Math Comes up Again.

Only a week ago we heard about the poor state of math in our education system and the numerous suggestions on how we can improve it. This subject came up as part of a meeting I was attending as a member of HAT (Heads of Apprenticeship Training) with OCOT (Ontario College of Trades) and the Curriculum Development Committee for Carpentry. The group had assembled to work through some issues that have came up due to the transfer of the curriculum from the Ministry of Training for Colleges and Universities to OCOT.

The change in the curriculum is well over due and very needed. The Curriculum committee has done a great job putting together the proposal. The conversation centered around the details of what needed to stay and what we would have to remove. One subject, that in my mind, should not be part of the curriculum, is Math. This time would be better spent applying math that the apprentices have been exposed to in their secondary education to the trade. Then it happened. The statement was made that people with a grade twelve College level math did not have the basic numeracy skills to be successful as a carpenter apprentice.

Of course the suggestion was made that they would need to change the entry level requirement into the trade. There are a number of options for a College level certificate or two year diploma related to the field. This option was actually considered as a possibility until it was determined that establishing this was totally outside the scope of anyone at the table. The Math has stayed.

What it has made me wonder is if these students are not able too be successful at apprenticeship then how could they possibly succeed in an advanced diploma. The answer to the question is of course they can not. Students who take the college level math in their secondary education have actually made it very difficult for them to achieve success in any of the  technology programs offered at anyone of the Colleges in Ontario. Also, if we looked at the data, we would find that this is why we are suffering a problem with retention and completion of apprenticeship.

I don't know the answer. I do think that the education system has to change and start holding students back who do not demonstrate basic numeracy skills. By doing this it will give back value to the completion of a grade twelve diploma.

Have a great week,

Jeff