Math is not just numbers and symbols. It’s logic, and critical thinking, problem solving. Math helps develop skills that are needed in real world activities – from coding new apps for the ever-expanding digital world, to simple things as figuring out how much paint is needed for that house project you might have. Bottom line, math determines how successful we are in that world.
Considering the critical role math has in our success what milestones do students need to keep track of as they progress from one school grade to another.
The most essential math concepts needed by an elementary grade student are fractions and whole number division. Mastering those two concepts will ensure that students get on the right track to be successful in high school. Now, that doesn’t mean that students should skip addition/subtraction, and multiplication fact fluency. Those are prerequisites that kids must learn first before moving on to other topics like fractions and division. Math levels are like the ripples on the surface of a pond – the outer circles can’t exist without the inner circles.
Middle school math predicts high school graduation.
One study examined the graduation pattern of nearly 13,000 students in one urban school district to discover how middle school factors related to high school graduation. The results showed that 81% of students that failed a math course in 6th grade failed to graduate high school. Only 13% that failed a math course managed to graduate on time.
High School Math Predicts Career Goals
When it comes to math achievements, the high school years are the most critical in the academic development of students.
A report that examined the long-term outcomes of thousands of students across the United States found clear connections between the highest level of math completed by the end of high school and the highest degree of education attained 10 years later. Only 3% of students who had completed vocational math but no higher-level math courses had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, whereas 73% of students who had completed at least one calculus course held a bachelor’s degree or higher.
One misconception is that once a student graduates from high school he or she won’t have to encounter any more math courses unless it relates to the degree being pursued in college. Everyone is expected to take at least an introduction to algebra course in college. Some colleges will place students into remedial math if they don’t score well enough on their placement test. Usually, there are three level of remedial math courses one must pass before moving on to college math. All of that will take additional time and money that students didn’t plan for.
Here at Mathnasium we meet kids where they are in regards to their math knowldegde and we bring them to where they need to be. We boost confidence, and develop critical thinking skills in a fun and engaging environment. Confidence leads to passion and passion leads to growth.
References: Lee, J. (2012). College for all: Gaps between desirable and actual P–12 math achievement trajectories for college readiness. Educational Researcher, 41(2), 43-55.; Rose, H., & Betts, J. R. (2001). Math matters: The links between high school curriculum, college graduation, and earnings. San Francisco, CA: Public Policy Institute of California; Renaissance. (2017). Trends in student outcome measures: The role of individualized math practice. Wisconsin Rapids, WI: Author.
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