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Barry Garelick

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in Detroit, The United States

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BarryGarelick

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January 2014

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Advocate for better math education. Majored in math at U of Michigan. Had career in environment (air quality) and retired from US EPA in 2011. Obtained teaching credential for math and taught 7th and 8th grade math, until 2021.

He has published articles on math education in online Atlantic, Education News, Education Next, Educational Leadership and Non-Partisan Education Review.

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What are you currently working on?

Barry Garelick I have a new book coming out that is a sequel to Dewey/Finn. Sort of.
It is called: "Teaching Math in the 21st Century" based on a series of episodes p…moreI have a new book coming out that is a sequel to Dewey/Finn. Sort of.
It is called: "Teaching Math in the 21st Century" based on a series of episodes published at the blog Out in Left Field under the title "Conversations on the Rifle Range".

The reasons for the change in title are many and varied but here are two: 1) It's more accurate to the theme of the book and 2) It may result in people buying the book who think 21st century learning is a legitimate and respectable thing, as well as those who know it for what it is.

From the back cover:

" "I am not an outright proponent of the philosophy that ‘If you want something done right, you have to live in the past’, but when it comes to how to teach math there are worse philosophies to embrace,” Barry Garelick explains as he continues from where he left off in his last book (“Letters from John Dewey/Letters from Huck Finn”). He describes his experiences as a long-term substitute teacher at a high school and middle school. He teaches math as he best knows how while schools throughout California make the transition to the Common Core standards. It is the 50th anniversary of key historical events including the JFK assassination and the Beatles’ arrival in the U.S. It is also the 50th anniversary of his first algebra course, the technical and personal memories of which he uses to guide him through the 21st century educational belief system that surrounds him."

Includes a forward by Ze'ev Wurman.(less)

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How do you deal with writer’s block?

Barry Garelick Ignore it. Accept the fact that what you write is going to be garbage for now. Things will change. There are good days and bad just like in any endeav…moreIgnore it. Accept the fact that what you write is going to be garbage for now. Things will change. There are good days and bad just like in any endeavor.(less)

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Barry Garelick’s books

Average rating: 4.52 · 60 ratings · 20 reviews · 8 distinct works • Similar authors

	Out on Good Behavior: Teaching math while looking over your shoulder 4.50 avg rating — 20 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Math Education in the US: Still Crazy After All These Years 4.36 avg rating — 14 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Letters from John Dewey Letters from Huck Finn 4.60 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2013 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Confessions of a 21st Century Math Teacher 4.60 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2015 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Traditional Math: An effective strategy that teachers feel guilty using by Barry Garelick (Goodreads Author), J.R. Wilson 4.67 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 2022 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Miracle math: a successful program from Singapore tests the limits of school reform in the suburbs.: An article from: Education Next 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The new, a-maze-ing approach to math: a mathematician with a child learns some politics.(feature): An article from: Education Next 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Anniversary in This Town: 6/25 cc&d, v358 by cc&d, Barry Garelick (Goodreads Author), Brant Rogers 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Barry Garelick…

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Barry Garelick's Blog

Reviews of "Teaching Math in the 20th Century"

If you are still absolutely undecided about buying this book these reviews might help you make a choice. And if you're reading this blog and haven't yet bought it, you're more stubborn than your friends say you are.

Here's one.

Here's another.

Plus there's a bunch of reviews at the Amazon site.

Go to it! Read more of this blog post »

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Published on August 07, 2015 13:13 • Tags: 21st-century-math

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Barry’s Recent Updates

Barry Garelick and 1 other person liked James's review of Traditional Math: An effective strategy that teachers feel guilty using: "Tried and true math teaching is a breath of fresh air. Old is fresh? Old is not bad when it works. The authors are combatting new and unproven methods of teaching math with traditional approaches, which the current educational inner party considers "" Read more of this review »
Oct 09, 2025 04:08PM · see review
Barry Garelick made a comment on Meghan’s review of Letters from John Dewey Letters from Huck Finn " Don't know if you're reading this, but there is a book that talks about my classroom experiences: Out on Good Behavior. Available on Amazon. ...more "
Jun 19, 2025 07:55AM · see review
Barry Garelick liked Mary Mimouna's status update Mary Mimouna is on page 183 of 460 of Traditional Math
Jul 04, 2024 07:30AM