The Math Curriculum Mess
Two reformers agree the math curriculum is a mess but want opposite fixes and turn on each other.
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Cartoon by Ben Orlin, Math with Bad Drawings. https://cartoons.mathwithbaddrawings.com/2019-10-09-the-math-curriculum-mess/ (CC BY-NC 4.0)Transcript
[A tangled heap labeled "MATH CURRICULUM" with formulas] A: "Look at this mess! It's clear what we need to do!" B: "Yes! Just look at it! Yes! Crystal clear!"
A: "Abolish textbooks and embrace the holistic approach of John Dewey!" B: "Refocus the textbooks on concrete, practical skills!"
A: "Wait… you're a neoliberal sellout?" B: "Wait… you're a feckless hippie?" [The curriculum heap sighs]