Program hopes to boosts math skills in Gilbert

A Gilbert math education business weighs in a president's advisory panels recommendations.

The President's National Mathematics Advisory Panel Friday released a list of recommendations targeted at the improvement of math education in the nation's schools. The report, composed by recognized math education experts, arrives on the heels of a separate study indicating American students' alarmingly sub-par performance in math when compared against their overseas peers.

According to a story published in The Wall Street Journal, the panel's proposals "mark a sharp departure from the diverse priorities that now govern teaching of the subject in U.S. public schools," promoting instead "a laserlike focus on the essentials."

The panel's recommendations are no surprise to local math expert Larry Schatt, owner of Mathnasium of Gilbert.

"From day one, this is exactly how we've been teaching kids math here at Mathnasium," Schatt says. "We work with a lot of kids who feel confused and intimidated by math. By placing math fundamentals at the core of our teaching methodology, and teaching those fundamentals in a way that makes sense to the kids, we've seen significant increases in our students' grades and test scores. Most importantly, we've seen positive changes in their attitude towards the subject, a perspective that encourages future academic success in math and other related disciplines."

"The panel's findings couldn't have come at a better time," Schatt continues. "Bottom line is, unless the curriculums change in U.S. classrooms, our kids will continue to underperform mathematically. Subsequently, our graduates will not be able to compete in an increasingly technological workforce, and the United States will steadily lose its competitive edge in today's global marketplace."

"It's unfortunate that such recommendations will take a quite a while to implement in school districts," Schatt continued. "Until these standards become universal, and until they are executed correctly, Mathnasium will continue to serve as a reliable resource for students of all mathematical abilities."

Mathnasium of Gilbert, located at 538 S Gilbert Road, is a year-round math learning center that caters to students from 1st grade through SAT I preparation.

Information: 480 782-7987 or gilbert@mathnasium.com