By: Katherine Massopust

PERTH AMBOY – Dr. Eric Milou from Rowan University, New Jersey gave a presentation at the 4/2/15 Board of Education Meeting.  He began by breaking the ice, “I’m a total geek. I had the honor of looking at your curriculum. It’s great, but curriculum is a living document. By that, I mean it constantly needs updating.”

“Teachers need to be more organized and assess every day.” He began his report with Kindergarten thru 4th Grades. He visited all 7 schools (5 elementary and 2 middle schools). “I find that instruction is very lectured based. Teacher talk is not successful. Kids do not learn by listening – they learn by doing. Assessment needs to be done every day. You need to teach to kids at all levels – sometimes to remediate, sometimes to enrich. You have to address the kids to do more.”

“At McGinnis School, there is a lack of vision. Teach To One is not working. Math is not about procedures. There is a lack of rigor (skill, concept and application).”

At Shull School there was way too much drill and skill websites being utilized. It is very teacher driven.

Dr. Milou’s recommendations were: “At every level there should be full assessment, remediation and enrichment. Limit Teacher Chatter. There should be student centered instruction and mathematics instruction vison. We have to show them how it’s done.”

When it came to the question and answer period, Board Member Obi Gonzalez stated, “Something is missing in our math. We’re behind him (Milou). We need to know what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong. We’re grateful for that. We all want to do the right thing for our kids. Dr. Milou being here is a start.”

Resident Stanely Sierakowski asked, “Are there any schools that you would recommend to visit or observe?

Dr. Milou answered, “Japan. Teachers in Japan will walk in and the kids immediately do work. They support and guide – not talk. The Asian model is excellent.”

Resident Sharon Hubberman asked about the PARCC exam, “In media, parents don’t agree to pass this test is necessary.”

Dr. Milou answered her, “In the USA, states have a right to educate anyway they want. The Federal Government has little to say. There is no common assessment. Every state has a different test. There are 50 different tests. All the governors got together to give us a national assessment of math. Some politicians view it as an infringement on State’s Rights. It’s nothing but politics. We are the only country in the world that does not have a National Test. Common Core are a set of standards – never methodology.  There are different ways and different approaches. If a kid doesn’t understand one approach, maybe that student can do it another way.  There are different ways to reach different kids. Math is the most hated subject in the world.”