Integrated math is both loved and detested at Berkeley High School. Some kids enjoy the variety of topics covered, while others feel held back. Integrated math is a program where instead of learning one math skill, such as geometry, per year, you learn multiple branches of math throughout a single year. While integrated math can be helpful to some, it is only one option in a long line. There are also many benefits to allowing students to specialize in a different branch of math each year.
One benefit of non-integrated math is that it allows students to focus on branches of math that either especially interest them or are relevant to their future career paths. For example, students could take algebra, often considered a very useful skill for everyday life, and not geometry which may be less useful day to day. If concepts were taught separately, students interested in pursuing physics or engineering in college could prioritize precalculus, while other students could take a more relevant math class to their future careers.
Vivian Lien, a junior at College Preparatory School enjoys her integrated math classes. Coming from a middle school where they also taught integrated math, Lien considers it a smoother transition into more advanced classes. While this is great, for students coming from middle schools without integrated math programs, this could prove to be more of a hardship for students who had non-integrated math programs in middle school.
Alexandra Jameson, a BHS junior, has taken advanced math classes throughout high school. “I think (integrated math) helped me be a better problem-solver and work on my ability to think in several ways while combining topics to find a solution,” Jameson said. This idea is echoed by a study published in The Journal for Research in Mathematics Education which found that on standardized tests students studying an integrated math curriculum outperformed those who do not.
However, one additional issue with integrated math is its transferability. This can pose a challenge for students who transfer to or from schools with a non-integrated math curriculum. The two structures often conflict, creating difficulties for students. For example, a BHS student may have already covered most of the material in a particular math branch, such as geometry, but not all of it. However, if they transfer to a school that requires students to complete geometry before precalculus, they might need to retake the entire year of geometry, despite already covering most of it.
Overall, integrated math classes help students integrate their knowledge and grow problem-solving skills. However, a major drawback is that students have very little choice in what they learn. With more choice, integrated math doesn’t have to be lost — it could simply be another option alongside a more specialized alternative.