I love math I love a math because of what it can do for me in my everyday
what it can do for me in my everyday
what it can do for me in my everyday life should I take the thousand dollar
life should I take the thousand dollar
life should I take the thousand dollar rebate and the four percent interest on
rebate and the four percent interest on
rebate and the four percent interest on a car loan or should I take the zero
a car loan or should I take the zero
a car loan or should I take the zero percent car loan I love math before
percent car loan I love math before
percent car loan I love math before because of where it’s taken me in the
because of where it’s taken me in the
because of where it’s taken me in the immortal words of dr. Seuss oh the
immortal words of dr. Seuss oh the
immortal words of dr. Seuss oh the places you’ll go
places you’ll go
places you’ll go it took me from a child in Jacksonville
it took me from a child in Jacksonville
it took me from a child in Jacksonville Florida and opened up the world
it took me from NASA the headquarters in
it took me from NASA the headquarters in Houston to the Procter & Gamble
Houston to the Procter & Gamble
Houston to the Procter & Gamble headquarters in Cincinnati it helped me
headquarters in Cincinnati it helped me
headquarters in Cincinnati it helped me transition between many different jobs
transition between many different jobs
transition between many different jobs and roles in many different business
and roles in many different business
and roles in many different business sectors from science and research the
sectors from science and research the
sectors from science and research the business and strategy for marketing and
business and strategy for marketing and
business and strategy for marketing and sales to innovation and product
sales to innovation and product
sales to innovation and product development from hardware products to
development from hardware products to
development from hardware products to healthcare IT but sadly
you you laugh because you know the truth
you you laugh because you know the truth sadly many know a few Americans can say
sadly many know a few Americans can say
sadly many know a few Americans can say that they love math instead you’re much
that they love math instead you’re much
that they love math instead you’re much more likely to hear I’m not a math
more likely to hear I’m not a math
more likely to hear I’m not a math person I’m just not good at math in fact
person I’m just not good at math in fact
person I’m just not good at math in fact one-third of American adults can only do
one-third of American adults can only do
one-third of American adults can only do math at the most basic level and our
math at the most basic level and our
math at the most basic level and our students aren’t much better
students aren’t much better
students aren’t much better and here we international test for our
and here we international test for our
and here we international test for our middle school and high school students
middle school and high school students
middle school and high school students over the last thirty plus years we’ve
over the last thirty plus years we’ve
over the last thirty plus years we’ve consistently been in the bottom of the
consistently been in the bottom of the
consistently been in the bottom of the top 25 nations it’s keeping our students
top 25 nations it’s keeping our students
top 25 nations it’s keeping our students out of stem majors in college it’s
out of stem majors in college it’s
out of stem majors in college it’s hurting our graduation rate in community
hurting our graduation rate in community
hurting our graduation rate in community colleges these students and community
colleges these students and community
colleges these students and community colleges have to take remedial math for
colleges have to take remedial math for
colleges have to take remedial math for a year they get frustrated they’re not
a year they get frustrated they’re not
a year they get frustrated they’re not getting credit for it 43 percent of
getting credit for it 43 percent of
getting credit for it 43 percent of Community College students in Iowa drop
Community College students in Iowa drop
Community College students in Iowa drop out after the first year in fact it’s
out after the first year in fact it’s
out after the first year in fact it’s hurting our national competitiveness in
hurting our national competitiveness in
hurting our national competitiveness in today’s world 90% of jobs require some
today’s world 90% of jobs require some
today’s world 90% of jobs require some sort of post high school education but
sort of post high school education but
sort of post high school education but sadly our students are not able to to do
sadly our students are not able to to do
sadly our students are not able to to do the kinds of things they need to get
the kinds of things they need to get
the kinds of things they need to get into the majors that are getting them
into the majors that are getting them
into the majors that are getting them into the middle-class lifestyle they’re
into the middle-class lifestyle they’re
into the middle-class lifestyle they’re ending up as retail clerks nothing wrong
ending up as retail clerks nothing wrong
ending up as retail clerks nothing wrong with that but at overtime you want to
with that but at overtime you want to
with that but at overtime you want to improve yourself and they can’t because
improve yourself and they can’t because
improve yourself and they can’t because I don’t have the required math skills
I don’t have the required math skills
I don’t have the required math skills well why so many people struggle with
well why so many people struggle with
well why so many people struggle with math most people agree there are three
math most people agree there are three
math most people agree there are three main reasons first we teach to the test
main reasons first we teach to the test
main reasons first we teach to the test that means we have people memorize
that means we have people memorize
that means we have people memorize processes we don’t have them understand
processes we don’t have them understand
processes we don’t have them understand concepts and then when I talk about
concepts and then when I talk about
concepts and then when I talk about uneven teacher education think about
uneven teacher education think about
uneven teacher education think about this every elementary teacher has to
this every elementary teacher has to
this every elementary teacher has to teach math whether they like it or
teach math whether they like it or
teach math whether they like it or understand it and then the biggest
understand it and then the biggest
understand it and then the biggest reason is commitment and resources to
reason is commitment and resources to
reason is commitment and resources to change let me give you an example in the
change let me give you an example in the
change let me give you an example in the 60s at the height of the space race the
60s at the height of the space race the
60s at the height of the space race the federal government realized our math
federal government realized our math
federal government realized our math education was lacking
education was lacking
education was lacking we had people develop new math programs
we had people develop new math programs
we had people develop new math programs and there were some real good one
and there were some real good one
and there were some real good one one of them was showing really good
one of them was showing really good
one of them was showing really good promise in in test schools Japanese
promise in in test schools Japanese
promise in in test schools Japanese heard about this came over learn how to
heard about this came over learn how to
heard about this came over learn how to do it learned about it took it back to
do it learned about it took it back to
do it learned about it took it back to Japan within five years they had it
Japan within five years they had it
Japan within five years they had it spread over the entire country and very
spread over the entire country and very
spread over the entire country and very soon their test scores started rising
soon their test scores started rising
soon their test scores started rising other Asian countries noticed this and
other Asian countries noticed this and
other Asian countries noticed this and adapted adopted those math teaching
adapted adopted those math teaching
adapted adopted those math teaching methods and today the Asian countries
methods and today the Asian countries
methods and today the Asian countries are in the top of those 25 top nations
well literacy and numeracy related and
well literacy and numeracy related and importantly the most important part of
importantly the most important part of
importantly the most important part of those to happen before third grade have
those to happen before third grade have
those to happen before third grade have you ever heard the saying before third
you ever heard the saying before third
you ever heard the saying before third grade a student learns to read after
grade a student learns to read after
grade a student learns to read after third grade she reads to learn in fact
third grade she reads to learn in fact
third grade she reads to learn in fact if they’re still struggling with reading
if they’re still struggling with reading
if they’re still struggling with reading at the end of third grade
at the end of third grade
at the end of third grade they’re very likely to never get better
they’re very likely to never get better
they’re very likely to never get better and they’re four times more likely to
and they’re four times more likely to
and they’re four times more likely to drop out of high school
drop out of high school
drop out of high school same with math when a student is still
same with math when a student is still
same with math when a student is still struggling with math and fourth grade he
struggling with math and fourth grade he
struggling with math and fourth grade he will likely never get any better and you
will likely never get any better and you
will likely never get any better and you will not have access to the ton of
will not have access to the ton of
will not have access to the ton of technology jobs that make a lot up a lot
technology jobs that make a lot up a lot
technology jobs that make a lot up a lot of our jobs today and more in the future
of our jobs today and more in the future
of our jobs today and more in the future well with all this against me how did I
well with all this against me how did I
well with all this against me how did I come to love math I didn’t really know
come to love math I didn’t really know
come to love math I didn’t really know until the first day I walked into my
until the first day I walked into my
until the first day I walked into my son’s Montessori School when I enrolled
son’s Montessori School when I enrolled
son’s Montessori School when I enrolled him in pre-kindergarten I saw a table
him in pre-kindergarten I saw a table
him in pre-kindergarten I saw a table filled with trays of beans and students
filled with trays of beans and students
filled with trays of beans and students scooping 1/3 of a cup and putting it
scooping 1/3 of a cup and putting it
scooping 1/3 of a cup and putting it into the one cup one two three they were
into the one cup one two three they were
into the one cup one two three they were learning counting volume fractions all
learning counting volume fractions all
learning counting volume fractions all while playing with physical activities
while playing with physical activities
while playing with physical activities that represented math concepts there
that represented math concepts there
that represented math concepts there were many other activities probably 50
were many other activities probably 50
were many other activities probably 50 of them in that classroom each with
of them in that classroom each with
of them in that classroom each with concrete hands-on examples for students
concrete hands-on examples for students
concrete hands-on examples for students to play discover learn and they didn’t
to play discover learn and they didn’t
to play discover learn and they didn’t even realize a lot of times they were
even realize a lot of times they were
even realize a lot of times they were learning these are four five six four
learning these are four five six four
learning these are four five six four and five-year-olds whether they learned
and five-year-olds whether they learned
and five-year-olds whether they learned together or they learned independently
together or they learned independently
together or they learned independently now what does this have to do with me I
now what does this have to do with me I
now what does this have to do with me I didn’t go to a Montessori School well my
didn’t go to a Montessori School well my
didn’t go to a Montessori School well my earliest memories on my earliest
earliest memories on my earliest
earliest memories on my earliest memories I was five or six years
memories I was five or six years
memories I was five or six years and I was helping my father at a room
and I was helping my father at a room
and I was helping my father at a room under the house similar to this and we
under the house similar to this and we
under the house similar to this and we would measure we measured the perimeter
would measure we measured the perimeter
would measure we measured the perimeter of the concrete slab so we could
of the concrete slab so we could
of the concrete slab so we could determine how many two-by-fours we were
determine how many two-by-fours we were
determine how many two-by-fours we were gonna buy and I learned lengths and I
gonna buy and I learned lengths and I
gonna buy and I learned lengths and I learned perimeter we decide we
learned perimeter we decide we
learned perimeter we decide we determined how many squares tile squares
determined how many squares tile squares
determined how many squares tile squares we needed to make the floor
we needed to make the floor
we needed to make the floor I learned area we determined how many
I learned area we determined how many
I learned area we determined how many bags of cement we needed to make the
bags of cement we needed to make the
bags of cement we needed to make the small 6-inch lat deep landing at the
small 6-inch lat deep landing at the
small 6-inch lat deep landing at the bottom of the stairs volume and because
bottom of the stairs volume and because
bottom of the stairs volume and because I was the oldest of five I was lucky
I was the oldest of five I was lucky
I was the oldest of five I was lucky enough they have to help my parents with
enough they have to help my parents with
enough they have to help my parents with cooking working on the car
cooking working on the car
cooking working on the car laundry gardening you name it many of
laundry gardening you name it many of
laundry gardening you name it many of these things involve basic math skills I
these things involve basic math skills I
these things involve basic math skills I was learning without knowing it
was learning without knowing it
was learning without knowing it I had a Montessori School experience in
I had a Montessori School experience in
I had a Montessori School experience in my home and how could we help our
my home and how could we help our
my home and how could we help our children learn to love math we can’t
children learn to love math we can’t
children learn to love math we can’t wait for the public schools or the
wait for the public schools or the
wait for the public schools or the private schools they’re not doing it
private schools they’re not doing it
private schools they’re not doing it already to change it’s because it’s
already to change it’s because it’s
already to change it’s because it’s becoming on all of us parents
becoming on all of us parents
becoming on all of us parents grandparents aunts uncles big sisters
grandparents aunts uncles big sisters
grandparents aunts uncles big sisters little sister
little sister
little sister excuse me Big Brothers Big Sisters even
excuse me Big Brothers Big Sisters even
excuse me Big Brothers Big Sisters even teachers who don’t like math if you hear
teachers who don’t like math if you hear
teachers who don’t like math if you hear first of all stop saying I don’t like
first of all stop saying I don’t like
first of all stop saying I don’t like math I just can’t do it and if you hear
math I just can’t do it and if you hear
math I just can’t do it and if you hear a child say that please stop them and
a child say that please stop them and
a child say that please stop them and help them understand that it takes time
help them understand that it takes time
help them understand that it takes time and practice to learn anything all these
and practice to learn anything all these
and practice to learn anything all these things that you can help your child give
things that you can help your child give
things that you can help your child give just a little bit of time and a few
just a little bit of time and a few
just a little bit of time and a few practical hands-on things all these
practical hands-on things all these
practical hands-on things all these things help with counting in concept
things help with counting in concept
things help with counting in concept relation and and and all sorts of math
relation and and and all sorts of math
relation and and and all sorts of math concepts for example if you’re teaching
concepts for example if you’re teaching
concepts for example if you’re teaching a tight child how to tell time the
a tight child how to tell time the
a tight child how to tell time the concept of a quarter of an hour or 15
concept of a quarter of an hour or 15
concept of a quarter of an hour or 15 minutes you can show them on a face of a
minutes you can show them on a face of a
minutes you can show them on a face of a clock 15 15 15 15 it’s 1/4 of an hour
clock 15 15 15 15 it’s 1/4 of an hour
clock 15 15 15 15 it’s 1/4 of an hour then you relate that to making change
then you relate that to making change
then you relate that to making change out of a dollar a quarter is 1/4 of a
out of a dollar a quarter is 1/4 of a
out of a dollar a quarter is 1/4 of a dollar there are four quarters on a
dollar there are four quarters on a
dollar there are four quarters on a dollar so you relate concepts you let
dollar so you relate concepts you let
dollar so you relate concepts you let them play and explore after you’ve
them play and explore after you’ve
them play and explore after you’ve explained this to them
although there are simple
although there are simple age-appropriate puzzles and logic
age-appropriate puzzles and logic
age-appropriate puzzles and logic problems that you can get online or at
problems that you can get online or at
problems that you can get online or at the library so it’s practically free if
the library so it’s practically free if
the library so it’s practically free if you’re sitting with a child who’s doing
you’re sitting with a child who’s doing
you’re sitting with a child who’s doing these simple problems use a Socratic
these simple problems use a Socratic
these simple problems use a Socratic method don’t provide them an answer ask
method don’t provide them an answer ask
method don’t provide them an answer ask them questions and after they sort of
them questions and after they sort of
them questions and after they sort of get it let them explore an event don’t
get it let them explore an event don’t
get it let them explore an event don’t worry about if they get the right answer
worry about if they get the right answer
worry about if they get the right answer right away all that exploration and
right away all that exploration and
right away all that exploration and discovery is what really helps them so
discovery is what really helps them so
discovery is what really helps them so if all of you can help we don’t have to
if all of you can help we don’t have to
if all of you can help we don’t have to wait for our schools to change we can
wait for our schools to change we can
wait for our schools to change we can all help just a little bit a few minutes
all help just a little bit a few minutes
all help just a little bit a few minutes a week during or whatever we’re doing in
a week during or whatever we’re doing in
a week during or whatever we’re doing in our regular day and soon our student
our regular day and soon our student
our regular day and soon our student more and more students will be able to
more and more students will be able to
more and more students will be able to say I love math and then they would be
say I love math and then they would be
say I love math and then they would be able to reach their dreams thank you
able to reach their dreams thank you
able to reach their dreams thank you [Applause]
”
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