Bingo. This hits close to home having two daughters “learning” math in the St. Vrain Valley School system. Yes, learning belongs in quotes, no doubt about it. St. Vrain has “bought in” hook line and sinker in to the Connected Math program.
Things I’ve encountered:
1. A badge of honor that they don’t teach algorithms. Of course, it doesn’t seem to bother the “big” administration that their students don’t know their multiplication tables.
2. Don’t really teach division. Most students don’t know how to do long division.
3. Almost all math problems are written horizontally, i.e. 30 x 42. This is to encourage the thought process of breaking the problem apart into 30 x 40 and 30 x 2. Nothing wrong with that, but the hidden message is that standard algorithms do math backwards. There’s even not much wrong with that if you want to estimate.
4. The value of the one’s, ten’s and hundred’s places seems to be a “zen” thing. If a student uses standard algorithms then they have no concept of the values of numbers in the tens and hundreds place, etc.
5. Eighth graders when presented with a problem like 30 * 42 realize that it’s 42 added 30 times or 30 added 42 times. Unfortunately, they take it literally and the only way they know to solve the problem is to do the addition
If you’re suffering from the same frustration, here is plenty of ammunition with references. Enjoy!
As a side note, both my daughters get outside math help from the Kumon program. I really don’t know if Kumon is better then other programs but it works for them. Also, the Middle School Principal is concerned and doing everything he can within the system to make sure the students are learning math. Unfortunately, the damage done in elementary school is not easy to undo.
What grade should students learn their multiplication tables?
