Contemporary Mathematics in Context: Course 2 Part A

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing Material
Review: Both of my sons and two of my nieces have been through this curriculum. If we were given any alternative math options, we would take them.

While this program was rated highly by an educational group, it has been a major disappointment to us. Many of the parents have supplemented the math taught at the High School with extra courses for high school students, given by State Universities.

As an engineer, math is extremely important to me. My oldest son hopes to become an engineer, and I'm struggling with how to 'patch' his poor math background. He frequently comes to me with questions that he should understand, but that are poorly communicated in the book.

The teachers often would say "there's an error in the book on page..." My kids said this happened daily.

This shouldn't be necessary. Math is foundational, and texts written for math should be very critically edited, to make sure mistakes are removed, that concepts are well explained, and that the fundamentals are all covered. These steps did not happen with this coursework. And the creators of this material have not responded with improvements to the curricula.

Integrated math as a concept may be very positive. But this series is probably one of the poorest ways to do it. If you're sold on integrated math, try another program.

Rating:
Summary: I wish that I could have written these texts.
Review: Contemporary Mathematucs in Context is a program that build on the theme of mathematics as sense-making. Through investigations of real-life contexts, students develop a rich understanding of important mathematics that makes sense to them and, in turn, enables them to make sense out of nes situations and problems. Yes, it enables them to think.

The materials are designed to implement the vision of high school mathematics portrayed in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics "Standards" documents. The curriculum materials include thew following features:

Multiple Connected Strands (Algebra and Functions; Geometry and Trigonometry; Statistics and Probability; and Discrete Mathematics.)

Mathematical Modeling (including data collection, representation, interpretation, prediction, and simulation.)

Access to core mathematical topics for all students. Differences in students in performance and interest and be accomodated by the depth and level of abstraction, by the nature and degree of difficulty of applications, and by providing opportunities for student choice on homework tasks and projects.

Technology (Numerical, graphical, and programming link capabilities found on many graphing calculators are assumed and capitalized upon. These provide opportunities to emphasize multiple representations and to focus on mathematical thinking, rather than mere computation.)

Active Learning (Instruction and assessment practices are designed to promote mathematical thinking. Collaborative groups and individual work are used as students explore, conjecture, verify, evaluate, and communicate mathematical ideas.)

The curriculum promises to make mathematics accessible to a diverse student population. Developing mathematics each year along multiple strands nurtures the differing strengths and talents of students and simultaneously helps them to develop diverse mathematical insights. Developing mathematics from a modeling perspective permits students to experience mathematics as a means of making sense of data and problems that arise in diverse contexts. Engaging students in small groups to work together on tasks develops their ability to both deal with, and find commonality in, diversity of ideas. Using calculators as a means for learning and doing mathematics enables students to develop versatile ways of dealing with realistic situations and reduces the manipulative skill filter which has prevented large numbers of students from continuing their study of significant mathematics.

Furthermore, in cases where the mathematics departments or admissions offices have reviewed Contemporary Mathematics in Context, the courses have been approved as meeting the mathematics admission requirements of those intitutions. Many students have applied, been accepted and are succeeding in many colleges and universioties across the country.

Lastly, I have been teaching high school mathematics for 27 years and have seen many programs come and go. I have also heard others use the phrase "This too shall pass." The reform movement is the right movement for students in this country. We do not need to focus on a curriculum that is a mile wide and an inch thick. Contemporary Mathematics in Context provides the depth to allow students the opportunity to be able to think, not just process. I hope that this mathematics movement does not just "pass." I really wish that I would have written these texts. I believe in them and the curriculum embedded within. And so do my students! --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.