Our Everyday Mathematics series in the elementary grades does a wonderful job of introducing algebraic and other advanced mathematics concepts to our students at young ages.
The topics are introduced gradually and then reinforced over the years. As a result, teachers and students think differently about mathematics than once was the case in a typical elementary mathematics classroom.
For example, in one of our third grade classes, the teacher, Mrs. Stanek, wanted to be able to express how an answer was approximately equal to a number. So, she researched and added to the conversation the mathematical symbol for “approximate equality” – the squiggly equal sign!
Now, her students are able to say that
67/6 ≈ 11
or even
1/3 ≈ 0.3
As a former mathematics teacher, I am often amazed to see the type of problems that are introduced in our elementary schools. This approach allows for a better ultimate understanding of the concepts for all students and a way for our more capable mathematics students to become excited about mathematical possibilities at an earlier age.
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3 comments:
I'm sorry Mr. Jones, I have to disagree. Everyday math is NOT for every student. Topics are introduced and just when some students start to get the concept, the teacher is moving on to a new topic. When the teacher is asked to go over it with the student the parent is told, "Oh this was only an introduction to the topic, your child won't have that again until sometime next year" or "Oh, that was only a beginning skill." Some students can follow that and some can't. Some students need to master something before moving on to another topic. And some parents can't even help their children with "algebraic and other advanced mathematic concepts" homework, because they themselves have never had this in school. These students are not sent home with math textbooks either.
I agree that the topics are introduced gradually and then reinforced over the years, but the students are given letter grades for the introduced part and the reinforced part of everyday math. The parent receives the report card with a letter grade for Math, and the parent also receives a breakdown of the Beginning, Developing and Secured Skills their child has received in the different introduced and reinforced areas of Everyday Math. I don't understand why both grades? And I am also grateful that Everyday Math is only used in the elementary grades. Some schools turn down the program. I now see why.
I absolutely agree with the above. Some student's learn differently than others and "Everyday Math" does not allow for that. Now if a teacher reinforces some of these concepts on a daily basis throughout the year, I believe it could be beneficial. Not all of our third grade teachers teach this way, unfortunately. For the student who needs to grasp entire concepts and routinely build upon it, Everyday Math does not work.
For example, in one of our third grade classes, the teacher, Mrs. Stanek, wanted to be able to express how an answer was approximately equal to a number. So, she researched and added to the conversation the mathematical symbol for “approximate equality” – the squiggly equal sign!
It's great that the teacher researched this but with all due respect, in order to teach math to third graders I would expect that the teacher would be intimately familiar with this concept.
You've successfully pointed out a serious flaw in our elementary education system... teachers need more preparation in math before they are considered qualified to teach it to our children well before middle school and high school. Depending on a flawed reform curricula further muddies the waters.
I don't blame the teachers, I blame the system that sends them out into the world believing that they are qualified to teach mathematics and the reform curricula that pretends to have all the answers. It's quite a debilitating combination for our children.
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