Schooled: Why Not Help Improve Math Teachings?

Standing in the parking lot after a PTA meeting in June, a small group of moms had assembled and were chatting with me about my family’s decision to home school my children for the 2011-12 school year.

Were we doing it for religious reasons? No, although we are religious. Were we crazy? Well, the jury is out on that one, but we haven’t been committed as of this article hitting the web.

What were our reasons, then, for this “insane decision?”

When I started with my distaste for what I consider to be a less than stellar math curriculum, although I recognize some people love it, the other moms laughed and said “Well we all have to supplement at home for math: everyone knows Math Investigations is horrible.”

That blew my mind.

If we all know it’s horrible, why aren’t we doing something about it, especially now?

Prince William County Public Schools have out a call for people who would like to serve on a Math Textbook Adoption Committee to review the math curriculum for county students. With the number of parents I’ve spoken to who are unhappy, it seems like spots on this committee should have been highly coveted.

The deadline to submit applications, however, has been extended.

My political policy has always been that if you don’t get out and vote, you don’t get to complain. I think that applies here, too.

If you care about the curriculum and don’t take the time to go share your opinions, well, you get the idea. Maybe you love the math curriculum and want to make sure it stays –– your input is important, too.

Any Prince William County resident, not just parents, who is interested in serving on the committee may obtain an application from the PWCS Mathematics Office by contacting Deborah Starry at 703-791-8849 or sending an email to [email protected].

The application is also available on the Mathematics website.