Methods for Teaching Mathematics to Elementary-aged Children: Every Day Math?

Question

I have a son in elementary school and am beginning to wonder about the efficacy of the school district's choice in pedagogical methods in math.
My son came home last fall with a text called "Every Day Math" and I believe that the methods presented in the book are deleterious to his future welfare as a critical thinker. The book espouses the use of calculators to solve general problems that literally take me less time to do in my head than to punch the correct buttons on a calculator.
What is your experience with this method and do you have any issues presented therein? I would also like to hear if you find their methods to be an improvement over standard mathematics.

Quote:"For example, students experiment with adding 10 to different numbers, fill out a chart with their results, and generate a rule based on their findings. This is the heart of critical thinking--examples to idea." - Snowberry

With all due respect to Snowberry, I don't believe that "examples to an idea" is really at the heart of critical thinking. In my opinion, at an early age, the use of a tool to overcome work is only advisable when the mechanics of the work to be overcome is understood past the point of declarative knowledge.
It seems that the true path to demonstrative knowledge lies closer to the "low road" of self-administered deliberation. To say that the calculator is only a means to an end further devalues the problem solving process. For a child, it's as if the old cartoon depicting Einstein at the board writing the words "And then a miracle occurs..." rings true each time the "equals" button is depressed.

Answer 1

You are correct. The use of calculators should be put off until the student is in Intermediate Algebra. Personally, I didn't use a calculator until college.

The best way to teach basic math is through drills. The more they learn to do in their heads the better off they are.

Answer 2

I'm curious about your son's grade level. I teach in a district that uses Every Day Math. There are many criticisms that you can level at the program, but to say that it does not foster critical thinking is off the mark. Of all the math curricula I've seen, Every Day Math does the best job of helping students to understand the reasoning behind the problems they are solving.

Much of the use of calculators is aimed at helping students to see the patterns in different kinds of problems. (For example, students experiment with adding 10 to different numbers, fill out a chart with their results, and generate a rule based on their findings. This is the heart of critical thinking--examples to idea.) It's been my experience that students with committed parents who are interested in learning alternate approaches shine in this program. They love being the experts and showing their parents a new way of looking at a problem. (Ask to see lattice multiplication or partial quotients division--they're fun!) Every Day Math also introduces algebraic concepts at an early age, so students are challenged to think beyond the simple facts.

Answer 3

Everyday Math is what is called a standards-based program (meaning it's based on the Principals and Standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics). It is designed to teach students to think beyond just arithmetic. If you consider your understanding of numbers, you will probably find that you do many rote algorithms without fully understanding them (which you find you'll do more as you get into secondary school.)

Students will work on various "strands" of math, including Number, Algebra, Geometry, Data/Probability and Measurement. When working with number, you will probably find the use of a calculator is minimal. That is the focus - learning to add/subtract, etc. However, when working with other strands or on other objectives, the students are allowed to use the calculator because that is not the focus of the math lesson. For example, if finding the area of a shape, I am not testing whether my students multiplied correctly, but rather whether they knew to multiply the length times the width. I would rather them focus on thinking about the area and what it means, and use the calculator to get the answer.

Also, the use of calculators has been shown to actually INCREASE student achievement in mathematics, even though it seems counter-intutive. For one, it often increases the enjoyment of math, and that is correlated with achievement in math. They also allow students to spend less time on tedious calculations and more time on understanding and solving problems, can help students develop better number sense (what do these numbers mean?), allow students to study mathematical concepts they could not attempt if they had to perform the related calculations themselves,
allow students who would normally be turned off to math because of frustration or boredom to increase their mathematical understanding.
simplify tasks, while helping students determine the best methods for solving problems.
make students more confident about their math abilities.

I think you'll find that your son will enjoy math more and will learn a lot this year! Don't worry - Everyday Math has been adopted by thousands of school districts and is research based.

Answer 4

Sounds to me like they are teaching kids to dumb or not ready to do math, how to use calculator instead.