DISCLAIMER: This letter was sent to the math department at CLMS where we requested a meeting to discuss our concerns.  It was denied.  It was also sent to the administration at CLMS requesting the same meeting.  Rejected.  Our only hope is that the parents of Waterford band together to show the school that we are together on this.  Khan is killing math for our kids and we need to do better.  Thanks for your support.

December 10, 2021

To Whom It May Concern:

     Let me start by saying I LOVE WATERFORD.  I love the town.  I love the schools.  I love the administration.  I love everything.  I am, however, going to lodge a complaint.  I do not believe that Khan Academy should be used the way it is at Clark Lane Middle School.  The students have yet to write on a paper and submit it to a teacher in three years.  That is simply NOT OK.  I understand that there is probably data to support this move.  I understand that some students are thriving.  I have reached out each year to express my displeasure about this particular curriculum, but each year I have received the response “but it’s working.”  I’ve also received responses like “It won’t be like this all year.  We will do things other than Khan.”  Not true.  There are three very fundamentally wrong things at play here:

1.  Math is meant to be done on paper – with pencil – so that the process can be checked by the teacher (and the student).  My student’s teachers have not seen the process in three years.  They’ve just gotten really good at figuring out how to manipulate the Khan platform.  Without making mistakes and having them corrected, how are our children supposed to learn math?  We have students failing assignments because they forgot a negative sign three times. On paper, this is easily fixed.  On Khan, all they see is WRONG.  Feedback is proven to be critical to the learning process.  The only feedback our students are receiving is 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% RIGHT OR WRONG.  They are not coming out of middle school with a love of math.  They are leaving with a loathing of Khan Academy (and, consequently, math).

2.  The level of stress that this platform places on our students is OUT OF CONTROL.  They are biting their nails and crying at the thought of pushing “submit” and hearing the noise telling them their fate.  Not only that, but the lessons are 4 questions long so in PowerSchool, my child either has a 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100%.  Not ok.

3.  We have the best teachers in all of the land here in Waterford, CT.  Why is it that at Clark Lane Middle School they simply print out Khan Academy and say things like  “Oh, this one is hard.  I’m not really sure what they’re asking.”  I’m sure they are phenomenal math teachers or else they would not be employed in Waterford.  Why are we not allowing them to teach?  I know the Illustrative Math curriculum is based on extensive research.  I’m sure it’s great.  However, it’s intended to be TAUGHT…..by TEACHERS.  Not by Sal Khan.  I’m not going to use the “we pay tax dollars” argument, but maybe I should.  Well, I guess I just did, but you get the gist.  Teachers should teach.  Students should learn.  Teaching and learning is not clicking submit and hoping for 100%.  How do I teach my child that there’s nothing wrong with an 80% or 85% when they never have the opportunity to receive that score?

It’s possible that some of you reading this are unaware of the math curriculum at Clark Lane Middle School.  In case this letter isn’t clear, here it is:  All Khan – All the time.  Tests, quizzes, homework ALL KHAN.  Notes in class – KHAN.  

WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS.  Waterford is better than this.  Our teachers deserve the chance to teach – let them.  I don’t care what the test scores say.  Talk to the students.  Khan Academy is not what we need when our children’s mental health is already in the gutter. Our students need the chance to show their process, their thinking, and where they struggle.  Khan does not afford them this opportunity.  It needs to change.