What we need to do is throw away the idea that smaller class sizes are always better, at least for mathematics. I have nothing against primary- and secondary-school teachers--god bless 'em--but we are letting their egos get in the way of educating our children. If they don't really understand the material themselves--and many of them don't--they need to admit it and let their kids go to someone who does understand the material when it comes time to teach math for the day.
I don't care if there are so few people who both understand math and can teach it to children (and are willing to take the job) that all of our math classes consist of 500 students. If that's the case, bring in bright highschoolers (who also understand the material) either as volunteers or part-time workers to act as "floaters". Let the class consist of one highly-paid individual with a math degree and passable teaching ability and half a dozen low-paid teenagers who understand fractions and are good with kids.
Of course, this would require many adult schoolteachers to admit that, when it comes to elementary math instruction, they are totally unqualified. That's a hard thing for a teacher--or, for that matter, an adult--to admit.
I don't care if there are so few people who both understand math and can teach it to children (and are willing to take the job) that all of our math classes consist of 500 students. If that's the case, bring in bright highschoolers (who also understand the material) either as volunteers or part-time workers to act as "floaters". Let the class consist of one highly-paid individual with a math degree and passable teaching ability and half a dozen low-paid teenagers who understand fractions and are good with kids.
Of course, this would require many adult schoolteachers to admit that, when it comes to elementary math instruction, they are totally unqualified. That's a hard thing for a teacher--or, for that matter, an adult--to admit.