Frame around article about federal funding for MOVE IT Math

On March 27, your staff writer Scott Reese Willey caught my attention and has been on my mind ever since. Something wonderful was happening in our public schools in Victoria.

We were taking the lead on something really exciting and perhaps turning the big corner in mathematics with the “Move It Math” developed by Dr. Paul Shoecraft who is a math professor with the University of Houston-Victoria….

As a past school trustee, I know how vigorously we looked for new and better ways for educating the youth in our community. Last year I was at a meeting where Dr. Shoecraft presented a brief program about Move It Math. Its potential seems very encouraging to me.

Recently, members of the VISD [Victoria Independent School District] board were concerned about lagging grades and how we might improve or increase the learning among students who are having difficulty retaining what they are exposed to in the classroom. I think perhaps they found one of the prime movers to educating our young people.

Quite frankly, I believe our children are bored. To dish out more of what they are bored with isn’t of any benefit. In 1991 the law was changed to increase the school year from 175 to 180 class days. A new bill is being sent to the full House Public Education Committee asking for a reversal xxx

of that action. Five teacher training and planning days were moved into class days without increasing payroll costs. More is simply not the answer.

I am sure the teachers on the front lines of educating our youth feel that it is beyond reason to be using methods from the past. We need to be concerned about rejuvenating students who have grown bored of math or who have given up on math altogether.

I believe this is the way for the future. It is very exciting to have its beginning here in Victoria. I feel confident that over a short period of time we will find that not only math knowledge will show improvement, but other subjects will show improvement as well. The program has been developed over several decades and received nationwide recognition for improving interest and performance in the field of mathematics.

It has caught the attention of Gov. Ann Richards, who is very interested in the direction our education is taking. I am equally pleased that the local board has initiated the program at Dudley Elementary School. It must be exciting for board members when they visit a school and see students as young as age five who are having fun solving algebra problems through an exciting new program. Of course, the dream won’t be complete until you are able to visit any school in the district and find the same excitement.

Move It Math Found Exciting

Lee L. Allbright, Letters to the Editor

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