maths why did they change it?

Question

why dont they leave the way of adding up maths the same as it use to be when i was in school instead of the way they do it now hundreds,thousands,tens,units

Answer 1

maths never change-it's the idiots who run the
DEP of ED that change

Answer 2

It is, frankly, absurd.

The idea of allowing very young children to choose "the method they are most comfortable with" when they have no real clue as to the implications of the choice that they are making is ridiculous, patronising, unfair and likely to cause immense long-term damage.

Kids who are good at maths will be able to handle any method. Kids who are weaker at maths will feel far more comfortable to be told, properly, a single, definitive and efficient method. I have taught children with learning difficulties and invariably it is the choice which causes the problems. They are delighted to learn a single, clear method which will last for the rest of their lives, units, tens, hundreds (for + and -), long multiplication and proper division.

I do not agree that new methods have suddenly been found - they were always there but not used (for good reason). What HAS been found are "educational experts" who do not appear to know what teaching children is actually like. These overpaid and self-important charlatans should be exposed. Unfortunately, it is NOT just the politicians who are to blame (although they should carry some of the can) - it is also the educational establishment which was infiltrated in the 60s by woolly-minded, woolly-headed, woolly-thinking idiots who have now caused the betrayal of two generations of children.

Answer 3

If you mean, why did they change the math curriculum - I had the same question years ago when my 10th grader first entered the school system. I was very confused, and a little concerned (I was very good in math, became an engineering student at a top university, and now use number all the time in my work running a business).

I looked into at my local school system, and sat down with the instructional leader for the school system... I learned that alot has been done in the area of how children learn and apply math, and built knowledge that they will remember as they go through the years. All of this is to say that the new methods are a result of much well accepted and well implemented techniques where a particular subject in math is taught, and re-taught over the years, so that they build interlocking blocks of knowledge year to year.

Now that I have two older children in our system (and two younger), and have seen our children score in the 99th percentile in the standardized math tests, AND they are good at applying math in others subjects such as AP Chem, physics, etc. - I feel like the math curriculum is doing a good job of supporting the goal of both knowing math for math's sake, AND learning how to apply it in real world settings.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Some math "experts" think it is more important to understand the theoretical underpinnings of math than to know how to apply it. For most students, this is wrong. If a math expert wanted to learn to drive a car, the expert would not start by taking a car apart and seeing where every nut, bolt, part and body panel went. Why do they take this approach with math? Save that approach for college people majoring in math theory.

Answer 5

You are describing year one arithmetic taught and learnt along with the tables and alphabet, including joined up writing your name and address. A way of life in 1929.
Maths started with algebra in the third year.
Anyone who complicates this most simple process of adding up is a fool.
What do I know.
I was just a poor ignorant cockney boy.

Answer 6

because successive government policies mess around with childrens education. What is the point of teaching design and technology when many children cannot read?
We should urge politicians to stop using education as a political tool and to ecourage decent prven learning techniques in school.

Answer 7

I know! My daughter's way of adding up at primary school was the old way then at junior school it was the new way, but now at senior school they have changed it back to the old way. I don't understand why!

Answer 8

there are lots of ways to add and subtract, how it is taught basically how one method falls into favour with the powers that create the national curriculum. if something doesn't seem to be working then they try another way. god forbid they'd think of trying a little harder.
When i was young 2+2 was 2355.008 but try teaching that to kids today!

Answer 9

people hav found simpler, shorter and easier ways of working things out although the old ways can b mor accurate and easier 2 understand if u hav lernt that way

Answer 10

Crikey. I am not sure when you were at school but this is how school children were taught in the 1950's! What way were you taught?