The Math Wars

[Deebs]

Our school is looking at a new math curriculum this year. I have VERY strong feelings about "Everyday Math," after seeing many families turn to homeschooling when they realized they were spending as much time augmenting this program and doing the homework associated with it as they would have completely homeschooling their children (I guess some of the benefit of moving as much as we have is that we have friends all over the country/world with varying experiences). Not even knowing yet what our district is considering, I've turned into a completely crazed mommy, researching as many programs as possible, including ordering some Singapore Math materials to try at home with DD, just to see what it's all about.

But, I realized that I am overlooking one of my best resources of people with STRONG opinions. So, tell me about your child's math program. What is it? Do you love it, hate it? Does your school have to heavily supplement?

I feel strongly enough about this that I am going to get involved in the process, in whatever way possible, but I'd like to have some additional anecdotes, if possible. I really love the school district we're in, but am so sad about what has happened to math in our country. I realize that people are very divided on what we should be teaching our children, but I also know that some of the smartest people I know are right here at iMSN. Okay - start throwing those opinions at me!

[Chrisada]

Oh gawd, we have Everyday Math here. We're new to school, but I know parents here hate it.

[Deebs]

Growing up in Chicagoland, our district was one of the test districts for Everyday Math (I wound up in the group who tested "Touch Math" though). My sister had it and still cannot do simple arithmetic in her head, including when shopping she cannot figure out what something will cost based on a percentage off sale, which makes me crazy. My niece also had it and cannot read a clock. I think if your district recognizes its shortcomings and supplements VERY heavily, you'll be fine. There is an excellent (but long) YouTube video that talks about EDM to give you an idea of some of the different ideas.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Tr1qee-bTZI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I don't know if that's going to work. It's called "Mathematics Education: An Inconvenient Truth" and is about 15 minutes long. Definitely worth watching if you have a child being taught EDM.

[Pollyanna]

Holy crap, I have never even heard about Everyday Math! That video was extremely enlightening. Seems like some math do-gooders had too much time on their hands do decided to create a new curriculum. I can't believe any school would adopt that curriculum, what justification could they possibly give? I will have to check with the kids to see what curriculum they have but it seems the one they used in AZ and the one here in TN while different still uses old school math techniques.

[Chrisada]

Everyday Math honestly scares the crap out of me. My son is so good in math, and I'm hoping he will continue to excel at it despite this mess they teach with.

[SoonerTexan]

Haha, looks like Texas had some strong feelings so we don't have to worry about it.

But I'm honestly scared to death of what school will bring by the time my kid gets there. My sister (freshman) was over this weekend and the amount of work she is doing is INSANE. She was watching online lectures and commented she basically ends up learning everything at home.

[migirl]

I wish I had more to contribute, but our schools use EM and it worries me as well.

[houseelf]

I can't comment specifically on Everyday Math, but I will tell you that you will probably have to supplement your child's education more than your parents did for a variety of reasons. Not trying to start a debate, just my observation.

[niener]

Okay this may be a dumb question... I have zero reason to be involved in this discussion, but if EM sucks so much, does anyone know why so many people still use it? Is it a money thing? Maybe I'm being completely dense here but it seems like no one is happy with this system, or do we just have a skewed sampling of people here?

[SoonerTexan]

I will tell you that you will probably have to supplement your child's education more than your parents did for a variety of reasons.

What exactly do you mean? From what I see with my siblings, they are having to do MORE than I ever had to and are being pushed harder...maybe too hard. They are in a really good district, though. Is that the difference?

[Deebs]

First, I completely expect to have to do a lot of supplementing at home. I'm already having my first grader, who reads at a third grade level tutored weekly to keep her challenged and engaged, as well as get her used to the concept of continuing to work outside of school. I actually really believe in studying at home (not so much homework, and there is definitely a difference) so that children can continue to learn.
The reasons I know of for districts adopting Everyday Math include: no required books for students, so a lower cost, a great "name" behind the program (it was developed at University of Chicago), a very good sales team, "grants" that the publisher has given to school districts to get them into the curriculum, marketing that includes utilizing the names of well performing districts that have put the curriculum into place at no cost.

I also think that schools are looking for different ways to teach. What we've been doing clearly isn't working. Everyday Math is working toward teaching students the point of doing math (which I think is a question every math teacher is asked, at least in the upper grade levels). That has a place, but if students aren't first taught math skills, it's hard to then move onto real-world applications. I don't mind, as a parent, having to learn new methods to help my children. I also am open to trying new ideas. I just think that when one idea has been tried and failed, we need to step away. I'm also not sure that Everyday Math doesn't have a place as a study to do at home, in addition to already learned math skills.

I have a few guesses as to why we're having issues specific to math, but I think that many teachers (especially at the lower grades) don't understand or enjoy math themselves. "Math" people become engineers, CPAs, actuaries, etc, not elementary school teachers.

It frustrates me to no end that I have heard very little this election cycle about education reform, and we are an incredibly global society in terms of technology and communication, but put so little of that resource towards education. We are failing our future generations. I'm going to step away from my soap box now. I think the Chicago Public School strike has me a little fired up.

[Phoebe]

We use Everyday Math. Hate it. I agree with having to supplement work at home, especially math facts.

[SoonerTexan]

When you say supplementing, do you mean doing additional work not prescribed by the school to keep your kid where you want him/her to be, or helping them do work assigned by the district?

[Deebs]

Parents are literally using Saxon or Singapore Math, and homeschooling their children in one of those methods to teach them math skills, in addition to the homework prescribed by the school/district. So by supplementing, I mean doing something completely above and beyond what school is teaching.

[Pollyanna]

How do the children have time for all that supplementation? Mine barely have enough time for the regular homework and their activities, no way would we have time to do another math curriculum at home.