I know you heard it before but America sucks in math education when compared to the rest of the world. In the latest figures (2015), the U.S. is 42^nd out of 72 countries. It is the twelfth country below the world average and their average score is 20 points below the world average. Since the last test, the U. S.’s average dropped 11 points.

Have I got your attention? Do you feel the need to improve as a country in math education? I don’t care if it is USA pride or a knowledge that math knowledge leads to better employment prospects. I care that you want to help make a change.

If you want a change, I would think that you would try anything that hasn’t been tried before, as long as it doesn’t take too much of your time and focus. Here is your opportunity; I am a PhD candidate at a prestigious psychology graduate school and I am doing a dissertation study that takes about 15-20 minutes a workday for about 4 weeks. It is my hope that this takes mathematics to a deeper intellectual level and thereby increases mathematical knowledge retention.

If you a secondary (middle school and high school) mathematics educator, you can help by volunteering. If you are not, you can help by spreading the word to passionate mathematics educators who are looking for a positive change. I need 3 to 8 volunteers to move this forward.

If you think I sound desperate, you are right. If you think I sound passionate about improving the lives of adolescents, you are right. If you think I teach way outside of the box, you are right. I believe in this study and I will do anything I can to complete this study (and finish my PhD.)

Here are the words of the flyer is used to attract participants;

“Are you a secondary mathematics instructor in the United States?

Are you looking for ways to improve the ways secondary mathematics is taught?

My name is Claudius “Bo” Guynn and I am a PhD student at Saybrook University in Oakland, California. I am doing a dissertation study titled, “Person Centered Teaching in the Classroom.” As part of this study, I need 8 volunteers who would be taught the steps used in dream work. These steps would then be used to provide a foundation for class closings that is intended to lead to deeper immersion into the daily subject matter.

If you are interested, please contact me at cguynn@Saybrook.edu and I will share the details of this proposed study.

Sincerely,

Claudius L. Guynn IV

Saybrook University”

This has been published on a couple of social media pages. What do you think the response was? It was liked by a few dozen people (and I thank you!) and attracted zero participants. Why do you think this happened? Did I only reach people who can do little to help me, like parents and teachers of other disciplines? (It made me think how parents and students may be embracing change far more than educators. Who are really working for here?)  Was I not convincing enough? Possibly.

I can’t help but wonder one thing; Are my readers ready to embrace change, as long as somebody else does it? Is it like the recent school shootings; many people with simple answers to complex questions and others blaming various others?

It is my belief that it does little good to blame people other than myself. Also, I also believe that only complex answers solve complex issues. I know some this seems hypocritical on my part. I am blaming others for not responding. The difference, from my view, is that I am asking the questions so I can solve the problems. I am asking, you, my reader, where I have gone wrong. When I get that feedback, I will work to change it, whatever way I can. All I need is a few people who believe in this.