The New New Math

The New New Math

Lastly, here's another item that is only tangentially related to skepticism. Martin Gardner has an article in the September 24 edition of The New York Review of Books. "Recently, the NCTM, having learned little from its New Math fiasco, has once more been backing another reform movement that goes by such names as the new new math, whole math, fuzzy math, standards math, and rain forest math. Like the old New Math, it is creating a ferment among teachers and parents, especially in California, where it first caught on. It is estimated that about half of all pre-college mathematics in the United States is now being taught by teachers trained in fuzzy math." It is a lengthy and very alarming article. If you have an interest in the quality of education (who doesn't?), you should certainly read this.