New national standards for teaching reading and math: Like 'em? | OregonLive.com

New national standards for teaching reading and math: Like 'em? | OregonLive.com

New national standards for teaching reading and math: Like 'em?

By Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian

March 31, 2010, 12:06PM

Betsy Hammond/The OregonianIt's pretty wonky stuff, but Oregon schools superintendent Susan Castillo -- and a bunch of other folks in the education world -- have been trying to get you, the public, to weigh in on the proposed national standards for teaching reading, writing and math.

The deadline to comment is Friday, and Castillo and her team have tried to make it easy and meaningful for Oregonians with thishelpful page of information.

Some Oregonians who know their way around teaching math -- Ann McMahon, a leader of the Oregon Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and Patty Sandoz, past president of that same council -- have already weighed in. They heartily agree with the critique of two math education specialists who say the standards would push too many advanced math concepts too early in elementary school, forcing teachers to skim over the concepts and promote memorizing rather than giving all students a deep understanding of math.