My ability and lack of fear to write in blank spaces with blinking cursors to mock me makes graduate school much easier for me than for people who are deathly afraid of writing. I am doing educational research using qualitative methods. Also a plus. But even within the qualitative methods, there needs to be some math and that’s basically where I’m stuck this morning.
It’s a weekend, which means that I continue to wake up at 5, but instead of rushing off to work, this is my quiet time where I have at least 2 hours to myself as the rest of the household sleeps. This is my sacred writing time and my research time. But again, I’m stuck on the math. This is not even save the world from death and destruction kind of high stakes math, this is math that I should know because it should be as simple as breathing.
I need to update some of my statistics on native Hawaiian student achievement in public and charter schools. I used an older 2005 report out of KS to determine which schools had a predominantly native Hawaiian student population (over 50%). That report gave me a list of 48 out of 286 public and charter schools in Hawaii. I should know the percentage shouldn’t I? How do I figure that out besides just waiting for my husband to wake up. Really, you wouldn’t think I’m actually trying to get my doctorate with my ignorance. I found that of the 48 schools, 17 met AYP (annual yearly progress) and 31 did not meet AYP in SY 2011-2012. So what does that mean besides the fact that it’s kind of grim for our predominantly Hawaiian schools? Shouldn’t I be able to say how bad. I know more than 50% did not meet, because 1/2 of 48 is 24.
Math matters. When I go in to observe math classrooms, I’m going to have to remember that. My option now is to wait for my husband to wake up. That’s how much math matters.
The Mo'o Project 