Study reveals U.S. teachers falling behind other countries in math

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Recently published MSU research shows U.S. math teachers are lagging behind their international counterparts when it comes to preparation.

The article, published in Education Week, used data from the 2010 Teacher Education Study in Mathematics, which was conducted in part by MSU researchers and polled future teachers in their final year of preparation in 16 different countries, including Germany, Thailand and Chile. The study showed future middle school math teachers in the U.S. landed in the middle of the spectrum based on mathematics knowledge.

“We’re not at the bottom of the list of countries, but as a country that considers itself a world leader, our elementary and middle school teachers don’t look as well in terms of indicators of teacher quality,” said Suzanne M. Wilson, chair and university distinguished professor in the Department of Teacher Education.

The study also revealed that future teachers in nearly all of the top-ranked countries took courses in calculus and algebra, which about half of U.S. teachers also took.

American society feels particularly uncomfortable with mathematics in general, Wilson said, which is just one of the several reasons for the shortcomings in the subject internationally.

She said elementary teachers don’t typically specialize in mathematics because they are required to have a mastery of all subjects, leading to less specialized attention on math.

“It’s a little bit of a perfect storm,” Wilson said, adding staffing, societal and curricular problems all are a factor.

Mathematics senior Lauren Nixon, who plans to become a math secondary education teacher, said one potential reason for the lack of mathematics knowledge in the U.S. is the way it’s taught in elementary school.

“They never really integrate math into any other subject areas, so it’s never really a focus,” Nixon said.

Former math teachers throughout middle and high school were the reason Nixon wanted to become a math teacher herself, and after taking more than 11 math courses at MSU, she said she believes she is properly trained.

“I definitely feel prepared teaching-wise, and I know my material,” she said.

The new version of the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification, or MTTC, in the fall of 2013 will place more emphasis on math, Wilson said.

The MTTC is a content exam that is required to pass in order to get a license to teach in the state of Michigan.

International relations senior Chris Bergtold said he doesn’t believe there is much interest in math or science fields by American students, which could contribute to lower educational levels in the country.

He said funding has to be consistent to raise the quality and reputation of American education.

“A lot of the problem is states keep cutting funding, so teachers aren’t getting the tools that they need in order to teach kids properly,” Bergtold said.

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