Math performance dramatically lower at CBE schools vs. CCSD schools

[taco.vidal]

https://kidscomefirst.ca/2017/01/18/...in-ne-calgary/

Executive Summary: Math 911

Data shows dramatically lower math performance at CBE schools vs. CCSD schools.

Key points from the Kids Come First report on math:

• There are more students failing than achieving excellence on the Grade 6 Math Provincial Achievement Test (PAT) – a dramatic reversal of results in the course of a few short years.
  
• Calgary Board of Education (CBE) schools have an average failure rate over 50% higher than Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) schools on the Grade 6 and Grade 9 Math PATs. The CBE’s Grade 9 failure rate is also 14% higher than the provincial average.
  
• The number of students achieving excellence on the Grade 6 Math PAT has declined 20%.

• At least $110 million more would reach CBE classrooms each year if CBE administrative spending was in line with that of the CCSD.

It sounds like the CBE is a mess. Lots of excuses from CBE for unfairness in the numbers but little to address the actual problem of kids failing and being unable to do math.

[CaptainCrunch]

and the lord sayeth, you shalt be good at long division

And so it was

And it was good

Abacus 3:16

[OMG!WTF!]

I don't even know what a cubit is.

[Knut]

Just combine the damn boards once and for all.

[Kavvy]

nm

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Hes

Just combine the damn boards once and for all.

Only if the Catholic board is in charge. The public system gets the same per student funding and has larger class sizes and less money spent on teachers

That last bullet is crazy. If all in cost for a teacher is 150k per year that's about 700 more teachers that could be out there.

How in these studies do they account for special needs students as without normalizing that the stats would be kind of useless.

[TurdFerguson]

All those times I sat in cbe math class saying "dear God, help me!!". Clearly prayers are being answered.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

https://kidscomefirst.ca/2017/01/18/...in-ne-calgary/





It sounds like the CBE is a mess. Lots of excuses from CBE for unfairness in the numbers but little to address the actual problem of kids failing and being unable to do math.

I don't know how math is taught in the Catholic system but the way CBE teaches blows my mind. Kids are encouraged to explore their own ways to solve problems and as one teacher told me 'correct answers don't matter at this stage'. My daughter told me she 'wasn't allowed' to use traditional techniques. I guess there's research behind this but all I see are kids struggling.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by edslunch

I don't know how math is taught in the Catholic system but the way CBE teaches blows my mind. Kids are encouraged to explore their own ways to solve problems and as one teacher told me 'correct answers don't matter at this stage'. My daughter told me she 'wasn't allowed' to use traditional techniques. I guess there's research behind this but all I see are kids struggling.

Yep. I've had to teach my kids traditional math techniques myself.

[taffeyb]

They like to encourage learning different ways to solve...

However, during exams/quizzes, you don't have enough time to employ these new techniques. Unless you use "old school" methods, you can't finish all the questions.

[InglewoodFan]

There is a lot of criticism that CBE and AB Ed are big into whatever the new flavour of the month is for teaching. If it's different, full of buzzwords, and supported by "research" then it must be better. There is so many curriculum changes as a result, I feel for teachers.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by edslunch

I don't know how math is taught in the Catholic system but the way CBE teaches blows my mind. Kids are encouraged to explore their own ways to solve problems and as one teacher told me 'correct answers don't matter at this stage'. My daughter told me she 'wasn't allowed' to use traditional techniques. I guess there's research behind this but all I see are kids struggling.

I was hearing something about this and it blew my mind. I know there are many various ways to solve math problems but teach them the traditional ways first and later they can learn easier ways to solve.

I had nothing but positive experiences learning math in the CBE. Well other than that see you next Tuesday calculus teacher at Beaverbrook who almost prevented me from getting into University.

I still remember my Grade 7 teacher Mrs. Comeau, the sister in law of former Rockets and 1996 World Junior coach Marcel Comeau, who instilled a life lasting love of math in me.

[RockLicker]

Originally Posted by InglewoodFan

There is a lot of criticism that CBE and AB Ed are big into whatever the new flavour of the month is for teaching. If it's different, full of buzzwords, and supported by "research" then it must be better. There is so many curriculum changes as a result, I feel for teachers.

100% this. I get the impression there are far too many Sr educators coasting out the twilight years of their career downtown, churning out the latest and greatest in curriculum to justify their top grid salaries while not actually teaching. Because they need to be showing some sort of value, teachers get totally new curriculum dumped on them every couple of years. How does anyone expect teachers to become subject experts when the whole thing flips on its ear every few years?

*Note: all this is from an outsider drawing on anecdotes and observations. Could all be BS.

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by edslunch

I don't know how math is taught in the Catholic system but the way CBE teaches blows my mind. Kids are encouraged to explore their own ways to solve problems and as one teacher told me 'correct answers don't matter at this stage'. My daughter told me she 'wasn't allowed' to use traditional techniques. I guess there's research behind this but all I see are kids struggling.

Yeah you have to know the rules before you can create your own rules. It's a fantastic way to learn...if you're a ph.d student working at the highest levels.

In the 19th century you used to have to be able to paint to go to art school. Now you can just hang a stool upside down from the ceiling and you're a genius. And consequently we have fewer actual geniuses.



This piece is 32k btw.

[calgaryblood]

Disclaimer *I'm not white.

I think a reason for the difference is a lot of CBE students are the kids of immigrants and don't get a head start at home and don't get their parents helping them at home. I know when I started gong to school it was impossible to get help from my parents.

I know that's not the only reason because my immigrant dad turned out smarter than me and when he came here he didn't know a lick of English.

Catholic schools are mostly white and not the kids of immigrants so I think they have an advantage. Add that to the fact a lot of immigrants come here broke and it's no surprise school isn't immediately a priority.

I know not all CBE schools fall into that category and not painting everyone with the same brush but the several dozen schools in the NE have a large make up of brown kids with immigrant parents.

Again, I know several people who I went to school with who turned out very successful so not saying it's impossible.

But the majority of my friends are in trades like myself or doing another labour job

[Two Fivenagame]

Why is there a Catholic School board again? Oh right, so they can indoctrinate children into their freakish belief system.

Higher math scores. Believes in magic zombies.

[InglewoodFan]

Originally Posted by Two Fivenagame

Why is there a Catholic School board again? Oh right, so they can indoctrinate children into their freakish belief system.

Higher math scores. Believes in magic zombies.

If it's any consolation, it doesn't really work. I went to Catholic HS as a non-Catholic and nothing stuck with me. Still as atheist as ever.

But I am pretty awesome at math, so I've got that going for me.

[Bill Bumface]

Catholic school turned me into an athiest.

Got 100% on my Math diploma on the way.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Disclaimer *I'm not white.

I think a reason for the difference is a lot of CBE students are the kids of immigrants and don't get a head start at home and don't get their parents helping them at home. I know when I started gong to school it was impossible to get help from my parents.

I know that's not the only reason because my immigrant dad turned out smarter than me and when he came here he didn't know a lick of English.

Catholic schools are mostly white and not the kids of immigrants so I think they have an advantage. Add that to the fact a lot of immigrants come here broke and it's no surprise school isn't immediately a priority.

I know not all CBE schools fall into that category and not painting everyone with the same brush but the several dozen schools in the NE have a large make up of brown kids with immigrant parents.

Again, I know several people who I went to school with who turned out very successful so not saying it's impossible.

But the majority of my friends are in trades like myself or doing another labour job

First time I have ever heard anyone say white kids are better at math than the kids of Asian immigrants!

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

First time I have ever heard anyone say white kids are better at math than the kids of Asian immigrants!

Well I'm talking about the immigrants coming from countries with no school system (like my parents at the time) and several thousand other kids in the public school system.

It definitely is a disadvantage.