Amanda called me over a couple nights ago to help her on problem number 5 on her math homework. She was supposed to add 35 + 28 using a 100 number chart, so she started telling me she needed to go down and over. Down and over. Over and down.
And I was like, "What? Down and what?" as I clawed around for my reading glasses.
I told her, "Look. If you want to add that just add 5 + 8 and carry the one."
Right, internet? I mean, is that not how you add?
If you do not have a child currently enrolled in second grade, let me be the first to tell you that is not how you add nowadays. The way we learned to add is wrong.
When I showed them how to add, the three of them FREAKED OUT. There was drama. People were telling me I didn't know what I was doing. I was wrong. I don't know anything. I had to get Greg and a glass of wine and a box of Oreos and our reading glasses.
Or you can do it like this in TWO steps.
"We are doing mental math.", Sarah told me.
It's mental, alright.
"Really?", Greg asked. "If they don't teach them to add in columns, what will they do when they get to 1,345,300 + 2,399,344?"
"Run for congress?", I suggested.
53 comments:
Oh my gosh. I started laughing as soon as I saw the picture of the math sheet. I KNEW what you were going to say. I went through this in second grade with my triplets (now in 8th grade). My kids were freaking out too. One of my sons started crying and telling me "That's not how Ms. So-n-so says to do it, Mommy!" Then my daughter actually FAILED her math test because she did it my way instead of the "new" way. And even thought she got the answers right, she didn't "show the right work". By the way, when my kids were learning it, it was called the "partial sum algorithm". I still can't figure out what's better about this way which takes MORE steps and is STUPID! I'm so sorry. I remember those days, and I feel your pain. Now that we're in Algebra, I just direct them to their dad for help. I'm an English teacher. I don't do math. I quit in the second grade when I no longer knew the correct way to add two-digit numbers with renaming. Good luck!
Don't you have to carry the 1 when adding 55+8?
www.AnUrbanStory.com
Urban Story- WHO KNOWS? I might need two glasses of wine to figure that out.
I taught 2nd grade for 3 years before my daughter was born. Now that she is in 2nd grade (eight years later) I have NO IDEA how to help her with her math homework! What the heck happened in those eight years!?!?!?!
I remember getting in trouble when I'd bring in my homework with the correct answers but because my work didn't match how we learned to do it in class (step-dad helped) then it was incorrect. Ridiculous.
Oh. my. I am gonna in so much trouble when my kid hits 2nd grade. And I'm certified to teach math.
My daughter was taught to read, using "sight reading" instead of sounding out phonetically. She taught her children phonetically, learned it herself at the same time, and NOW she enjoys reading. All those years, she couldn't sound out the letters to figure out an unfamiliar word.
I see this happening with that nonsensical math, too. Gads.
I HATE OUR MATH CURRICULUM! The *NEW* math is horrid!! I have been fighting my 4th grader since 2nd grade! You are only in addition right? Good Luck with multiplication.. I am warning you NOW..
I started to go back to college, wanting to be an elementary school teacher. the 'elementary math' was SO HARD, i couldnt figure out what they were trying to do. they gave us silly blocks, and charts like that... i dropped the class and changed my major. i would have failed if i hadnt. Now I'm a successful Computer Programmer!! yes, i understand C+, and Java, but elementary math, no way.
Barb in Phx
I remember when our kids fell down laughing because I asked how they were doing in "arithmetic." We had the same issue because they were being taught "new math" and this was in the 60's and early 70's. So I took it as a wonderful opportunity to pull the, "Gee, I'd love to help you but I don't know how to do math that way." Wonderfully freeing, I recommend it.
How can they call it "mental" math if you have to carry around a 100 chart with you???
My kids use Harcourt Math (public school edition), and are not learning it this dumb way. I guess each curriculum is different. I really like ours, it's one of the only ones I have stuck with for like 5 years running now, with no plans of switching.
My children, now both in college so it worked out somehow, also had nervous breakdowns when I told them to carry. Nooooo, Mrs. Fitzsimmons only lets us regroup!
WTF?
that's all i can think to say about this.
All I know is that I'm teaching math this weekend. Did anyone notice that EVERY SINGLE answer Amanda got is WRONG? I just noticed that. OHMYGOD.
Don't fight the math. Your kids are learning extra ways of thinking about numbers that will help them all their lives!
I feel ill.
Leslie- look at the worksheet. Every single answer is WRONG. She'll be working at WALMART.
I am a third grade teacher and we just started this math series this year (I recognize the worksheet). You will be glad to know that although we did teach the hundred chart, we taught addition and subtraction the traditional way (with carrying the one) the next week in the next section of the math book. Hope you get to as well!
I had to google six sites before I found an "explanation" for a "hundred chart" that made sense - and I was a math major before I switched to computers! Check page 2 of this: http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/Math_3_PS_3-2.pdf
Years ago, my straight A daughter in 3rd grade was doing Base-8 arithmetic (only at that time I had never heard of base anything) and I had her in tears telling her that she and her teacher were both wrong when she said 5+6=13! Oops.
Good luck, Michele - you'll need it!!
I just checked with Jim and the boys did not use the 100 chart. They learned good old carry the darn number addition. They also learn to do 'mental math' though I'm not sure that's what they called it. They learned that you could also do the math by adding in groups - like your three step process. 21+57 could be 20+50 added with 1+7. They had to be able to do it both ways. No 100 chart though.
I didn't read all the comments, but I'm just wondering, what happens if they don't have that 100 chart in front of them? Can they not add anything?
Is that Chicago math? I was the math para for four years at our elementary school, working with the low kids (but not low enough to qualify for special ed). I basically took the kids out of the math class and taught they the "old fashioned" way. Teaching them too many different ways of getting to the same answer was too confusing for them.
Google "lattice multiplication." Wait until they're learning that!
Oh, yes! We have had to deal with that, too. Wait until they subtract three digit numbers side by side instead of in columns! They teach so many different ways before anyone masters anything, and then they are good at none and are totally confused. It's awesome. My favorite from this year is learning multiplication and division at the same time, but not teach the multiplication tables. They learn multiplication randomly (tonight's homework is 6,7 and 42 math facts, and 4,5 and 20), and when they don't know how to divide because they haven't learned their multiplication tables they are expected to draw pictures of groups. But wait! Before they finish learning all of the multiplication and division (through 12, let's say), they move on to decimals! Makes perfect sense! UGH! I'm just going to have to teach my kids math at home! You know it's bad when you pull out the Oreos!
This is teaching them to rely on a stupid chart! I remember the timed multiplication drills. To this day, I can spit out the answers like nothing else. These kids need to learn the good old fashioned way and then learn this.
Everyday Math is the worst math curriculum ever!! They tell us (teachers) to trust the spiral and just follow the guide. I want to take the spiral and ram it down the creators throat. Enjoy your math sessions this weekend.
I've printed out 18 worksheets for this weekend. We'll be learning their way, then they'll be learning MY way!!!! To me it's like when they stopped teaching phonics and expected them to memorize every written word in the English language. Uh, no. You need to know what each letter sound is. Likewise, it's great to be able to use all different ways to arrive to an answer as long as you can actually GET TO THE CORRECT ANSWER.
Welcome to the new Common Core Curriculum that was adopted by most of the country this year.
Here is an example of a second grade math objective.
Use addition within 100 to solve one and two step problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.
At the last staff dev. day my principal spent an hour telling us that if our students are doing pencil paper practice then we are poor teachers.
It's so demoralizing being a teacher right now.
Susan- you know what's so stupid? Math is a universal skill. You don't need to know English to add two numbers together. But when you take something that is SO EASY, like adding two numbers together, and make it so hard to explain that even children who are fluent in English do not understand you, then NO WONDER the ELL kids are FAILING. OMFG. I read an article that said Sylvan and Kumon are thriving because the kids aren't being taught BASIC addition.
I teach first grade using the same curriculum. My kids have learned how to add and subtract 1's (going right or left) and 10's (up and down) on the hundred chart BUT they also know how to figure out the problem in a variety of other ways. This particular curriculum can be very frustrating at times. Good luck and let me know if you need something!
I have to agree with pyjammy pam:
WTF??? This is total insanity. The schools are turning out people who cannot function. Like the ones who can't make change if the computer doesn't tell them how much to give you.
I kind of understand (a tiny bit) what they're trying to do, but it's ridiculously stupid.
It's like how there are two ways to figure out a 20% tip:
Mike moves the decimal over and multiplies by 2.
I divide the number by 5.
But as you pointed out, things get more complicated when the numbers get longer. I feel like I need to start teaching my kids TRADITIONAL math NOW, and then let them work on the weird one next year in school!
I'm going to start praying now our school doesn't do math this way. I'm not sure there is enough wine in the world to keep me from going postal if I have to figure out that nonsense.
I have been very happy with how they teach reading here. It is a combination of sight words and the skills to sound things out. Hopefully math will be ok too.
I had the same problem with the kids...they freaked out saying Im doing it wrong....I was like WTF. I showed them my way"the right way" and told them...they better learn how to do math no matter what, or they would be working at McDonalds for the rest of their life.
My nephew is in kindergarten and I and my sister actually have the replays of this scene quite often. Our way looks so outdated. My sister tells me it is easier on kids. I don't believe her. I wonder how they will add up the grocery bills :)
I think it's called "mental math" because they're teaching them to internalize the process, so that later on they can visualize the addition they're performing without needing to write it down with pencil and paper (as with the carry one method). If I understanding what they're doing correctly (and I may assume wrongly here!) it seems they're breaking the larger numbers into blocks that can be mentally added easily then "counting on" the smaller numbers (to the left) which is how kids learn to add single digit integers, incidentally. It's a more intuitive method and it does make sense if you think about it, though at their age it's probably a tough slog.
LOL re: run for Congress! :)
Yeah, I have no idea how kids are taught to do math these days--or even eight years ago. It was totally different than the way I learned to do math twenty years ago. My mom could never help my sister with her math homework because of it, and neither could I; because the entire way they taught it had changed to some bizarre, incomprehensible thing that is totally loony.
Hi! Long time reader here, finally driven to comment by the maths! I'm a primary school teacher in the UK, and we also teach the kids to add by separating it out - it's called partitioning over here. (Splitting a number into its parts). I've been teaching for 5 years, and I'm still deeply ambivalent about teaching this way. On the one hand, I do think it teaches a good understanding of number. On the other hand, wouldn't it be better to teach kids a method they might not understand, but that they can DO! The only time I think it's really truly useful is teaching subtraction with exchange, because they can see that you change the 40 into 30 (for example) and add ten to the units column. Besides that...pff.
Jess
I have a second grader. They are teaching them the traditional way. What is interesting is that this is the way that I do math in my head - not the chart but separating and adding in steps. My degree is in Mechanical Engineering. I think they should teach different ways to do the same thing since everyone processes things differently and one way might work better for someone. I was taught to read the "whole word" way and I cannot spell to save my life!
PS there is no way I could add those numbers up in my head and I would do it the traditional way. No congress for me. Lol!
Is this Everyday Math? Our district uses this and while my daughter is only two...I'm already freaked out about it based on issues my friends are running into with their children. Math is not my strong area to begin with and this is just going to be hell...I can feel it.
I wonder if they would let me go back to elementary school for the math classes even though I'm 32?? haha
Wait til they hit High School. The schools started a new way of teaching Algebra and Geometry this year. I still don't understand it except to know it isn't working. It works something along the lines of groups of students working together in teams, teaching themselves, supposedly it's considered "hands on". When you have a question the teacher refers you back to your group or the text book. My son was in a group of advanced learners who moved on quickly leaving my son behind ( he got an "f" the first semester and had to be moved back to Algebra). I really believe the math teachers are working themselves out of a job, much like our libraries, grocery stores etc. It'll all be "do it yourself"
Thank you, Lord, for making me past menopause and in no danger of having to help children with homework. Amen
I'm a resource teacher and New Math makes me want to cry.
They teach so many different ways to solve the problems--many of which involve relying on things like 100 charts and number lines, and then the kids become dependent...and then you have to teach them how to do it the traditional way and...it is endless frustration and irritation on my part.
I'm 23, it wasn't all that long ago *I* was in elementary school. What on earth happened?
My first graders may or may not be doing this math series. All I know is that I just told her to write some numbers on the paper so we could be done. I HATE this series. They teach them 10 different ways to solve 2+2, which still equals 4 no matter how you do it. 1+3, 3+1,5-1 etc. I know more about fact families than I ever wanted or needed to know. If this 100's chart comes home my head might pop!
seriously!!!!!!!!!!! this drives me bonkers!!!!!! Can't wait to read the comments later....
My son's teacher actually told me NOT to teach him to carry the 1 that it will just confuse and overwhelm him. We are adding the same way. It. Is. Stupid. ARGH! Just carry the 1!!!
When I volunteered in my son's 4th grade math class I could NOT do the math. I had to have the teacher show me how to do it.
I hate all this new math stuff. Just teach the kids how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide.
I still have nightmares about skinnies and bits.
That looks like Envision math. I teach second grade and I have the "pleasure" of teaching this. I love all the bells and whistles that this series offers teachers, but I really can't stand all the odd methods we use to get to the answers. I allow my students to arrive at a correct answer in ANY way they want other than cheating off of their neighbor! I teach the new way as an option also offer the "old fashioned" way (which we practice daily). As we learn this I repeatedly remind my students that when they go to Target to buy a toy and need to pay, they won't have a 100's chart to whip out to see if they have the right amount! Even they get that. These new methods work great for some students, but I would have to say that it's few. Some days when I'm teaching this I "Envision" some big wigs sitting at a desk saying, "I know how we'll make a fortune... let's tell everyone there's a 'new' way to learn math. We'll create a whole new curriculum and sell it for millions. We'll be rich and they'll fall for it. Watch This! Bah haa haa!"
So I think the lost step in the whole scheme is that the parents have NO IDEA how their children are being taught, therefore the kids are being helped "wrong" at home, therefore confusing the children and undoing the teaching at school. This is was annoys me to death! And our school has monthly "Math Lessons" for parents, so they can teach us basic math so we can help our kids. I only went to one, and I'm sorry, but I did about FOURTEEN YEARS of math. I think I can handle this. I don't want to relearn anything!! Ugh....... My fourth grade, God help him, some days we just have NO IDEA how the teacher expects them to do the work w/o a calculator. We have no idea what tricks he's being taught that week, so how can I help him? It's frustrating. And I think the last anonymous hit the nail on the head w/ her theory of the big wigs' money making scheme. How can we be so dumb to fall for it? We came from Texas and the school was really good and they did math really really well. I miss it. My kids are NOT getting a good foundation here. Same with spelling. But that's a whole other thing........
I was talking to one of the teachers at school, a 25 year veteran, and she said she was convinced they keep changing the way it's taught to sell more textbooks.
This has made me realize I can't let my guard down. I was backing off this year, but obviously if I back off, I won't be able to jump in. I spent all day today with them and had a major breakthrough on the "mental math". Thank God.
michele, I know I'm late to the fray but hope you'll read this -
seemed to me that your friend leslie's comment was the most on-target one of all -- there is so much good to the "hundred chart" method of adding two-digit numbers - I'm going to try to explain -
most young children can learn the rote method of "carrying a one" and perform the task without really understanding what they're doing - e.g., the fact that they're not "carrying a one" at all but that one is actually a ten -
using a hundred chart is a temporary tool to be used until the process is internalized -- which it will be, if parents will refrain from teaching the traditional method and support the focus on DEVELOPING NUMBER SENSE that is the (extremely valuable, something-we-missed-out-on-in-our-elementary-days) reason behind it -
it all begins with being able to count forwards and backwards by 1's -- then by 10's -- and of course, how simple is that? "10, 20, 30..." - surely your children have been able to do that for years now - and then to develop facility with counting by 10's starting at a number other than zero - e.g., 7, 17, 27, 37...97, 107 -- and backwards.
once children can do that (and can't you see the value of that ease with numbers?), it becomes possible to mentally add and subtract any numbers -- for example, the mental process (or process in going "down and over" for addition on the hundred chart until it's internalized) for figuring out, say, 55 + 34 would be to start at 55 and count on by three tens -- "65, 75, 85" and then add on the four more ""86, 87, 88, 89") -- same thing, in reverse, for subtraction. it's really quite simple do in your head once you get the gist, and the need for the tool (the 100 chart) is temporary.
there's much to be said for nurturing a child's number sense in the early elementary years and backing off in a big way from focusing on algorithms -- especially refraining from the teaching of multiple-digit subtraction with "borrowing" or "trading" -
how many adults (especially women) have you heard, when dividing a tab at a restaurant or some such situation, say "here - you figure it out - I was never any good at reading" - but it's quite often said about one's math skills, isn't it?
I'm exactly your age and I, too, learned only the algorithms when I was in school -- and I did well in math -- but my number sense wasn't really developed the way it could have been had I learned more of these strategies along the way -
at one point in my teaching career this was all completely new to me, too, but I urge you and the other eye-rollers to be open to learning the reasoning behind this methodology -- perhaps google "how to develop number sense" or just plain old "number sense" -- really consider the potential good of this before throwing the "carry the one!" at 'em in grade two.
fondly,
bonnie
Bonnie- We are on day three of "mental math" over here. This is what I've discovered, having three completely different brains to work with at the same time.
Gregory gets it easily. His brain works it out readily. He's a math kid.
Sarah somewhat gets it but needs more help after three days.
Amanda? Forget it. She cannot remember what the first number was to add the second number. Right now she is writing down the first sum so she can remember what it was to add to the second sum.
It's obvious to me that while this is highly effective for them, they didn't LEARN IT at school!!!! If I wasn't taking the time to do this at home, they would fail this portion of math and they have two different teachers teaching them, so I can't "blame the teacher", I must blame the curriculum. So what's happening to the other kids? Some kids will NEVER have the mental capacity to do mental math or grasp number sense. We have kids of all varying degrees of aptitude at our school. Should they not have the basic algorithm for addition when their brains are incapable of grasping the three step process? As a teacher, do 100 percent of your students catch on to the 3 step process or do they get shuffled along to the next grade? This is very troubling to me.
Alas, we will plod along here. I am determined to have all the methods understood.
I do not understand how the eff you do that. Perhaps I should not fight one of my daughters getting stuck in special ed when she starts school in a few years. I bet the "dumb" kids get to learn math the right way.
The goal of teaching maths is to teach the child the correct techniques that 'works for them'. By all means try to teach them the same way, but for those it does not work with - alternative techniques are just as valid.
For instance I bet the Singaporean kids don't get taught this to do maths this way - in fact there is a whole range of mental maths techniques that can be applied that can allow some kids to work out correctly a long chain of addition and subtractions instantly.
Also I suggest when they are more confident at the addition and subtraction to try out an app I put together for my two sons called "Maths Bug" on the Android. I too was somewhat annoyed by the lack of effort on teaching speed and 'tricks' to doing maths in your head. The app includes hints and tricks built in with unlimited accounts and stats tracking - so you can see exactly how well they are doing. I will also give you a work out (and maybe a shock as to how rusty you have become) as well.
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