Investigations Math Poll Results - Conclusion and Action Steps

Sign the petition to restore a rigorous math curriculum

If you've read through each page to take the time to get a better understanding of this program, you're my hero. If you've skipped to the end to see the conclusion, you're probably an Investigations Math graduate. Just kidding. Don't flame me. Regardless, thanks for visiting the site and checking out the survey. I want to again reiterate that this was not a scientific study. I merely asked people I know to take the survey and pass it on to others. I still wound up with a divergence of opinions that I do believe are valid representations of our demographics in the community, but I lack the true scientific process in doing it.

Summary of key findings:

• People rated Investigations Math a 3.4 out of 10
• By a 2 to 1 ratio, parents say they are spending more time working with their children on math in this program. Why?...read on...
• 80% of poll takers give Investigations Math a 21% chance of preparing their children for their future
• 82% of poll takers believe the schools should use more traditional math in teaching
• 96% of ALL poll takers believe the school district is NOT doing the math program right
• 10% of poll takers believe their child is progressing at their own pace (a stated purpose of the program)
• Not a single poll taker of the 52 thought the Investigations Math program was too fast, but over 80% said it was too slow, including 45% of those that rated investigations highly
• Of parents that said Investigations Math was preparing their children for the future, 50% believe the schools should teach more traditional math and 70% said their child was not progressing fast enough
• The school board has not responded since I contacted them June 16th about the allegation of having received kickbacks for switching to Investigations Math thus tainting anything positive they say about the program. (see Q10 page)

Findings from other studies include a Harvard professor who stated, "By the end of fifth grade, TERC (Investigations Math) students have fallen roughly two years behind where they should be." Ouch!

These points are a pretty strong statement about the condition of Investigations Math in this district. What's really amazing about this program and those that have implemented it, are stories I have learned about outside the survey about teachers and principals that were blackballed or forced out because they believed this was the wrong way to teach. Some teachers that purchased books to teach their students from have actually had their books confiscated and been forced to teach the Investigations Math method which DOES NOT INVOLVE TEXTBOOKS! It is a sad day when our school board stoops to such tactics. It's like a book confiscation where the real knowledge is taken from our children and they are told to figure out math on their own and see how far they can get.

There is a place for deeply thinking about math. But I am not in favor of this program using what should be a tool of the educator (having students ponder mathematical relationships) and being used as the ONLY tool for our children's education. What the district has attempted to implement is leading to confusion between teachers, students, and parents.

Furthermore some teachers haven't even accepted the program and don't use it in the classroom. I have even heard of one such teacher getting a standing ovation at Mountain Ridge Jr. High when he told parents that fact. The school board and district don't appear to be giving teachers much direction either as some teachers will tell the children and parents one thing and then we get conflicting information from other teachers. One teacher I have heard of was chewed out so badly for teaching times tables that she broke down and cried. With all those factors put together, we're winding up with a recipe for disaster.

In thinking about why some of the teachers are resisting implementing this program, has it ever occurred to the school board that maybe some of the people that have spent a lifetime teaching math, actually think this program isn't going to do the job?

Personally, I believe Saxon math to be one of the best programs to do this based on my limited research and the comments from over a dozen people that have their children in the Saxon program. Investigations math seems more to me like a watered down curriculum that only has the effect of dumbing down our kids over time. (see my page on the tax exempt foundations and book reviews on the Deliberate Dumbing Down of Education at Amazon for detailed information from a former Education Secretary on what's happening in education in this country behind the scenes.)

I hope this survey has been enlightening. I know some will discard the information posted here, others will say they're going to take action and express platitudes like "nice survey Oak, we'll be sure to address those things in future board meetings." Some may react overly emotionally as they feel threatened by this information and well they should be since they are accountable for the lack of education our children are receiving.

At this point I'd like to ask you to do a couple things.

First, sign the petition to get rid of Investigations math in Alpine school district.

Second, contact the school board and give them your thoughts. The more responses they get from parents in the community the better they can act. The great thing about a school board is they are elected officials, so if they aren't implementing what you want them to do, you can vote them out of office. Please contact them here:

http://www.alpine.k12.ut.us/asd/board/board_feedback.html (actually it appears their webform is not currently working. Please call their admin office and tell them you'd like to register a request to change the math program to a more rigorous curriculum than Investigations math).

Third, PLEASE pass this website on to others and get them to sign the survey and help me build an army of parents concerned about their children's education. I've done a lot of work here to make possible a shot at changing the math program in the district. I'm very grateful for those that have helped and are helping spread the word. Please don't let this opportunity pass now. We need your help.

Please feel free to take this short survey as well to let me know any other thoughts you have. I would especially appreciate hearing your real life stories about how Investigations math has effected your family.

Investigations Math Menu

** Most important pages to read (all have value but if you will only read a few pages make it these)
* Very important