Remarks to the National Mathematics Panel

April 20, 2007

Jack Rotman, Lansing Community College (MI)

To briefly introduce myself, I am Jack Rotman; I have been a professor and

teacher of mathematics for 34 years at Lansing Community College in Michigan.
I have been active in AMATYC; currently, I chair the Developmental Mathematics
Committee, and I was a contributing writer for our 2006 standards document
(“Beyond Crossroads”).

I have three questions for the Panel, which are the basis for my remarks:

Are sufficient and necessary conditions present to enable mathematics

learning for all students?

Are there barriers outside of the education system that substantially limit
the learning of mathematics for some groups of students?

Do we plan for the system which provides a second chance for students
who did not learn sufficient mathematics in the schools?

First, are the necessary and sufficient conditions present? At the most basic
level, students must be present and attending in order to gain whatever benefits
a curriculum has. At the secondary level, we are all aware of the substantial
problem with drop-outs. In addition, absences are significant; one study reported
that 7% of the students are absent on any given day; this refers to unexcused
absences only. (Rothman, 1999) For students who are present, an optimistic
study estimated that students were attending to the material about 65% to 75%
of the time. (Shernoff, 2003) In a study of different instructional methods and
student attention, the methods did not significantly increase attention … except
for ‘discussion-debate’; group projects had minimal impact on student attention.
(Yazzie-Mintz, 2006)

Second, are their barriers outside of the education system? The Panel has
discussed the concept of stereotype threat, which is one of these barriers.
However, I think the Panel should consider broader viewpoints; one of these
viewpoints is critical race theory. Critical race theory begins with the assumption
that racism is imbedded within the social structure, and analyzes information
from that view. (Blaisdell 2005) Critical race theory suggests that the
‘achievement gap’ is really an ‘opportunity gap’. (Love, 2004) The more radical
view sees standardized testing as a means to justify differences. (Woodrow,
2003) Some researchers have documented a ‘default trajectory for dropping out’
in certain types of communities. (Nasir 2003) In some regions, we are again
faced with ‘separate but not equal’ – segregation caused by policies such as

National Math Panel Remarks Jack Rotman April 20, 2007

schools of choice; the Lansing high schools are over 70% ‘minority’, while the city
population is only 35% ‘minority’.

I would also suggest to the Panel that other barriers exist outside of the
education system. For example, mathematics still faces the barrier that it is
acceptable (or even desirable) to be ‘bad at math’. Will the President say
“quantitative literacy is a personal value for me”? How about role models –
sports or entertainment? Do these people say “my mathematics background
enabled me to achieve my goal”? Or, do they say “I always had trouble with
math”?

Third, do we plan for the second chance? Most countries do not have the
community college option; we in the community college enable many of those
who lack the required mathematics to learn enough mathematics as adults.
However, the country hardly has a plan for this second chance. Outside of the
work of AMATYC (and, to a lesser extent, MAA), the only systemic work is done
at the state level. I would suggest that the Panel consider community college
mathematics as part of the system … we provide much of the mathematics for
teachers, and are a neglected recruiting ground for mathematics and science
fields. Furthermore, we offer a response time measured in one to three years; if
a school system can magically adopt the perfect curriculum with the perfect
teachers with sufficient conditions for learning, the 1st graders of 2007 will not
graduate until 2019. Community colleges can provide mathematics for adults
during this ‘gap’. However, involvement and appropriate resources are needed.

As we work to strengthen mathematics education, we need to establish minimal

conditions of learning, remove barriers, and consider community colleges as
partners.

Thank you for your attention, and the opportunity to address the Panel.

National Math Panel Remarks Jack Rotman April 20, 2007

References:

Blaisdell, Seeing every student as a 10: 2005 International Journal of Educational Policy,
Benjamin using critical race theory to Research and Practice 6.1 (Spring 2005): 31(20).
engage white teachers'
colorblindness
Love, Barbara Brown Plus 50 Counter- 2004 http://elp.ed.utah.edu/CourseMaterials/Aleman_E_7062/Week%203/Love04B
Storytelling: A Critical Race rownplus50.pdf
Theory Analysis of the
“Majoritarian Achievement
Gap” Story
Nasir, Na’ilah Ethnic and Academic 2003 Educational Researcher, Vol. 32, No. 5, pp. 14–18
Suad; Saxe, Identities:A Cultural Practice
Geoffrey Perspective on Emerging
Tensions and Their
Management in the Lives of
Minority Students
National Engaging Schools: Fostering 2003 National Academy Press
Research High School Students'
Council Motivation to Learn
Rothman, Non-Attendance and Student 1999 http://www.aare.edu.au/99pap/rot99021.htm
Sheldon Background Factors
Shernoff, Student Engagement in High 2003 http://www.qlrc.org/pmachine/more.php?id=10_0_1_0_M3
David J; School Classrooms from the
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yi, Mihaly;
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Barbara;
Shernoff, Elisa
Steele
Willms, Jon Student Engagement at 2003 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
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and Participation, Results from
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Woodrow, Mathematics, Mathematics 2003 in Second International Handbook of Mathematics Education (Bishop,
Derek Education and Economic et al)
Conditions

National Math Panel Remarks Jack Rotman April 20, 2007

Yazzie-Mintz, Voices of Students on 2006 http://ceep.indiana.edu/hssse/pdf/HSSSE_2006_Report.pdf
Ethan Engagement: A Report on the
2006 High School Survey of
Student Engagement
Rotman, Jack Sabbatical Reports, Fall 2006 2006 http://www.lcc.edu/~rotmanj/sabbatical2006/index.htm

National Math Panel Remarks Jack Rotman April 20, 2007