NEED:
American
students’
math
achievement
is “at a
mediocre
level”
compared
with that of
their peers
worldwide,
according to
a new report
by a federal
panel, which
recommended
that schools
focus on key
skills that
prepare
students to
learn
algebra. The
[National
Mathematics
Advisory
Panel's]
report cited
a number of
troubling
international
comparisons,
including a
2007
assessment
finding that
15-year-olds
in the
United
States
ranked 25th
among their
peers in 30
developed
nations in
math
literacy and
problem
solving.**
In
Massachusetts,
all public
school
students are
required to
take the
Massachusetts
Comprehensive
Assessment
System
tests. For
this reason,
teachers are
forced to
take time
away from
teaching
students
more
challenging
math skills
in order to
prepare for
the
standardized
exams, and
schools are
placed in
situations
where test
results are
viewed more
highly than
true
academic
learning.
Public
schools,
especially
in urban
areas, lack
the
resources to
challenge
their
students.
Alternative
teaching
styles and
methods are
often
criticized,
discouraged,
unexplored,
and
underdeveloped
because of
the fears of
high costs,
time
consumption,
and failure.
The regular
public
school and
classroom
usually
cannot
provide the
needed boost
to help our
students
succeed and
excel in
math and
perform on
the top of
the
international
charts. This
shows that
American
students,
who hold the
key to our
nation's
future, are
sold short
of a great
math
education.
However, the
incorporation
of the
Academic
Games
program and
its
continual
expansion
will
alleviate
that problem
by providing
public
school
students
with an
enriching
supplement
that will
promote
excellence
through
hands-on
academic
gaming and
competition,
specifically
in the
mathematics
arena where
in-depth
studies and
practices
are needed
to fully
comprehend
the
technicalities.
** Lewin, Tamar. “Report Urges New Focus on Math, Problem Solving in U.S. Education System.” The New York Times. 14 March 2008.
