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The local elementary here uses Every Day Math. It's essentially useless and expensive, but they invested thousands in the program and cannot afford to admit they made that big of a mistake with taxpayer's money.
I know this is an old threat however, Im looking to find out the Name of the Math Curriculum that the Elementary Schools use??? my daughter will be entering 4th grade the next school year...
TIA...
There is no way for any of us to know what curriculum your school uses unless we are in your school's community. Just ask the teacher.
I am not sure what the baby thing has to do with math either.
Social Studies? Sure.
The first problem seems okay to me. I think it's good to put math into a context of real life. That's the way I finally was able to master it... after several difficult math classes, taking a "consumer math" class gave it some relevance for me (figuring out tax on an item, balancing your checkbook, calculating a 25% discount)... but I still struggle with Algebra or anything related, and as an adult I still haven't managed to pass College Algebra.
My largest frustration has been with my kids not having the multiplication tables DRILLED into them like they were for me. I am NOT mathematically inclined at all, but I learned those tables in 3rd grade and can spout them off now in my sleep and this has helped me immeasurably over the years in figuring out other problems. Neither of my sons were taught this the way I was, just hard core memorization... and they have struggled as a result. I had to do it at home with them. Never understood why it wasn't "drilled" into their heads (and this was not just one school... they've attended private, public, and publicly funded charter schools across the city).
The birthday thing is great for graphing. How many birthdays are in each month.
The birthday thing is great for graphing. How many birthdays are in each month.
You're right about that, but the real problem here is that they do a lot of graphing--like every day. Since I started this thread months ago, I've had a chance to see this curriculum in action, and I have even less confidence in it now.
One day, while subbing in a very upper class school, I sat in on a 4th grade math class. The assignment for that day was to take the class over to a second grade class and each kid was to measure the height of one of the 2nd graders with a tape measure. This was about 20 minutes of chaos, then we went back to the classroom and made a (you guessed it!) graph. Then the kids measured their own heights and made another graph. Then they colored and decorated them beautifully. Each child basically collected 2 pieces of data--their own height and that of one second grader. Each child spent at least 30 minutes decorating a graph. And also, try to imagine measuring your height with a 3 foot tape measure. It was not a consistent method, to say the least, and the kids knew that. In a 1-1/2 hour class they didn't learn anything that I could see b/c they already knew how to make a graph--they'd been doing that all year.
What I've found is that math has become too wordy in school. Kids don't learn the basics like they should and are taught instead, to rely on calculators. They see the answer, write it down and forget it. I guess that's a lazy way of not teaching fundamentals, but it's short changing kids for the future.
I don't use math a lot, but I use it every day. Had I not learned the basics, I would be at a loss.
I know this is an old threat however, Im looking to find out the Name of the Math Curriculum that the Elementary Schools use??? my daughter will be entering 4th grade the next school year...
TIA...
You should ask the school. There is not a national curriculum. There are national standards though. You could probably look those up and get a handle on what she should be learning.
My local school district uses a math program designed by University of Chicago.
You're right about that, but the real problem here is that they do a lot of graphing--like every day. Since I started this thread months ago, I've had a chance to see this curriculum in action, and I have even less confidence in it now.
One day, while subbing in a very upper class school, I sat in on a 4th grade math class. The assignment for that day was to take the class over to a second grade class and each kid was to measure the height of one of the 2nd graders with a tape measure. This was about 20 minutes of chaos, then we went back to the classroom and made a (you guessed it!) graph. Then the kids measured their own heights and made another graph. Then they colored and decorated them beautifully. Each child basically collected 2 pieces of data--their own height and that of one second grader. Each child spent at least 30 minutes decorating a graph. And also, try to imagine measuring your height with a 3 foot tape measure. It was not a consistent method, to say the least, and the kids knew that. In a 1-1/2 hour class they didn't learn anything that I could see b/c they already knew how to make a graph--they'd been doing that all year.
Yes they knew how to make a graph, but the were conducting an investigation into height and grade. They were also working on measurement skills. I know it sounds dumb, but it was a good way to engage the kids.
Yes they knew how to make a graph, but the were conducting an investigation into height and grade. They were also working on measurement skills. I know it sounds dumb, but it was a good way to engage the kids.
"What did you learn in school today Junior?"
"I learned how tall I am"
"What else?"
"Nothing, we colored."
That may be what Jr. says but in reality it was a lot more than that. Being able to conduct investigations is a big deal.
But it isn't to satisfy you. They're supposed to learn something.
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