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Joanne Jacobs
Aug 9, 20242 min read
'Mad minutes' don't cause math anxiety -- and kids learn more
New research shows timed math tests don't worsen math anxiety.
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Joanne Jacobs
Aug 6, 20241 min read
'Locking in' learning loss: Math grades didn't return to pre-pandemic normal
Grade inflation soared when learning went remote, writes Amber Northern. Lax requirements to turn in work, fewer graded assignments, and...
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Joanne Jacobs
Jun 25, 20242 min read
NYC mandates 'Illustrative Math'
New York City high schools are adopting the same algebra curriculum in hopes of closing "stark racial disparities" in math achievement,...
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Joanne Jacobs
Jun 4, 20242 min read
Sold a story problem: Start simple, build mastery, says Jump Math founder
Jamal and Maria don't have any apples. Aidan has three Fujis from the supermarket and Olivia has five Honeycrisps from Trader Joe's....
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Joanne Jacobs
May 25, 20241 min read
You may already be a loser!
American kids have too much self-esteem, argues Bill Maher.
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Joanne Jacobs
May 23, 20242 min read
Ethnomath: Will kids learn more math if it's culturally relevant?
In an attempt to make math "more engaging and inclusive," some teachers are teaching what's called ethnomathematics, writes Hechinger's...
6 comments

Joanne Jacobs
May 23, 20242 min read
Deep, rich math: Is it chocolate cake every day?
Students should learn "foundational concepts" in math "deeply and conceptually" through engaging, "rich" tasks, write Jo Boaer and Cole...
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Joanne Jacobs
May 7, 20242 min read
'Balderdash'
Brian Conrad, a math professor and director of undergraduate math education at Stanford, is guilty of "academic and professional...
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Joanne Jacobs
May 7, 20243 min read
It's 'MATH-ish' -- but is it math?
Stanford will not investigate a complaint accusing Education Professor Jo Boaler of “reckless disregard for accuracy” by misrepresenting...
6 comments


Joanne Jacobs
May 6, 20241 min read
Kids can learn a lot more math -- and have fun -- in kindergarten
Kindergarten math may be too easy, writes Holley Korbey for the Hechinger Report. The focus is on reading. Math expectations are low. In...
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Joanne Jacobs
May 6, 20241 min read
DIY math: Many high school teachers rewrite the curriculum
Many teachers are creating -- or downloading -- their own math materials, according to a recent survey, writes Hechinger's Jill Barshay....
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Joanne Jacobs
Apr 12, 20242 min read
Mathalicious: 'Out with negative numbers, in with positive feelings'
Numbers, multiplication and "right" answers are obsolete, 22nd-century-skills guru Paul Banksley tells Rick Hess. They're "not...
13 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Apr 1, 20241 min read
Practice works for football -- and math
How do you get to Carnegie Hall -- or a football championship? Practice, right? The same applies to learning math, writes Holly Korbey on...
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Joanne Jacobs
Apr 1, 20242 min read
Maybe the cure to math anxiety is to teach kids math
Timed tests cause math anxiety, according to Jo Boaler, a Stanford math education professor who's been charged with "reckless disregard...
4 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Mar 26, 20241 min read
Teachers aren't unhappy or underpaid
Most teachers like teaching, enjoy the flexible work schedule, live comfortably and are no more likely to quit their profession than...
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Joanne Jacobs
Mar 7, 20242 min read
'Data science' isn't college-prep math (or science), say university profs
"Data science" is a popular choice for students who struggled in traditional math classes, reports Javeria Salman on the Hechinger...
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Joanne Jacobs
Mar 7, 20242 min read
Algebra wins big in San Francisco -- but will kids learn times tables?
San Francisco schools should offer algebra in eighth grade, said 84 percent of voters in Tuesday's election. It was a stunning rejection...
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Joanne Jacobs
Mar 4, 20242 min read
How to teach math well: There are wrong answers
Engineering, computer science, accounting, finance and medicine will not be options for people who couldn't find the lowest common...
15 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Feb 28, 20242 min read
Lots of kids left behind: Why achievement gaps grew
Achievement gaps are large and growing across the country, writes Chad Aldeman on The 74. It's not the pandemic: Scores have been falling...
15 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Feb 22, 20242 min read
What about math? Schools focus on reading, not so much on math
Many schools are training teachers, hiring tutors and changing curricula to improve reading instruction, writes Holly Korey on The 74....
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