Front a Mentor, a Teacher, a Mathematician
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THE NEWSLETIER OF THE MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA Reality Check: At Baltimore Standards Formn, All QuietAlong"MathWars" Front by Ken Ross speaking up. The tone was set by the The problem that no one cares what is excellent keynote address given by In This Issue going on in mathematics education is Education SecretaryRiley. In reference gone! Major newspapers from New to the so-called "math wars" in Califor York to California have published col nia and elsewhere, he said, "Let me say 2 New TIMSS Report umns about the problems in school right now that this is a very disturbing mathematics, and the California "math trend, and it is very wrong for anyone wars" have been a national concern. As addressing education to be attacking 3 Cryptanalyst usual, the newsworthy stories reporton another in ways that are neither con Abraham Sinkov the extreme positions taken. Fre structive nor productive. It is perfectly Dies quently the culprit is identified as the appropriate to disagree on teaching NCTM Standards. Meanwhile, the in methodologies and curriculum con visible majorityofconcerned mathema tent. Butwhatwe need is a civil and con 6 Educating Math ticians is not heard from. structive discourse." Teachers At the Baltimore meeting, it was heart Though there were still some heated ening to see the invisible majority discussions at the meeting, in general 8 Letters to the Editor Appreciation See Standards on page 4 10 Single-Sex Education Survey A Mentor, a Teacher, a Mathematician 11 Liaisons Program James R. C. Leitzel, who died ofcancer on February 25 at the age of 61, was a Update multitalented mathematics professor at the University of New Hampshire and an MAA governor-at-Iarge who had earned a national reputation for his research and expertise in mathematics education. Leitzel was a member ofthe MAA for nearly 40 years and was per haps best known for his work as codirector of the MAA's national Project NExT (New Experiences in Teaching). JamesR.C. Leitzel The Mathematical Association of America Postage paid at Organized in 1993, Project NExT is a Washington, DC and 1529 Eighteenth St., NW additional mailing offices professional development program for Washington, DC 20036 new and recent Ph.D.s in the math **********************5-DIGIT 45504 ematical sciences that tackles issues in Z32325000 OSN F598 1298 001 the teaching and learning of under 7 graduate mathematics. Project NExT 7 F Fellows often spoke of Leitzel's "com BE SQ'H 8352 Pi passion for young mathematicians and their efforts to become the best teach 1""11.1111111'.11111111111111111111111111111' 1111111111111111 ers they could be." Fellow Lynne Baur See Leitzelon page 5 FOCUS May/June 1998 u.s. ShowinginTwelfth-Grade International FOCUS Math Study Called Unacceptable FOCUS is published by the Mathematical Professional Math Organizations Uniteto Make Mathematics Education Top Priority Association of America in January, February, March, April, MaylJune, U.S. 12th graders scored worse in math The tests were given to the fourth, August/September, October, November, than their counterparts in 20 other eighth, and 12th graders in spring, and December. countries, according to the Third In 1995, and the results were released ternational Mathematics and Science piecemeal. The results for the fourth Editor: Harry Waldman, MAA; [email protected] Study (TIMSS) released in late Febru graders were released last June, and ary, Participating countrieswere Austra showed American students to be above Managing Editor: Carol Baxter, MAA lia, Austria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Re the international average. The results Advertising Coordinator: Joseph public, Denmark, France, Germany, for U.S. eighth graders, which had been Watson, MAA; [email protected] Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, released earlier, showed below average Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, scores. The 12th graders continued the President: Gerald L. Alexanderson, Santa Russia, Slovenia, SouthAfrica, Sweden, downward trend, ranking near the bot Clara University Switzerland, and the United States. tom. First Vice-President: Anita Solow, DePauw University The U.S. 12th graders' performance "Aswe digest the findings from TIMSS, has caused widespread concern and we need to reconsider what is taught Second Vice-President: Ed Dubinsky, prompted calls from mathematics or and how it is taught," Burrill noted. At Georgia State University ganizations and the U.S. Dept of Edu the same time, Burrill added a note of Secretary: Martha Siegel, Towson cation for greater emphasis on math caution. "We must define our own cur University education. "Clearly, other countries fo riculum for our own country and not cus on algebra and geometry earlier in simply replicate what seems to work in Treasurer: Gerald J. Porter, University of Pennsylvania the curriculum, engage students in other countries." more substantive problem solving activi The NCTM wasjoined by leaders ofthe Executive Director: Marcia P. Sward ties, and require all students to study Mathematical Association of America, more complex mathematics through Associate Executive Director and Di the American Mathematical Society, out their high school years," said NCTM rector of Publications and Electronic and the American Mathematical Asso President Gail F. Burrill. Services: Donald J. Albers ciation ofTwo-YearColleges in advocat Letters to the editor should be addressed Ofthree grades tested, U.S. 12th grad ing a solid mathematics education for to Harry Waldman, MAA, 1529 ers fared most poorly, fourth graders every American child. The organiza Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC scored slightly above the international tions are committed to supporting 20036. average, and U.S. eighth graders scored teachers through high-quality teacher Subscription and membership questions below the international average. preparation, opportunities for profes sional development, and dialogue be should be directed to the MAA Customer Some dissenters, however, challenged Service Center, 800-331-1622; e-mail: tween K-12teachers, teachereducators, the findings as overly pessimistic, sug [email protected]; (301) 617-7800 mathematicians, and administrators. (outside U.S. and Canada); fax: (301) 206 gesting the study did not take into con 9789. FOCUS is a benefit of MAA sideration differences in student ages, According to NCTM President-elect membership. The subscription price to attainment levels in calculus, or other Glenda Lappan, it is important to note individual members is $6.00, which is factors. The critics pointed out that that over the past decade the perfor included in the annual dues. some ofthe students from other coun mance of American students has im Copyright © 1998 by the Mathematical tries were four years older than their proved. Findings from the federally Association of America (Incorporated). U.S. counterparts; that U.S. students mandated 1996 National Assessment of Educational institutions may reproduce with only a grounding in precalculus Educational Progress (NAEP) test articles for their own use, but not for sale, were given a test that assumed a knowl showed that achievement scores have provided that the following citation is edge ofcalculus; that ten ofthe nations risen since 1990 for grades four, eight, used: "Reprinted with permission of that took part in the test have a strict and 12. "But the world is not standing FOCUS, the newsletter of the national curriculum; and that the study still" said Lappan. "We need to offer all Mathematical Association of America was not truly international because stu students a challenging curriculum fo (Incorporated)." dents from Asian nations did not par cused on thinking and reasoning math Periodicals postage paid at Washington, ticipate. ematically." DC and additional mailing offices. "The fourth grade TIMSS results show Such a compcehensive.. high-quality Postmaster: Send address changes to the us that the problem is not arithmetic. mathematics education -for everfstu MAA, P.O. Box 90973, Washington, DC As students move through middle dentin the couniryis called fOT in 20090-0973. school and into high school, student NCTM's Standards. ISSN: 0731-2040; Printed in the United achievement and the mathematics cur States of America. riculum fall short," said Burrill. See TIMSS on page 5 2 May/June 1998 FOCUS Master Cryptanalyst Abraham Sinkov Dies at 90 Abraham Sinkov, who was one ofthe nation's longtime mas cryptologic community of the post ter code-breakers, died last January of a heart ailment and war years. He was a top official at the Parkinson's disease in Mesa, Arizona. National SecurityAgency, retiring in 1963. For his services, he received Born in Philadelphia in 1907, Sinkov graduated from CCNY, the Orderofthe British Empire, the and then received a master's degree in mathematics from Legion ofMerit with Oak LeafClus Columbia and a doctorate in mathematics from George ter, and was one of the first induct Washington University. His life's work began in the early ees into the Army Intelligence Hall 1930s, when he was one ofthree people hired by the legend ofFame. ary code-breaker William Friedman to work in the Army's Signal Intelligence Service. Sinkov taught computer program ming at the University of Maryland Abraham Sinkov During the Second World War, Sinkov headed the Commu and, after retiring from government nications Intelligence Organization, whose job it was to in work, became a professor of mathematics at Arizona State tercept and decodeJapanese messages in the Southwest Pa University.