Study compares U.S. and South Korean math textbooks While South Korean students outpace their American counterparts in international test scores, some math textbooks used in U.S. schools may be more rigorous than textbooks used in South Korea, according to a recent study in which researchers compared a textbook used in about 500 American high schools with those commonly used in South Korean schools. Researchers found that youth in South Korea learn some concepts earlier, but the U.S. textbooks presented more problems, and those problems were more challenging to solve. The Atlantic online (1/15) Competition helps students strengthen math skills More than 150 middle-school students from Bay County, Fla., recently pitted their math skills against one another during the MathCounts competition. Students raced against the clock to finish problems in different scenarios, individually and in groups. "There is a big confidence gain and there's a big jump in achievement and performance level by participation in the program," teacher John Fant said. WMBB-TV (Panama City, Fla.) (1/15) Other News  |
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 | Calif. education board approves 31 new math textbooks Educators in California will have new math textbooks at their disposal now that the California State Board of Education has approved 31 new textbooks. The textbooks -- reviewed by the Instructional Quality Commission -- align with the Common Core State Standards and offer an increased focus on mathematical principles, abstract reasoning and classroom discussions in math. EdSource (1/14) Other News | Alaska contracts with Kan. university for common core tests Alaska has dropped out of the multistate Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and announced intent to contract with Kansas University's Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation to develop state math and reading assessments. With the move, Alaska joins Kansas, which also recently dropped out of the consortium in favor of the university's test development. Lawrence Journal-World (Kansas) (1/15) | Tenn. college teaches office tech in real-world setting Students attending the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Livingston are getting an education in business systems technology in a classroom environment designed to look and operate like an office. Students in the program perform their assignments at workstations equipped with computers and calculators. "We offer them real-world experience by giving them assignments like they would have in an office," instructor Carrie Huckeby-Johnson said. Herald-Citizen (Cookeville, Tenn.) (1/14) | Researchers find merit in tying school funding to students' needs A recent study finds that when done correctly, weighted school funding -- in which more money is directed to schools with higher numbers of low-income students -- can positively affect students' achievement. "Holding all else constant," researchers write, an increase in "budget autonomy predicts that a given school district would have higher standing proficiency rates, and faster proficiency rate improvement relative to other districts within its state. These findings hold for disadvantaged groups." The Washington Post (tiered subscription model) (1/15) | Reflection resources Reflections are web-based tools to systematically observe, analyze, critique and reflect on classroom practices. Check out NCTM's Reflection Resources for elementary-, middle- and high-school teachers, as well as reflection-based research. Dynamic geometry tools Using Clairaut's historic-genetic approach and dynamic geometry tools in middle school can develop students' conceptual understanding before they encounter formal proof in geometry. Check out this free preview article from the latest issue of Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School.
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