The comments are quite revealing -

From WISE - Professor Craigen

“There is much talk here about mathematicians, so let me clarify a few things. First, everyone interested in what concerns “mathematicians” might have about public school math education needs to understand that the bulk of those advocating for so-called “reform” are simply not mathematicians. They are mostly (a) “math consultants”, a rag-tag group of people with various backgrounds (retired teachers, government functionaries and district employees, even some employees or contract workers for publishers whose income derives partly or wholly from sales of “new” mathematics resource materials, which is a billion-dollar industry); and (b) peers of ours with advanced degrees in education (but generally not in mathematics) who work as “mathematics education professors”.

As I get to know these folks (of both varieties) it is remarkable to me how FEW of them have any professional qualifications in mathematics whatsoever. Some have no discernable exposure to mathematics beyond high school. Yet they do not hesitate to make confident pronouncement about the nature of mathematics and mathematical “understanding”—which often jars the sensibilities of anyone who actually, you know ... works in the field.”

The fuzzy math advocates versus the mathematicians.

Further down in his comment - “One particular consultant, a contributor to the WNCP master curriculum, said to me in an unusual moment of frankness “We don’t need the algorithms in the framework outcomes because the students will learn them from their parents and older siblings”. I’m not making this up—this statement is from an email; I can document it. And it’s hardly an isolated remark. Remember the old arguments about sex education? There are so many things wrong with this position I don’t know where to start.”

See, how the responsibility is downloaded unto the parents. And the educators with education degrees keeps on denying it.

Here is one from a parent - and she started a mini-war with the fuzzy math advocates with education degrees. It reminded me of the wars that I had in the last 12 years.

“Yes! Why 2 + 3 = 5 is not a question most 7 year olds can answer, in any deep sense that a mathematician would consider correct. Same for most 15 year olds. Even if they are told to draw a picture, write a paragraph, and solve the problem three different ways, explaining each step for each of the three different ways.

I, too, have a child very good at mathematical relationships and modeling, reduced to tears by demands that he explain very simple “solve in your head in one step” problems. Given a harder problem to which he could apply the math in question he blossomed; faced with an easy one step problem for which he was supposed to explain his problem-solving algorithm in great multi-step detail he crumpled. What he learned to do is BS the “why”, which I consider a great disservice to his actually developing a deep understanding of math.

“Explain why” slapped on everything for deep analytical thinking cred is not a useful thing.”

Another teacher, started another war advocating Singapore Math. “Actually, using the Singapore math methods, our students are taught that 2 and 3 are “parts” and 5 is the “whole”. So it is very easy for them to explain WHY 2 and 3 make 5 - it is a part-part-whole relationship. We introduce this concept in kindergarten and continue into first and second grade with larger numbers.”

My poor child had marks deducted off and she would get credit for the correct answer. When I took over the home instruction, and started from the beginning, I used whole and part terms for mastery in simple facts and understanding,  that led to quickly understanding fractions. Pity, whole, parts, and number lines have been banned in the K to 6 curriculum. No kid has to draw a picture, when a number line will do.

The only reason that I can think of, is that the upper crust with the education degrees, can profit a great deal more off the low math skills after the students become adults. It ties in what Professor Craigen had stated, its a billion dollar issue. And no doubt, once adult upgrading courses that really amounts to advance arithmetic learning are included, toss in the private tutoring, and other self-help aids, and the multi-billion dollar business in learning for life (certificate upgrading every 2 to 5 years) at colleges and other trade institutions - thousands of jobs for teachers with teacher certificates.

Too bad, the teachers are not made to upgrade and have their skills tested every 5 years, by an independent panel of what knowledge teachers should have. The comments in the Atlantic, the educators are clearly showing they are in need of upgrading, and lack understanding in mathematics.

I did some further exploration, on who is behind the fuzzy math curriculum and instruction, and why it is being enshrined and a permanent feature in the Western hemisphere.

“Many of these parents are then forced to teach their children what they are not being taught in school, hire tutors, or enroll their children in learning centers like Sylvan, Huntington, or Kumon. “
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/10/its-not-just-writing-math-needs-a-revolution-too/263545/

From Kitchen Table Math - “Kitchen Table Math exists because many K-8 schools don’t ensure mastery of basic skills. Parents have to do the work at home. And, as one can see by other posts, it’s not just a problem in math. Everyday Math, a common math curriculum, spirals through the same material each year in the hope that students at all levels will master the skills when they are ready. They assume that this works by definition. They tell teachers to keep moving and to “trust the spiral”. It doesn’t work.”
http://kitchentablemath.blogspot.ca/2012/10/notice-for-parents-new-to-ktm.html

” The latest came courtesy of the New York Times from Andrew Hacker, an emeritus political science professor at City University of New York?s Queens College, who declares that giving kids strong instruction and curricula in math is unnecessary. Why? From his perspective, ?making mathematics mandatory prevents us from discovering and developing young talent?, and is ?depleting our pool of brain power?
http://dropoutnation.net/2012/07/30/why-algebra-matters-and-why-those-who-think-it-doesnt-are-wrong/

In the last link, the last sentence of the passage is of the utmost importance. The ideology that is behind Hacker’s statement is the breed of anti-intellectualism. The K to 12 education educationalists, putting pedagogical theories ahead at the expense of the students’ education and their futures. The ‘professional educator’ turned into the ‘professional educator researcher’. The teacher has now become the conduit to discovered and nurture the talent pools of students. How? At the expense of mastery and proficiency in math.

In Canada, the leader of the gang is Dr. Small. She is real busy attending PD conferences and now she has parents as her targets.
http://www.onetwoinfinity.ca/index.php

Past presentations - for teachers at London. Called Planning Great Lessons.
http://www.onetwoinfinity.ca/presentations/London.pdf

For parents in Winnipeg - http://www.onetwoinfinity.ca/presentations/Winnipeg parents.pdf

One wonders why parents attending the presentation did not have a mini-riot over the dribble., is beyond me. There would have to be a few parents that could attest to the dollars spent on private tutoring and time spent at home. Or maybe they stayed home, and let the fuzzy math advocate parents have their say. They soon learn, of the negative math outcomes of their own children threatening their children’s futures.

Dr. Small provides links in the PDF files. One site is called EduGAINS. Press the math links, and the world of fuzzy math unfolds.
http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/index.html

“EduGAINS is the portal to resources developed and provided through the Ministry of Education and focused on learning ? student learning, educator learning, and researcher learning about student and teacher learning. This site is for all teachers, Kindergarten to Grade 12.”

Presenting works of the researchers. I followed one link, that has ties to Dr. Small. Douglas H. Clements, whose background is only in education. Below a series of videos, press the first one, 8 minutes will be enough to ascertain that children are indeed being cheated out of decent math foundation.
http://resources.curriculum.org/secretariat/snapshots/doug.html

Watch the language of Clements. He has a way with words, that makes dumbing it down, to a whole new level, to fool the educators and parents alike. All in the name of profiting at the expense of the students and parents’ pocketbooks.

Spend some time on Snapshots, of the last link - a whole host of the top global educrats including some Canadian names, all with education degrees and what is being taught to the classroom educators on PD days.