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Math class a lesson in reality

submitter: Reaching Every Teacher: A Systemic Approach to Increased Student Achievement K-12
published: 11/04/1998
posted to site: 11/05/1998
Math class a lesson in reality
by Jordanna Hart, published in the Boston Globe, March 19, 1998.

This article discusses Reaching Every Teacher's partnership with the local business community which brings industry volunteers into the classroom. According to the article, these volunteers serve a dual purpose. First, they provide substitute coverage, allowing teachers to attend monthly training sessions. Second, they bring real life problems into the classroom and engage students in how math is necessary in the "real world". As one student said, "He tells us how real people use math everyday." Tom Foley, PI of the Reaching Every Teacher project, said, "They [the students] have someone out there telling them math is important. Our credibility with students gets stretched because we are supposed to say that. I mean, if you sell Fords you are supposed to talk about Fords. But here are independent people telling our kids, 'Hey guys, pay attention because I use math all the time.'" The article then touches upon the curriculum implemented by this project and also notes the poor results of US students on TIMSS.