Glendale Unified is changing how math is taught to students. Here’s how

For many years, as Glendale students have crossed off the math classes they’ve needed to graduate, they have enrolled in Algebra 1, then Geometry, followed by Algebra 2.

Now, as local math educators look to adopt a new “integrated” approach to teach Common Core math to high school students, they may do away with the old system.

Under the new approach, students would enroll in Math I, Math II and Math III, and study the same five concepts in each course — number and quantity, algebra, functions, geometry as well as statistics and probability.

Join the conversation on Facebook >>

“It’s really more developmentally sound,” said Mary Mason, principal of Roosevelt Middle School, during a recent Glendale Unified school board meeting.

In comparison, students now only study geometry concepts when they spend a year enrolled in Geometry, in between taking Algebra 1 and Algebra 2, and educators say students aren’t making connections between conceptual categories.

Mason has recently been working with several math educators as they explore abandoning what they call the “traditional” path of teaching algebra and geometry.

School officials say students will be better prepared for the state standardized exam with the new approach.

Results on that computerized exam varied widely among Glendale’s four high schools last year.

While 80% of Clark Magnet High School juniors met or exceeded the math standard, 62% of Crescenta Valley juniors did the same, followed by 41% of juniors at Hoover and 35% of Glendale High juniors.

“We feel this is a more developmentally appropriate approach because students can have both algebra and geometry [at the same time],” Mason said.

While some U.S. states have required schools to use the new integrated method, California officials left it up to districts to decide whether or not to abandon the traditional pathway.

In Glendale, math educators started talking about switching to the new approach in September, said teacher Valerie Henderson.

“It’s something that had come up before,” she said.

The new system will be implemented over a four-year period, with students enrolling in Math I as early as this fall or fall 2018.

“I’m very supportive of this,” said school board member Christine Walters. “I do think that the learning is going to be easier for students, given this approach. I hope we’ll do it sooner rather than later.”

The school board has yet to approve the change. Mason and fellow educators are still seeking input from teachers.

For now, some board members, including Nayiri Nahabedian, said they want assurance that the majority of math teachers in Glendale support the new method and have ample time to offer their input on it.

“This is a major change, and I would want a supermajority of teachers to be saying ‘yes’ to this if I am going to be supporting a change,” Nahabedian said.

--

Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan