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How to Fix Our Math Education: Make Math Teaching a Vibrant Profession

By Sybilla Beckmann

A recent editorial argued for fixing math education by changing the math curriculum.

Although the authors argued against the widely adopted Common Core State Standards

for Mathematics, in fact, most of their recommendations could fit squarely within thosestandards. Instead of refuting the authors arguments, I want to draw attention to a more

important focus: math teaching. Its time for all of us who teach math to join together and

commit ourselves to its improvement. As we improve how we teach, we will also want toimprove whatwe teach.

Many of us have a vision of math teaching that is more vibrant, engaging, and effective

than typical math teaching today. We want our students to discuss their thinking, explainlines of reasoning, and develop their skills as they engage in solving problems and

reasoning about mathematical ideas. How do we achieve this more engaging math

teaching?

If we look to some vibrant professions, we find a cohesive, meritocratic community in

which members share their findings and build on each others ideas. The quality of acommunity members work is judged mainly from within by peer recognition and

admiration. Entry into such a profession requires a high level of education and

accomplishment, so peers are respected. Peer admiration provides an incentive for

sharing good ideas, developing creative new approaches, and working deliberatelytowards expertise. This kind of community is designedto produce better and better work.

And this design fits with research in psychology on motivation and on the development

of expertise.

Could math teaching become a vibrant profession? Suppose that those of us who teachmath had access to collaborative mixed communities in which we share our results andlearn from each other about math and about teaching. Suppose we could develop stature

in the profession by peer admiration, not by external evaluation. Suppose that we set

professional standards for entry into math teaching and felt a collective responsibility forits quality. Such a profession would motivate those of us who teach math to work

deliberately towards excellence.

Achieving this vision of a more collaborative, vigorous, and vibrant professionalenvironment for math teaching requires a change in culture and a change in how we think

about the work of teaching. Its a vision for enlivening math teaching from within

through peer interactions rather than from withoutthrough external evaluations that willpit us against each other and sap our motivation.

So how do we fix our math education? By focusing on math teaching and making it theexciting, engaging, interactive profession it deserves to be.

Sybilla Beckmann is Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor of Mathematics at the University ofGeorgia. She was a member of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics writing team.