Math Heavyweights Plead for Calculus

Math heavyweights plead for calculus
LUISA D'AMATO (Jan 27, 2006)
More than 280 university professors, math teachers and high-technology professionals are
petitioning Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, urging him to discuss with cabinet ministers the
"crisis" of high school math education.
They're also asking McGuinty to stop the current plans to remove calculus from high school
classes.
If the plan goes ahead, the petition says, it would reduce Ontario students to second-class status
and "will have serious repercussions for our high-technology economy."
The petition has signatures from throughout Ontario. Among them:
Michele Mosca, the internationally renowned physicist who helped found the Perimeter Institute
for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo.
Brian Doody, vice-president of digital imaging at Dalsa Corp. in Waterloo.
David Holdsworth, professor, scientist at the University of Western Ontario.
Gord Nicholls, former managing director of the Centre for Education in Mathematics and
Computing at University of Waterloo.
"When you visited the University of Waterloo recently, you stated that it was important for
Ontario to maintain the leadership role in the high technology areas," the petition states.
" . . . Indeed you stated it was essential to improve our competitive position. We will not do this
if you lower the standards in the high school mathematics curriculum."
The protest stems from proposed changes to the high school math curriculum, compressed in
2003 when the province eliminated a fifth year of high school.
Some believed that the math courses were overloaded with material, and if calculus were
dropped altogether, it would leave more room for other concepts, such as trigonometry and
algebra, to be explored thoroughly.
Others were horrified at the thought of calculus not being taught until university.
Even before the official discussions were over, high schools across the province were told to
change the name of the Grade 12 Advanced Functions and Calculus course to simply Advanced
Functions.
All mention of calculus was also removed from the course description, though ministry officials
said no decisions had been made.
After University of Waterloo president David Johnston wrote in protest, Education Minister
Gerard Kennedy said he would take a second look at the issue. He also pledged to create a task
force that would included high-technology professionals and parents. He said this group would
decide before students choose their courses for next year
But that time has come, and in local high schools, guidance counsellors and students are trying to
select next year's courses without knowing what will be taught in them.
"This is putting principals, teachers, students and parents in an impossible position," said Richard
Clausi, the head of mathematics at Elmira District Secondary School.
Kennedy said yesterday that he wasn't aware that students were already choosing courses. He
had been told that wouldn't happen until mid-February.
By that time, he said, the task force will have decided what to do for next year.
"This will be a careful and clear and transparent decision," he said. "There will be a good, timely
decision made in the best interests of kids."
Kennedy said he has chosen a math professor, whose name will be released "very shortly," to
lead the task force.
Kennedy also has "a number of people identified" for the task force.
"This isn't the kind of decision that should be done on a political basis," he said.
The petition that's on the way to McGuinty notes that Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec all
include calculus in the high school curriculum, and without it, Ontario students won't be able to
compete effectively.
It also warns of a growing inequity among the province's high schools. If calculus is removed,
schools with local community support, high-achieving students and ambitious teachers could
offer a special, enriched Advanced Placement class for the strongest students. But not every
school would be able to offer this.
"Schools in poorer areas that do not have these advantages will fall behind and form the lower
tier in a system that will no longer offer equality of opportunity," the petition said.
ldamato@therecord.com