Teachers’ math phobia, which faculties of education across North America view as a “huge problem,” are seen as one factor in Ontario’s falling student math scores, especially in grade school, where most teachers have a liberal-arts background and have not studied math since high school.
The University of Toronto, Trent University and Lakehead University now require student elementary teachers to write a test of math basics — fractions, decimals, percentages — and then offer help with concepts teachers don’t understand. Other schools are adding compulsory math refresher courses to Ontario’s new two-year teacher education curriculum.
Some professors say student teachers are often in tears when they try to recall their grade-school math, and tell them they’re grateful for the emergency crash courses.