Teachers can use these tools to promote discussions and help students move from concrete to abstract understanding of concepts.

High school math, and algebra, in particular, is in crisis. Although some students thrive on the pathway to calculus, most do not. Algebra I is the single most failed course in American high schools.

The Feb. 3 opinion piece, "Who Needs Remediation?," contains this sentence: "We now recognize that most people do not need to be fluent in advanced algebra in order to function well in our society.” ...

As a mathematics education researcher, I study how math instruction impacts students' learning, from following standard math procedures to understanding mathematical concepts. Focusing on the latter, ...