Laurie McManus responds to a Montage article
I was disappointed in the recent Montage article, “Math success; a national issue”. I found the article to be a disjointed and incoherent jumble of facts, misrepresented facts, and hearsay.
Had the author done sufficient research, he would have been able to state that both the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the American Mathematics Association for Two Year Colleges (AMATYC) have defined standards for the practice of mathematics education that address ways to help students not only master mathematical concepts and ideas, but also to foster an appreciation for the utility of mathematics. A better informed journalist would have been able to state that Achieving the Dream is a national program focused on strategies to help community college students complete degree programs.
The article could have offered a broader perspective by narrating stories of more than one student about their efforts to pass mathematics courses. As a community college educator, I appreciate the student work that has resulted in the Montage earning numerous journalism awards.
This article does not exemplify such work.
-Laurie McManus
