[After teaching my child backwards math] "I assumed that the next logical step would be to teach the standard algorithm for addition, whereby the numbers are stacked and added one column at a time (as students have been taught to add since time immemorial). Yet to my horror, the bottom of the page had the standard algorithm written with a big “X “over the top. The page encouraged parents not to teach their child to use this method...." (??!!)"She informed me the district had adopted a math program where they were focusing on “deep understanding,” ...I realized that I was not going to change her mind about the value of standard algorithms. ... I decided to supplement my son’s math instruction at home. This plan absolutely backfired. Supplementing, it turned out, became a nearly impossible task. Our tutoring sessions become increasingly adversarial, with my son ending up in tears multiple times because I was telling him to solve the problem one way and his “teacher doesn’t do it that way,” because she discouraged him from using the standard algorithm...."
THIS, is our story too!! - with Haley
Everyday math is bad news. Horrible social experiment where the children pay the highest price. Lets not forget the failed "whole language" reading * experiment* that has yielded raised the statistic of illiterate adults today.
When California instituted the "whole-language" approach to reading nearly a decade ago, it abandoned a tested and proven method - phonics - in favor of one that has children guessing at words and inventing their own spelling and grammar. Whole language quickly spread to virtually every public school
. Attempts to restore phonics were rebuffed by the teachers' union and educational "experts," who claimed the new way was better.
. Attempts to restore phonics were rebuffed by the teachers' union and educational "experts," who claimed the new way was better.
The results of this new approach are now in. Standardized tests in California placed that state's public school children in a tie for last with Louisiana as the worst readers among 39 states tested.
And now, the "new focus" is on math. I guess these people who sit around and think of these things...just don't have anything more productive to do. OR (more likely) in an attempt to justify their existence come up with random shit every now-and-then to shake things up.
But the price of not learning how to read...or do math...is to high!!
