Middle schools in the Silicon Valley have a math problem.  In an area densely populated with engineers, only 30% of the students have been able to master Algebra 1 by the end of the 8^th grade.  The general consensus is that the blame for this situation rests squarely on the backs of the math teachers.  In an effort to improve the situation the Krause Center for Innovation (KFI) of Foothill College, a local community college, has created a very unique solution.  The school’s faculty has begun to implement the FAME (Faculty Academy for Mathematics Excellence) program for middle school math teachers in the area.  Professors from the school work with math faculty in the middle schools using a model from Korea where the use of real world problems is a focal point of the instruction.  The emphasis is on reviewing the material in Pre-algebra and Algebra 1.  The goal is to improve the math skills of these educators and help them better prepare their students for success in Algebra 1.

A plan that will help but…

There is little question that some form of intervention was necessary in these schools.  According to an article in the Los Angeles Crier, the reasons for these shortcomings are quite apparent.

“The Silicon Valley continues to experience a shortage of engineers from its own backyard, because most students are not prepared for advanced math,” according to Rebecca Salner, spokeswoman for the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which funds FAME. “In fact, 70 percent of its students fail to master Algebra I by the end of eighth grade,” she said.

“Many students get bored with math,” said KCI Executive Director Gay Krause, a former middle school principal.

“A lot of teachers in the middle-school level had limited math training, one course training,” said FAME Program Director Joe Chee. They know how to do the math problems but don’t have conceptual understanding to explain why the answer is wrong and to diagnose (the problem) when students aren’t getting it.  Most teachers concentrate on procedure instead of showing students how to apply the underlying concepts,” Chee said. “Teachers present students with a simple problem and show them how to solve it, leaving students to replicate the solution in answering similar questions without full comprehension of the fundamental theories.”

All of these observations make it quite obvious that the status quo is not working in these schools and there is little doubt that the work of FAME will improve what is clearly a bad situation

Is this really the best solution?

As well intended and even successful as the FAME program may be there is, however, an 800-pound gorilla in the classroom that no one seems to want to acknowledge.  Is it really all that surprising that teachers equipped with only a single process course addressing the nuances of teaching Algebra 1 were unable to prepare their students to acquire mastery of a critical gateway math course?  This lack of success is no more surprising than if someone attempted to teach high school Spanish after completing a Berlitz course.

The fundamental flaw in this set of circumstances is that teachers with such limited math skills should have never been placed into these classrooms.  A school district that allows someone to teach Algebra 1 with a single “add-on” class may be fortunate to have even 30% of the students succeed.  Of course, the definition of “mastery” has not been clearly stated so even that number may be inflated.  Success in middle school Algebra 1 is a tricky proposition under the best of circumstances.  Hiring educators without a strong knowledge of the curriculum is a formula for disaster.  A program like FAME could be a positive addition to any school system regardless of the level of its success and in a variety of subject areas.  But it should be utilized as an accessory teaching tool rather than the primary component.

A Better Approach

Placing teachers with insufficient credentials in charge of crucial math classes that occur at a pivotal point in a student’s education is a dangerous policy.  The potential for damage is too great to allow for on-the-job training in an Algebra 1 classroom.  Preparing teachers to be competent must occur before they enter the classroom, not after it has been determined they are unqualified.  Relying on an intervention program like FAME rather than rigorous academic teacher preparation means that improvements will be obtained only after students have been academically impaired.