if they are sewing but do not relate to square footage of carpet. Similarly an ounce of weight confuses them because an ounce is also a measure of volume. Sad but true. They do not know the origin of the terminology.
For me, college level algebra courses were the most difficult but I thrived on applied differential equations and thought the Euler solution for slender column buckling was elegant. I guess I loved math because it kept my GPA at an acceptable level. I think a certain amount of real math would be good for students who have the potential to advance human knowledge, but most just want an app for everything.
There is a big push on to turn school teachers into social justice warriors and then impart that to the students. The granddaughter had hybrid learning last year. The mornings were online and the afternoons in person. All year the online portion was about race. One exercise required the student to circle what shade of black or brown they were. This school district is almost all white with the largest minority being Asian. There was no white option. The entire month of January was MLK month where they discussed laws against cohabitation of two people of a different race. None of the kids knew what the teacher was talking about because they were in the third grade. February is Black History Month. The didn't discuss a single outstanding black man or woman in history. The entire month was dedicated to racist behavior by white people. Then there was the ever popular month of June where they were told to celebrate all matter of sexual practices which the kids didn't get either.
In the afternoon it was actually education. Multiplication tables, grammar, spelling. When asked why the class wasn't talking about race in the afternoon the teacher replied that some things kids your age are too young to discuss. There's hope out there yet.