Getting young children comfortable with math is a real plus | Letter

I just finished reading the op-ed “Maine preschoolers should do the math” (Aug. 3) and wanted to cheer on Jay Sonti for her efforts to help correct what has become a major handicap that follows students throughout their education.

I spent 40 teaching in technical occupational classes, including 37 years at what is now Southern Maine Community College. The foundational course in the architectural and engineering design department for all of that time was designed to provide students with the skills necessary to interpret technical drawings in a wide variety of disciplines. When I first started teaching there was no need to include fundamental math skills. Applying the math necessary to interpreting drawings was easily grasped.

Decades ago that started to change. Converting among various units, determining areas and volumes, understanding basic geometry and algebra and even some fundamental trigonometry became so challenging that we started spending part of that course developing the kinds of math skills that students used to arrive with. By the time I retired this year we were devoting nearly 30% of the course to filling that void so students could properly analyze prints.

So, hurray for Jay Sonti for seeing the importance of getting young children as comfortable with math as they are with reading. I hope that trends continues through the rest of their education.

Daniel Abbott
Portland

Copy the Story Link

Tagged: letter to the editor