How do you teach math?
What’s the best way to teach math? Turns out that depends on whom you ask. Ask general education teachers and researchers and they will tell you it’s the inquiry-based approach. This approach emphasizes productive struggle in which students grapple with open-ended challenging problems before a teacher models solutions.
Special ed researchers say that method is all wrong. In fact, it’s backwards. They argue that the explicit instruction method is better for all kids. In this approach step-by-step systematic teaching that breaks down complex tasks will reduce the very tension for which the Inquiry Method is aiming. In this approach, the teacher models the process first and the students practice what the teacher has modeled.
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) advocates for the Inquiry Method. On the other hand, the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) advocates for the Explicit Method. Groups of special education teachers feel strongly that the Inquiry Method is educational malpractice. Others argue that many students with math disabilities are in general ed classes and the Inquiry Method will not address the disability nor help kids get over their fear of math.
Special ed researchers charge that the research done to support the Inquiry Method reflects a lack of understanding and familiarity with mathematics-related disabilities. With the support of the NCTM, the Inquiry Method is taking hold in many states and the high-quality instructional materials that are being rolled out across the country are based on this method. Even the goals of the approaches are different. Special ed teachers tend to focus on data-based outcomes and meeting testing standards. General educators are looking for kids to find “joy” in math and use it to engage in civic life.
State standards are following the lead of teaching reading and insisting on research-based methodology. The big question is whose research will be followed and what is the purpose in teaching math?
