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NEW YORK (AP) -- On an occasional evening at the kitchen table in Brooklyn, New York, Victoria Morey has been known to sit down with her 9-year-old son and do something she's not supposed to.
Wow....I taught myself the "Growing in Math curriculum"... Although I didn't know it had a name. It just made sense....I didn't need paper. I actually learned most of it using a calculator....you start to see trends when using a calculator.
I didn't learn anything new with regular math as that bored me and took forever. I was done with math test long before other people in class and scored better. My teacher would say I want to see the steps....I would ask what's important about the steps if the answers are correct? One teacher thought I was cheating. I asked her to test me in front of the class....as I blurted out answers as fast as she could come up with questions she took back the accusation.
Trust me if your kids are learning this concept it blows away the old teachings. If your kids need to learn by writing it down and doing the steps then that's the way they learn. Everyone can have a different way they learn things.
It's actually very invigorating when you start being able to do algebra or geometry or more complicated math equations in your head also.
"New Math" issues even existed in the 1960s. We were suddenly changed to a new math product and had to learn sets and such in the 4th grade. We were lucky to have "old fashioned" 5th and 6th grade teachers who ensured we learned all our basics.
I have always felt the "new" math was a great tool for those struggling with the old method. I believe they can complement each other, giving students alternate ways to solve math problems. If one can't remember the formula, maybe they will remember the concept behind it and be able to solve it.
IMO "old math" should be the foundation and "concepts" should be the siding on the house. Unfortunately teachers do not go home with their students to help them with their homework. Parents who can not understand the assignment (or concept) can not help their children complete the work, the kid feels stupid and begins to wonder is my my parent stupid too? The number of highschool dropouts in this country is rising at an alarming rate and I believe some of it comes from kids who feel overwhelmed by math and insecure because they can't keep up with their peers. If your not familiar with what is the difference between old math and new math and are wondering why you can't help your child with their homework, check out this video about the problem in WA state and get your eyes opened.
The old way leaves you crippled with having to long drawn out equations on paper. The new way or whatever allows you to not be dependent on pencil and paper at least for smaller numbers for most. There is nothing wrong with the parents learning along with the kids. Sounds crazy but it works...I don't look at knowledge like some though everything I see I can learn from...even if it's just 22 + 23 in a different way. I plan to learn forever or till I die so learning something new isn't such a bad thing. Even if your 60 year old parent or older.
If you haven't, do watch that video noplacelikeWA gave us. The "new way" of math is basically what I have always done, because I suck, suck, suck at math. It was and still is a way for me to reason through lower level mathematics, so I'm not 100% against it. I haven't needed to do complex math on a daily basis, so it has worked out fine for me. But, it is by no means something on which you can build to achieve success at higher levels. People doing high level math really need to understand the building blocks of mathematics and that doesn't come from typing numbers into a calculator. No wonder the rest of the world is outstripping us like crazy in math and science. All I can say is I'm glad I have my husband and mother-in-law to mentor my children in the "old way," too.
You have at this point a infinite amount of information regarding math....
Hopefully we understand a large majority of it.
If we have at least a decent understanding of how much we know removing the little parts won't make it easier?
I don't expect people to make complex calculations in their head and on paper it will be needed.....in school.
Very rarely will someone do a 40 step complex equation in the real world. If they are engineers then they already understand how important getting it right is.....no matter what way they decide.....and that doesn't even take in to account accountability.
I think every way that helps more people learn is acceptable. For me I moved past the paper trail...for others that may be the path they wish to take. As long as everyone is still learning.
The way described in the article is how I do math, and how I teach my son (we homeschool, and use Miquon as a curriculum, which stresses conceptual understanding over rote memorization). That said, I still want him to learn how to do long division when the time comes! (He'll be starting the second grade level this fall.)
[quote=BigJon3475;4524057]You say that like using a calculator is bad?
I don't know to whom you were referring, but I don't think anyone said using a calculator is bad. What is bad is if it's the only way you are able to come up with the correct answer time and again. I have no problem with the conceptual approach being taught, but I believe students likewise need to be given the tools to work out problems manually, complex problems even. How are we going to produce competent engineers, architects, and scientists if these people don't understand the math behind the calculators?
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