Jason Roberts, the co-founder of Math Academy, has developed a revolutionary approach to mathematics education that has garnered national attention. His program radically accelerates students' learning, with many taking AP Calculus in middle school and tackling university-level math in high school. Through various interviews, articles, and the Math Academy website, Roberts has shared his insights on fostering mathematical talent, challenging the traditional education system, and empowering students to reach their full potential.
On the Flaws of Traditional Math Education
- On the pace of traditional math: "The standard math curriculum is designed for a very specific type of student, and it moves at a pace that is often too slow for those who are ready for more."
- On the "I'm not good at math" myth: Roberts believes the way math is traditionally taught often leads students to believe they are not good at it, when in fact the issue lies with the instructional method.[1]
- On homework excuses: Roberts grew tired of the common excuses for not doing homework, which was a catalyst for developing a more engaging and accountable system.[2]
- On the lack of challenge: Many bright students become bored and disengaged in traditional math classes because the material isn't challenging enough.[3]
- On the fear of acceleration in schools: "Classes as advanced as what the Robertses have created seem to frighten school districts."[4]
- On the red tape in public education: When trying to implement Math Academy in the public school system, Jason and his wife, Sandy, encountered significant "red tape."[2]
- On the limitations of even private schools: Frustrated parents have learned that "few local school districts will provide much opportunity for acceleration. Neither will private schools."[4]
- On the need for a different approach: The initial success with a small group of students demonstrated that a new model was necessary to truly serve mathematically gifted kids.[5]
- On the failure to cater to gifted students: The current educational system often fails to provide a curriculum that matches the abilities of mathematically gifted students.[6]
The Philosophy and Methods of Math Academy
- On the core of Math Academy's pedagogy: The program is built on "actual peer-reviewed cognitive science-based proven pedagogy."[2]
- On the importance of active learning: "Nobody learns to play basketball by listening to somebody telling them how to dribble a ball for an hour. Give them a three-minute demonstration and then hand them a ball."[2]
- On the symbiotic collection of techniques: "Our system employs a symbiotic collection of highly effective pedagogical techniques such as distributed practice, layering and mixed review."[4]
- On not sacrificing depth for breadth: "We do not sacrifice depth for breadth in any way."[4]
- On making learning feel like a game: To keep students engaged, Math Academy incorporates elements of gamification, where "students earn XP, what we call eXperience Points, for successfully completing learning tasks."[4]
- On the power of competition: Roberts utilizes friendly competitions and games on the whiteboard to keep students excited and motivated.[1]
- On proof-based mathematics: Jason taught 10th-grade students proof-based mathematics, a subject "typically reserved for undergraduate math majors."[5]
- On the power of personalized online learning: "Nothing outperforms the personalized learning capability of the online system, which now adapts to each student's specific strengths and weaknesses."[3]
- On the "automator-inator": To handle students moving at different paces, Jason developed a system to automate the creation of assignments.[2]
- On the goal of their online platform: The aim is for more people and other districts to adopt the Math Academy program.[7]
On Student Potential and Achievement
- On the potential of young learners: Jason and Sandy were surprised by the mathematical concepts that the initial group of 5th graders didn't know, but also by how quickly they could learn them.[2]
- On the accelerating nature of learning: "It seemed as the more the kids learned, the more they were able to learn, and the more they wanted to learn."[2]
- On students' ambition: After mastering advanced topics, the students' recurring question was, "When are we going to learn Calculus?"[2]
- On teaching calculus to 5th graders: Jason and Sandy successfully taught calculus to 5th graders, demonstrating the high potential of young students.[2]
- On mastering years of math in months: Some 5th, 6th, and 7th graders, without direct adult instruction, "mastered four or five years of math in nine months" using the online system.[4]
- On the excitement of advanced learning: A parent noted that Math Academy became their son's "most exciting subject" due to its "fast paced, dynamical approach."[6]
- On alleviating boredom and fostering happiness: One parent didn't realize how bored their daughter was in school until seeing "how happy she was in the academy."[3]
- On students exceeding expectations: The superintendent of Pasadena Unified School District, a former math teacher himself, "was shocked at what he saw: 10- and 11-year-old kids competently and enthusiastically solving problems that most high school students would find challenging."[5]
On the Creation and Growth of Math Academy
- The humble beginnings: Math Academy started as a lunch-hour class for a few fifth-graders, including the Robertses' own son, in 2013.[4]
- From coaching to a full-fledged program: The journey began when Jason and Sandy Roberts were asked to coach their son's 4th-grade Math Field Day team.[5]
- Expanding beyond the classroom: Due to the pandemic, they launched a standalone online platform, allowing students from outside Pasadena, and even internationally, to participate.[7]
- Serving a wider audience: The online program has attracted not only young students but also "a big influx of adult learners who want to refresh the math they lost or want to learn more advanced math."[7]
- The impact of the pandemic on in-person enrollment: The number of Pasadena Unified School District students enrolling in the in-person program declined during the pandemic due to an inability to effectively promote it.[7]
- A vision for broader adoption: "I think at some point if the system demonstrates its effectiveness and people really enjoy it and really like it, and they're really happy with the results, then schools will then be much more ready to adopt it."[7]
- Determination during the pandemic: "We were determined not to lose a step."[3]
- Gaining an exemption to push forward: During the pandemic, Math Academy was given an exemption as a special program and "were allowed to push forward" while other district programs were throttling down.[3]
On the Future of Math and Computer Science Education
- On building from scratch: As part of the Eurisko program within Math Academy, high school students are building "all the core elements from scratch, support vector machines, neural networks, etc." to create intelligent agents for a complex online strategy game.[3]
- Teaching disciplined software engineering: This project forces students "to adopt disciplined software engineering practices that typically aren't learned until one becomes a professional."[3]
- A wild idea for a capstone project: In 2021, Jason proposed having students reproduce research papers on artificial intelligence as a capstone project.[8]
- The intersection of math and computer science: Roberts' background in mathematics from the University of Chicago and his career in technology startups, including designing systems for Uber, inform the advanced curriculum.[2]
- Focusing on fundamentals: A key aspect of Roberts' approach is building strong fundamentals in mathematics.[9]
- Mathematics as something to enjoy: "Mathematics is more than something to apply. It is also as something to enjoy."[9]
- Challenging students with the Socratic method: Influenced by his mother and grandmother who were teachers, Roberts uses the Socratic method to challenge his students.[9]
- Introducing advanced concepts early: Roberts' students have proven the area of a circle using limits and the Pythagorean theorem both geometrically and algebraically at a young age.[9]
- Preparing for the future: By focusing on problem-solving and mathematical thinking, Roberts aims to prepare students for the math of the future, enabling them to apply their skills in any field.[10]
- Beyond high school math: The high school program at Math Academy consists of "undergraduate-level pure and applied mathematics with a particular focus on individual research projects."[6]
- University-approved courses: Math Academy classes are University of California-approved, allowing students to take them in place of their regular grade-level math classes.[6]
- Encouraging a love for math: The program aims to cultivate a love of math and prepare more students for advanced work.[3]
- Catering to different learning styles: "While the kids who are extroverted and competitive absolutely love the games and board work, the introverted and uncompetitive prefer to quietly learn at their own pace without a lot of interaction with other kids or even attention from the instructor."[3]
- The importance of logic and early linear algebra: Roberts consulted with Carnegie Mellon faculty who advised focusing on logic and tackling Linear Algebra early on.[9]
- Radically accelerating the learning curve: The ultimate goal of Math Academy is to "radically accelerate the learning curve of PUSD's mathematically gifted students by providing a curriculum that matches their abilities."[6]
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