So-Called Math Education
Posted by Cottontimer on 19 Mar 2008 | Tagged as: Schooling, What the @#!
Who knew there were so many different ways to solve 26×31 or 133/6?! Life just keeps getting more complicated. Our poor kids are really in for it and therefore so are we, their poor parents. ARGH.
Meterologist MJ McDermott lists the following problems graduates of the American school system are having with math:
- Inability to work alone without checking in with others (too much group work)
- Lack of math fluency in the symbolic language of math
- Lack of math basic skills, e.g., trig, algebra, arithmetic.
- Dependence on calculator (can’t do 4×6 without a calculator)
In the end, McDermott recommends Singapore math for children having trouble with math. There was also a great discussion of these various math education methods–TERC and Everyday Math–at kitchen table math, the sequel.
What do you think of your own or your child’s math education?
HT: Lilian, math teacher extraordinaire
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Akk! We have everyday math in the magnet school! It’s used in conjunction with a more traditional math curriculum. The gifted teachers actually like it because it’s outside the box’ and more exciting and entertaining than rote math facts. Perhaps, since so many gifted kids are learning the standard algorithms in earlier years, they aren’t getting baffled by the slightly odd approach taught later. I know my kids know the traditional ways because when they come home with homework that suggest they do it another way, I make them double check the answer by doing it MY way!
Math was boring for me too as a kid, but I still know it!
Joan, Using Everyday Math in conjunction with traditional methods makes more sense to me. I’m glad your kiddos are able to do math in more than one way!
Okay, that is kind of terrifying. I’m going to have to make sure this isn’t going on in Niels’ school and/or that he gets more math teaching at home!
Abigail, I agree with you. Regardless of what’s being taught in school, I supplement at home to reinforce concepts. I’m not aiming to have Stephen be X levels above his schoolmates but to give him more practice.