Background: The MCCPTA Ad Hoc Committee on the Math Audit developed a survey to solicit parent opinion on the MCPS math program. The survey was mailed to all local PTA presidents through the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations. Local PTAs were asked to distribute the survey to parents in their school. The survey was also available on the MCCPTA website. Parents were directed to mail or fax in their responses to the MCCPTA office. Several schools collected parent surveys and delivered them to the MCCPTA office.
MCCPTA is conducting a survey about math to collect opinions, experiences, and feedback from parents. This survey is designed to supplement the opinions collected from a few parents during the MCPS Math Audit last year. Please return completed surveys by February 28, 2001. Thank you for participating in the survey. (You may mail this to the MCCPTA Office, 12518 Greenly St., Silver Spring, MD 20906 or FAX to (301) 946-4107.)
Please answer the following questions about the math instruction in MCPS for just one of your children.
Double Period Math ____
Extra Homework ____
Increased Teacher Support ____
Instructional Aid Support ____
School Based After School Support ____
Non-School Based After School Support ____
Parent Math Survey
MCCPTA Math Audit Subcommittee
March 2001
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Parent Math Survey: Distribution of Responses by Quad-Cluster High School Groups |
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Total Numberi |
Damascus/ Gaithersburg/ Magruder/ Watkins Mill |
Northwest/ Poolesville/ Quince Orchard/ Seneca Valley |
Churchill/ Rich Montgomery/ Wootton/ Rockville |
Northeast Consort./ Sherwood |
Blair/ Einstein/ Kennedy |
BCC/ Walt Johnson/ Wheaton/ Whitman |
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Surveys Received |
2209 |
327 |
321 |
352 |
410 |
259 |
448 |
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---------------------Column Percentsii----------------------- |
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Grade level: K-2 3-5 6-8 9-12 |
34% 41% 20% 5% |
28% 43% 23% 7% |
35% 38% 22% 6% |
35% 58% 5% 1% |
23% 34% 35% 8% |
29% 39% 25% 7% |
47% 40% 10% 2% |
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3. Is child grouped for math instruction? Yes No |
83% 17% |
80% 20% |
93% 7% |
89% 11% |
78% 22% |
85% 15% |
79% 21% |
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4. If yes, then... Grouped within class Grouped across classiii |
36% 44% |
33% 43% |
36% 52% |
31% 59% |
42% 36% |
39% 45% |
35% 37% |
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5. Parent prefers grouping by ability for math instruction. Yes No |
96% 4% |
96% 4% |
97% 3% |
96% 4% |
96% 4% |
93% 7% |
95% 5% |
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6. Math instruction at appropriate level Yes No |
73% 27% |
75% 25% |
82% 18% |
73% 27% |
75% 25% |
66% 34% |
67% 33% |
|
7. If not at appropriate level, then... More advanced instruction needed Less advanced instruction needed |
28% 4% |
25% 8% |
21% 5% |
23% 3% |
26% 5% |
35% 5% |
39% 2% |
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8. Any additional support providediv -double-period math -extra homework -teacher support -aide support -after school program (at school) -after school support (parents or private)v |
2% 16% 12% 5% 7% 21% |
2% 18% 14% 2% 8% 19% |
4% 18% 10% 6% 10% 23% |
1% 14% 8% 3% 3% 23% |
2% 14% 16% 5% 7% 22% |
3% 16% 16% 7% 13% 22% |
2% 14% 7% 5% 3% 18% |
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9. Difficulty of homework easy average difficulty very difficult |
29% 66% 5% |
25% 69% 6% |
25% 70% 5% |
31% 65% 4% |
25% 70% 6% |
25% 64% 11% |
41% 57% 2% |
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10. Parent helps with homework Yes No |
70% 30% |
76% 24% |
74% 26% |
70% 30% |
69% 31% |
67% 33% |
65% 35% |
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11. Satisfied with child 's progressYes No |
71% 29% |
71% 29% |
80% 20% |
72% 28% |
71% 29% |
62% 38% |
68% 32% |
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12. Parent informed of math curriculum Very informed Somewhat informed No information |
29% 61% 10% |
35% 58% 7% |
33% 58% 9% |
28% 60% 12% |
26% 65% 9% |
25% 65% 9% |
27% 62% 11% |
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13. Highest level of math expectedvi
Pre-Calculus or lower Calculus or higher |
30% 70% |
33% 67% |
36% 64% |
28% 72% |
31% 69% |
28% 72% |
22% 78% |
Highlights from the Written Comments
to the MCCPTA Parent Math Survey
March 2001
Parents were asked in survey question 14 to comment on the areas of math curriculum and instruction in MCPS which they thought most needed to be improved. Some wrote specific suggestions for changes, while others gave details about the math experiences of their child. We have summarized common themes of the comments in this document and have grouped comments by theme. The full text of the comments will be posted on the MCCPTA website. The numbers in parentheses reflect the number of people making the particular comment.
1. OFFER AN APPROPRIATE DEGREE OF CHALLENGE
• Offer more challenge and a faster pace for students who need it (165)
• Offer a slower pace for students who need it (42)
• Put more emphasis on math (17)
• Set higher expectations for all students (14)
• Continue to make sure children are challenged, but not overloaded (13)
• Ambivalent, mixed opinion, unclear (14)
Many respondents asked for more challenge and a faster pace for students who need it:
My kindergarten child constantly asks for more challenging math work -- additional work.
Way too basic. My child has been "parked" for 2 years now.
He does well with the low level given him. I wish he were more challenged. Is that YES or NO?
Only because we accelerate it at home is he moving at all. The math is too easy altogether. My child needs instruction at a higher level. I want it school supported.
There's a real dumbing down this year. He's not being challenged. He could be excited & soaring, like last year, but he's not this year. It's a shame.
Many also asked for a slower pace for students who need it:
Kids who "don't get it" should be given the time & extra help needed.
Slow down the pace of instruction!
The classes shouldn't move as quick as they do
Too much too fast. Just catching on to one concept when has to try to learn another new one.
More time needs to be given to mastery. Too much teach and go.
When a child does not master a particular math concept they are moved along to the next chapter when they never accomplished the previous lesson(s). This only aids the student in becoming further & further behind!
2. GROUP STUDENTS ACCORDING TO THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS
Group by ability (121)
• Don't group by ability (11)
• Neutral or ambivalent about ability grouping (8)
• Group students appropriately based on accurate assessments (46)
• Communicate better with parents about grouping by ability (11)
The need to provide a faster pace of instruction for some students, and a slower pace for others, explains the overwhelming support for ability grouping:
Require ability grouping --> It is just too boring for able students to have to go at a slower pace, and less able students don't get the support they need if in a mixed group.
Like the reading initiative, math instruction should be block scheduled for the entire school. Students should be grouped with same ability students no matter what grade. If my 2nd grader is doing 5th grade work, he could be grouped with 5th graders, under a block schedule.
I think grouping is vital to math instruction and should start in the early grades with sufficient resources for all math groups. The slower learners need to spend more time working on each concept and the faster learners should be taught at a faster pace.
Children need to be grouped and taught from kindergarten in smaller groups -- similar to the Reading Initiative for 1st & 2nd grade. Both my children have been bored with math for a lot of their school time in 1st & 2nd grade because teachers don't have time to pull out groups of kids that are ahead & to teach them.
Survey respondents emphasized the importance of proper placement in groups -- i.e., moving students fluidly between groups in response to accurate assessments of their current instructional needs:
Once student shows they can be moved to higher math class, move them!
But I do not want my son pushed too early because twice I have had to request he be put in a slower group so he can progress at an appropriate pace and be successful.
Children should be grouped according to ability. Unfortunately, in my daughter's school, the principal decided to have only 2 groups, advanced and everyone else.
Assess kids for math groups throughout the year & make changes.
Children should be challenged to their potential and moved as needed without parents demanding the child be placed in a higher group.
3. ORGANIZE THE CURRICULUM TO DEVELOP MASTERY OF MATH SKILLS, RATHER THAN JUMPING FROM TOPIC TO TOPIC
Emphasize mastery of math facts and computational skills (156)
• Don't emphasize mastery of computational skills (4)
• Stop hopscotching from one topic to another (44)
• Emphasize reasoning and problem-solving (29)
• Emphasize real-world applications (18)
• Emphasize interesting, fun, hands-on activities (34)
• Preserve ISM's ability to assess math skills for grouping and instruction, but
• create a more focused set of objectives and assessments (e.g., like those in the revised middle school curriculum) (24)
In mathematics, one skill builds on another. Many respondents stressed how important it is for students to acquire mastery of the basic math facts and computation skills:
Focus on basic skills, make sure they are firmly established before moving on to new/harder skills
Teach the children the basics of math first (+,-,x,/) before asking them to learn harder concepts. . . . If the children do not know the basics you are setting them up to fail in future math classes!
Learning is delayed due to so many kids not memorizing basic tables.
More focus on basic math skills of addition & subtraction & teaching more challenging math. Reduce greatly or eliminate all the time wasted on making the kids cut & paste & draw & color for math problems!
They also urged a reorganization of the curriculum to allow time for more in-depth work on fewer topics, rather than jumping from one topic to the next without enough practice time for mastery:
It seems that students jump from one topic to the next, sometimes without adequate time to fully absorb the material
Like long division gets touched on just enough each year to convince the kids that they just don't get it because they didn't get it last year when it was covered.
More in-depth work on fewer topics so children can develop strategies & reasoning skills, rather than practice working on problems/exercises. Look to Singapore Math model.
The program needs to have some logic -- providing a continuum and an opportunity for students to practice skills rather than hopscotching from simple addition to decimals to fractions to metric to fractions to units of measurement
4. USE TEXTBOOKS, EXPLAIN CONCEPTS IN CLASS, AND ASSIGN MORE AND BETTER HOMEWORK
Explain concepts in class rather than rely on students and parents to figure it out (45)
• Use textbooks rather than worksheets (43)
• Use better textbooks (9)
• The Singapore Math textbooks show promise, but the pilot has been difficult (16)
• Provide clearer instructions on homework (25)
• Assign more challenging homework for students who need it (28)
• Assign more homework (31)
• Don't assign more homework (6)
• Provide more teacher feedback on homework (10)
Numerous respondents said that teachers assign homework on topics they have not explained clearly in class:
My child comes home every day with math homework and is never able to do it on her own.
The instruction level is appropriate, but the teacher gives homework involving subjects which have not been introduced in the classroom and the parents must explain and teach a new topic.
Survey respondents want instruction to rely on textbooks rather than copied worksheets, so that children and parents can refer to them at home for sample problems and review:
Parents need to be informed about what their kids are doing! There are no textbooks -- just copied papers. If my child is having trouble, I have no reference material to look at to help tutor him.
The kids need TEXTBOOKS!!! If there were a textbook she could refer to, she (and I) would have no problems.
Respondents want clearer instructions for homework. The vast majority of them also want more homework, and more challenging homework for students who need it. (Note that a good textbook would satisfy much of this.)
Some homework doesn't have proper explanations to accompany homework or no examples or practice problems with answers so the children know if they are studying correctly.
The same way they are supposed to read at home every day at least 15 minutes to 1/2 hours: they are supposed to bring extra math homework so they can practice every day.
Need more homework & more advanced level! Kids need a lot of practice, tests, homework to understand fully.
5. KEEP PARENTS INFORMED
• Give parents more information about the curriculum (30)
• Give parents more information on their child's progress and instructional level (11)
• Give parents more information on how they can help (14)
Parents want more information about the curriculum, their child's instructional level, and how they can help their child learn:
Parents need to know what students are studying -- my daughter's current teacher sends home a monthly calendar with what will be covered each day in class plus test dates.
Give the parents a curriculum for the school year -- showing which chapters will be covered during which time period.
Inform parents about the level of skill the child is functioning at.
More info on what we can do at home to help. More info on how they are taught -- example: steps taught to teach long division
6. GET BETTER MATH TEACHERS, AND SUPPORT THEM BETTER
• Get better teachers of mathematics (77)
• Keep classes smaller (70)
• Provide more instructional aides (21)
• Offer more one-on-one instruction (23)
• Offer more after-school support (14)
Respondents urged that MCPS get better teachers of mathematics (perhaps math specialists in elementary school), smaller class sizes, more instructional aides, tutoring, and after-school support:
While this year my child has excellent instruction, I believe some years math is the area where teachers have the most trouble teaching.
Greater preparation of elementary teachers (math specialists?).
More depth in county substitute teachers.
Hire more math teachers with math degrees
Too many children in child's class & too wide a range of abilities.
Teacher support by providing Math IAs during scheduled math time to assist with high & low performing students -- similar to reading initiative groups
Give intense mentoring/tutoring, etc. to kids who need it.