CNN reported sympathetically on parents who want to help their kids with math homework, but even the smart parents don't understand how it's taught these days (i.e., "conceptually"). Some parents cheat and teach subversive things like "long division," which soon may show up only in a curriculum on "History of Math." CNN: "Since Sam is good at math, his father supplements his classroom work with, for example, the old way of multiplying 175 times 142." (Lede buried: There's a different way of multiplying 175 times 142.) CNN
Comments
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
My son was driven to tears by "touchy-feely" math in 6th grade. The question that finally did it was "What is your favorite triangle and why?" Why can't educators realize that NO one way is the right way to teach children ANYTHING?
Posted by larriann on 07/19 at 01:15 PM
I miss the days when kids were taught the multiplication tables and math didn't involve the alphabet. I worry every time I see a school supply list that says I have to give My grade school aged kids a scientific calculator. What will happen to these kids if technology ever completely fails?
Posted by Malk in New Mexico on 07/19 at 03:59 PM
This is by no means a new debate! When I was in First Grade (in 1965) we were taught Modern Math (as opposed to Arithmetic.) When I see a problem like 88 x 5 = ____, I still multiply by 10 and divide by 2 or think 44 x 10. On the other hand, I am still glad that we learned the times tables by rote in Fourth Grade. For some people conceptual math works better, for others, or in other problems, the traditional methods may be preferable. Neither way should be taught to the exclusion of the other.
Posted by Steve in Blue Hill, Maine on 07/20 at 10:53 AM
Please remember that teaching math in this method is not decided by the teachers or the teachers' union. These decisions are made by the School Board, State Governors and legislators and to a lesser extent the federal government. The only people they consult are university professors and principals. Those who doubt this should check out how the "whole word" method of teaching English screwed up a whole generation of American students. Teachers know that you have to use different methods to teach different students. This "open court" method of teaching forces teachers to say certain things, assign certain homework and ask scripted questions down to the minute of every day! Who would ever want to work that way by choice?
Posted by Rick Roll on 07/21 at 02:16 AM
I can't stand the new math almost as much as I hate whole word reading. I can't tell you how screwed up my boyfriends children are because they were taught whole word reading before they were taught how to read a word they've never seen before. Now, instead of sounding the word out and breaking it down into component parts, they just guess (and guess wrong all the time). Thankfully, the youngest is just going into first grade and I am able to fix some of the problems caused by this horrible teaching method but the 8 year old is having a terrible time with reading because of it. It boggles my mind that I had to teach her how to sound out a word at the end of second grade. Math is the same problem. When will they realize that they need to teach the fundamentals of how to do something before they can teach the concepts of alternate methods. Oh, and 88*10 is easy. Lets do 88*8. So, that's 88*10-88*2. By the time I do all that subtraction, I might as well have multiplied 88*8 the long way.
Posted by Jen in Delaware on 07/21 at 10:27 AM
Huh. I was taught in the old ways, but learned on my own the new ways, I guess.
The old ways are great for pen and paper, but the new ways make in-the-head math possible for difficult calculations.
I agree with the idea that BOTH should be taught.
The old ways are great for pen and paper, but the new ways make in-the-head math possible for difficult calculations.
I agree with the idea that BOTH should be taught.
Posted by Murph on 07/21 at 11:19 AM
I'd have said 8*8=64 so 640+64=704.
Posted by Steve in Blue Hill, Maine on 07/21 at 02:43 PM
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