What is MVP math? The controversial curriculum focuses on collaboration between students

>>> IS SOMEONE YOU OR YOU LOVE

>>> ONE PARENT IS BEING SUED BY

THE MVP MATH CREATOR ON HIS

ONLINE VIEW OF THE PROGRAM.

>> THE FIGHT CONTINUES AT THIS

AFTERNOON'S SCHOOL BOARD

MEETING.

THAT IT IS WHERE WE FIND WRAL'S

KEN SMITH TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS

CONTROVERSIAL PROGRAM IS

DIFFERENT FROM THE MATH COURSES

WE TOOK IN SCHOOL.

>> Reporter: WE WENT TO SCHOOL,

WE HAD A MATH TEACHER THAT HAD

LESSONS.

THAT TEACHER WOULD WALK US

THROUGH THAT LESSON PLAN AND

SHOW US HOW TO SOLVE THOSE

PROBLEMS.

IF WE HAD QUESTIONS AT THE END,

WE CAN ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AND

GET SOME ANSWERS.

MBP IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

WE HAVE THE HELP OF OUR

PHOTOGRAPHER SO WE WENT RIGHT

TO THE SOURCE.

SEVENTH GRADE, FIFTH PERIOD,

MATH 1.

>> HAVE YOUR WORKBOOKS.

>> Reporter: SHEILA PRICE HAS

BEEN TEACHING SIX YEARS.

SHE IS TEACHING WHAT HAS BECOME

KNOWN AS MVP MATH, A DIFFERENT

APPROACH TO LESSONS SHE LEARNED

AS A STUDENT TEACHER.

>> THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN

TEACHING IS THAT THE

INSTRUCTIONAL PIECE IS HOW WE

DELIVER THE INSTRUCTIONAL PIECE

FOR STUDENTS.

HOW I TEACH MATH HASN'T CHANGED

MUCH.

>> Reporter: MVP, SHORT FOR

MATHMATICS VISION PROJECT, IS A

CURRICULUM WITH EMPHASIS ON

STUDENTS COLLABORATING WITH

CLASSMATES TO DISCOVER THEIR

OWN PATH TO A SOLUTION.

>> YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO TALK

TO EACH OTHER .

>> IT MAKES MATH A LOT EASIER

IF YOU WORK IN A GROUP BECAUSE

YOU GET EVERYBODY ELSE'S IDEAS,

TOO.

YOU ARE MORE OPEN-MINDED ABOUT

HOW TO SOLVE A PROBLEM.

>> I LIKE YOUR STRATEGY.

I JUST THINK IT COULD BE MORE

DEFINED.

>> I LIKE TO COLLABORATE AND

TALK WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

I THINK THE MATH IS MATH.

IT IS NOT DIFFERENT.

>> Reporter: WHAT IS DIFFERENT

IS THE APPROACH TO THE

TEACHING.

>> IT CAN BE MORE DIFFICULT AT

TIMES, BUT WITH THE HELP OF

OTHER PEOPLE THAT CAN GIVE US,

IT IS BASICALLY THE SAME.

>> I THINK THAT MATH SHOULD BE,

ESPECIALLY FOR THE LEARNER,

THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO REPRESENT

THEY ARE UNDERSTANDING THE WAY

THEY UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM.

>> Reporter: SOME PARENTS HAVE

CRITICIZED THIS METHOD OF

TEACHING, INCLUDING FILING

COMPLAINTS WITH THE SCHOOL

BOARD, CREATING FACEBOOK GROUPS

AND ONLINE PETITIONS.

>> IT IS MORE YOU DO IT

YOURSELF BECAUSE WE GET

WORKBOOKS.

THE TEACHERS DON'T TEACH IT TO

US THEMSELVES.

>> Reporter: MISS PRICE SAYS

SHE CAN SEE WHERE PARENTS MIGHT

FEEL THERE IS A DISCONNECT

BETWEEN STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.

>> I FEEL LIKE I AM AVAILABLE

NOW MORE BECAUSE IT IS STUDENT

CENTERED AND I AM ABLE TO WALK

AROUND AND SEE WHAT IS GOING ON

IN THE CLASSROOM.

>> Reporter: PRICE SAYS THAT IS

MORE OF A COLLABORATION USING

DIFFERENT POOLS OF ANSWERS FOR

THE SAME PROBLEM.

FOR EXAMPLE, STUDENT A WOULD

GET AN ANSWER OF 6. STUDENT B

MIGHT GET AN ANSWER THAT HER

35th.

BOTH ARE CORRECT.

THAT MEETING GOT UNDER WAY IN A

FEW MINUTES.