Yikes! Math!

[EweSheep]

Yesterday I got a note to the parents from my seven year old dd's second grade teacher informing that they are piloting a new math series to see how they like it. In the past, they have used the Abeka series. This year they are going to using Bob Jones math. It would approach each concept chapter by chapter in a more concentrated way and offers extra help for those who struggle and those who are gifted.

I am panicking...I only had the old traditional math that we had to memorize the addends (a new word for the numbers to find the answers) and sums (the answers...another new word for me). I only used the math that I know back in the 1970's and still use them to this day. What are the differences???????????? I've got a mental block for addition and substraction but excel at multipications and divisions, decimals, fractions and all the way up to advanced alegbra (been so long so I need to get a refresher course when my daughter reaches alegbra).

If they ask us parents to help our child with "lattice" math, I would be very lost and not very helpful with my daughter. The teacher is teaching them add and substract and if they all do well, they will get into multiplication by Xmas or after New Years.

HELP!

 

[StupidBird]

Call me old, but isn't 2+2 still = 4? Why do the politicians decide to rename everything at the basic level? Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and fractions...don't think it's changed since, what, the Greeks?

 

[coloradochick]

Welcome to the wonderful world of elementary math

They come out with something new it seems like every year. My sister who is 50 graduated from Colorado School of Mines in Chemical Eng. Very sharp lady, knows her stuff. BUT, goes to the local high school to tutor the kids in math...HA she's a bit lost on the way they wanted them to do things. I like the concept of taking it chapter by chapter and concentrating on getting everybody to understand what they need to be doing. There will always be the broad spectrum of intelligence in the classroom and kids should be taught as such. imo
And OH NO don't you even think about working a simple division problem the way we did wayyyyy back when even though you get the same answer and it's easier and faster. Ok know you're getting me worked up

so I'll go...

Agreed SB.

 

[EweSheep]

I do get 2 + 2 = 4, perfectly. Makes sense to me.

I've tried reading the strategies and principles of addtion on Ch 1. It will help them better understand addition and meomorize the addition facts to 18. (HUH?)

Count on 1--start with larger addend and count up 1. For 6+1, count 6, 7) Ok, that's simple enough.

Count on 2--start with larger addend and count up to 2. For 6 +2, count 6,7,8) Ok, that's fine.

Doubles--notice both addends are the same (4+4=8) As for me, I would think this (remember I am bad in addition and subst.) in my head. I see two 4's so it would "translate" in my brain as 4 x 2=8) Dunno why it does but it does work for me for double numbers or triple numbers and so forth of the same numbers.

Near doubles---think of the double fact for the smaller addend and then add 1 for the 6+7, think 6 + 6=12, then 12 + 1=13, so your answer for the 6 +7 problem is 13. Why the next step????? I thought we had to memorize it.

Zero principle of addition and order principle of addition really means nothing to me or understand the reasoning behind it of that summary.

I don't know how hard it will get but I can grab the first three but the zero and order principles are going to throw me off.

 

[EweSheep]

as for the multiipication and division, I like to do the long work rather than working from the sides and bringing in the answers back into the equation.

I sure hope her teachers will be able to help her as much as needed because if hubby and I would teach her the old math versions, then it would be confusing for her and I won't be able to help her homework if she stumbled thru it. I might just sit in class with her to learn LOL! Dang, I am too old, and won't change my math habits.

 

[BarefootMom]

Quote:
that is how my brain works. Don't remember how it was actually taught, but I do that. like if I have 23 + 9 I will think okay 23 + 7 =30 and then +2 more would be 32. I am 25 almost 26 and I have always done my addition in my head like that even with other forms of math. I can do a lot in my head, but I think about it in different ways. I think everyone does it their own way, and what ever is comfortable should be fine as long as you get the right answer- the process shouldn't matter. All schools/teachers teach different things. I am in college right now and am taking a HS level algebra class for a refresher course and EVERYone that does things at least 3 different ways but we all get the same answers!

I understand your concern, but shouldn't the teacher be teaching this stuff and not you? If you are having to teach your child what everything means maybe you should just homeschool and pick the way you want your child to learn. (hope that doesn't sound harsh- I have tried to think of other ways to put it. and no I don't have anyone in school yet- my oldest starts preK next week.)

 

[SarahFair]

Get me out of this thread!

 

[EweSheep]

Well the teachers are going to teach them but if the child asks for help or the child needs practice, it's our responsibility to make sure she understands it. They will be making flashcards. She is asking the parents to pay attention to the group of facts that they will concentrate on the first chapter.

If she is going to re teach the kids or the kids have to relearn the maths again, erase they have already known the year before, I hope they will stick with it rather than do it on a trial basis, starting to the PreK to K kids on one certain method of math instead of two to three different ways of math methods.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
I understand what they are saying, but their methods are a little strange. They want the kids to memorize sums just as they would a multiplication table. We memorized them as kids by doing sheets of problems over and over. I guess it was up to us to figure how to get the answer originally, whether it was counting fingers, or applying some sort of thought process to it. I don't remember being taught any specific process.

4 and 4 is 8. It's that simple, it should be memorized, it should be a reflex. I'm not sure how your mind translates that to 2x4=8.

 

[coloradochick]

Barefoot that's how I do math also. Always have. It wasn't taught it was just a way my mind figured out how to do the problems. I think many people do this. Somewhat of a common sense practice if you ask me. The schools are just trying to teach it instead of letting the kids figure it out.

Mac I agree with you also. Practice, practice, practice! And it just becomes second nature to know what 5x3 is or 6+1 is. I wish my kids schools would've backed off the READ for 100 hours a week (exagerating of course) kick all these years and focused more on math and spelling. Jeffco schools here in CO are way to overbearing with the reading logs, contests, etc. But hey if you don't know your math and you know the gist of how a word should be spelled you're good to go