Math Mania: What’s Up with the Downward Trend?

I recently had a conversation with an elementary teacher about math curriculum. We were not discussing one particular curriculum versus another, as I find many people eager to do. Rather, we were discussing differing approaches to math concepts and how the effectiveness of our instruction affects student performance as they progress through their schooling. Our discussion eventually stumbled its way into that sensitive topic of declining computation scores on standardized tests. Our time ran out just as we opened that proverbial can of worms, but the conversation piqued my curiosity about declining student math performance.

Driven by a few loosely formed ideas and a freshly stoked curiosity, I braved the ever-expanding conglomerate of information we all fondly refer to as “the internet” to further explore the topic of student performance in math. And a cursory inquiry confirmed that my colleague and I were not alone in our concern that students seem less proficient in recent years at producing quick, accurate mathematical calculations. My search also revealed this list of popular speculations as to why this perceived decline is occurring:

• Covid disruptions
• Technology and distractions
• Declining accountability
• Teacher shortages
• Curriculum and instruction

Much could be said about all of these topics and their respective influence on math performance in education. But the last item in the list stood out to me because it aligned with the chat I’d had with my fellow teacher. I continued my brief quest for information with “curriculum and instruction affecting math performance” as my more specific target.

Before I reveal what I found next, I would like to encourage everyone involved in Christian education to remember that it truly does matter how we teach what we teach. Our students need strong skill sets and foundational knowledge to explore God’s great creation and responsibly manage their time, talents, and resources as they learn and strive to serve the Lord. Consider the words of Genesis 1:14–15:

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so.

From the very beginning of time, before man was even made, God intended for our interaction with nature to involve accurate and reliable measurement and calculation. It truly matters that the education we provide equips students to discover the wonders of God’s creation and character as he intended.

It truly matters that the education we provide equips students to discover the wonders of God’s creation and character as he intended.

When I pushed a little further into the role that curriculum and instruction could be playing in a math-computation-skill decline, I noticed an emerging theme. It seems that ongoing “math wars” regarding the focus on procedural memorization versus conceptual understanding have created curriculum inconsistencies. In other words, which is more important: knowing the steps to get correct solutions or understanding why and how the steps work? Look hard enough and you will notice that different teachers and textbooks show preferences toward one side or the other in this debate. It may be time to acknowledge that this debate on instructional emphasis may be affecting student math performance.

I concluded my brief investigation at that point, but I did ask myself a few questions that I felt needed quick answers. So to conclude this discussion, I will share my personal Q&A session with you.

Q: Which is the right focus: procedural memorization or conceptual understanding?

A: My colleague and I concluded that there must be focus on both! I have met a student who could give me a textbook definition of multiplication and its properties. But the same student struggled to actually multiply a pair of two-digit numbers. I have also met a young student who could answer simple math facts in a flash (e.g., addition and subtraction flash cards) but could not explain what it means to add or subtract numbers. Students need proficiency and understanding in both areas of focus.

Q: Why is it important for students to be fast at mathematical processes? If they understand how the math works, does it really matter?

A: When students do not develop strong proficiency and speed in computation, it becomes increasingly difficult to teach secondary (and beyond) math courses. I have spoken with three math teachers from different schools who were all experiencing difficulty completing their high school math curriculum each year. They also reported that it took students so long to add, subtract, multiply, and divide that their students would get lost in the problems or they would not complete enough problems to develop complete understanding of the concept. If students cannot be remediated very quickly, the problem only cascades as they advance through high school.

Q: What is the solution?

A: This question is likely to be debated for years to come. One of my personal suggestions that I shared in the conversation with the elementary teacher is to include much more “mental math” practice, especially in elementary math classes. It is not encouraging to see upper elementary or middle school students still counting their fingers or pausing to sing a song in order to complete basic speed drills. I agree with a suggestion presented to me that speed drills should never be skipped. Additionally, the “why/how it works” of newly introduced concepts should not be skipped. Finally, exercise caution in following the latest trends of teaching multiple tips, tricks, and methods for solving the same types of problems. Choose a solid, simple method and have students practice it until it becomes a confident, consistent skill. Save the tricks, shortcuts, and alternate methods for remediation or differentiation when needed.

This is certainly not a thesis or study for solving all of our students’ math deficiencies. But it is my hope that as the topic continues to circulate, we as Christian educators will take our role in improving instruction seriously. With a balanced focus, perhaps some downward trends could take upward turns.