The following post was written by me for the Nashville Christian Elementary Blog in September, 2014.
"That's not how I learned Math"
Picture this "hypothetical" situation: You are sitting at the kitchen table with your fourth grader, and he is working on Math homework. He struggles with a problem and asks you for help. You read the directions and try to explain to him how you would solve the problem. Your son says, "But that's not how we did it in class". The gauntlet is thrown down, and for the next hour, you argue with him on how to solve the math problem. Finally, you give up, saying the words "Fine, do it that way! I give up!" and both of you end the evening stressed out.
This not-so-hypothetical situation happened to me a few years ago, and I found I was not alone when I posted on my Facebook page about the battle of long division. Mom after mom, and a few dads, echoed my frustrations.
It's painfully obvious to those of us raising children, that our educational experience was different than our children's, and it should be. The world has changed exponentially in the last few decades. From the way we gather, process, and communicate information to the way we complete day-to-day tasks, life is more complex and technical. Our list of basic skills needed to function in society has expanded, so it's no surprise that homework, and Math homework in particular, would be different and deeper.
Why has Math changed?
It hasn't, but in order to better prepare our students to function in a global, high-tech society, our approach to teaching Math has changed. In the elementary school of my childhood, we developed a basic procedural knowledge of Math. We were given a recipe to follow. "This is how you do long-division. Follow the steps religiously and repeatedly without variation, and you will have the perfect answer each time." At school, we would practice and then for homework we would complete 50 of the same problem. We understood the "what" and even the "how", but didn't do very much with the "why". Today, we are teaching math conceptually. The concept of "long division" is taught and students are given many methods to use in various situations to solve problems. They are asked to think not only about how to divide, but why the processes work and in which real-life situation they apply. Students are required not only to solve a problem but to be able to explain how they found their answer.
Why is this approach better?
In spite of the difficulty, this approach is in the best interest of our students. Research shows that students who are taught conceptually outperform students who merely learn and practice procedures. Additionally, by requiring more of our students, we are instilling in them qualities like grit, perseverance, and resilience.
How can I support my child as they learn Math?
This not-so-hypothetical situation happened to me a few years ago, and I found I was not alone when I posted on my Facebook page about the battle of long division. Mom after mom, and a few dads, echoed my frustrations.
It's painfully obvious to those of us raising children, that our educational experience was different than our children's, and it should be. The world has changed exponentially in the last few decades. From the way we gather, process, and communicate information to the way we complete day-to-day tasks, life is more complex and technical. Our list of basic skills needed to function in society has expanded, so it's no surprise that homework, and Math homework in particular, would be different and deeper.
Why has Math changed?
It hasn't, but in order to better prepare our students to function in a global, high-tech society, our approach to teaching Math has changed. In the elementary school of my childhood, we developed a basic procedural knowledge of Math. We were given a recipe to follow. "This is how you do long-division. Follow the steps religiously and repeatedly without variation, and you will have the perfect answer each time." At school, we would practice and then for homework we would complete 50 of the same problem. We understood the "what" and even the "how", but didn't do very much with the "why". Today, we are teaching math conceptually. The concept of "long division" is taught and students are given many methods to use in various situations to solve problems. They are asked to think not only about how to divide, but why the processes work and in which real-life situation they apply. Students are required not only to solve a problem but to be able to explain how they found their answer.
Why is this approach better?
In spite of the difficulty, this approach is in the best interest of our students. Research shows that students who are taught conceptually outperform students who merely learn and practice procedures. Additionally, by requiring more of our students, we are instilling in them qualities like grit, perseverance, and resilience.
How can I support my child as they learn Math?
- Learn the Language - With each new chapter, take a moment to learn the vocabulary words that accompany the math lesson. Before starting homework, look through your child's Math Journal or textbook. If that is unavailable, use online resources likeMath.com to learn the meanings of words or You Tube which has many demonstration videos pertaining to math concepts.
- Listen first - Before you tell your child how you learned to work a math problem, let him explain to you what he has learned, and believe them. Choose words wisely. Words like "That's not right" or "This makes no sense" tells your child that you don't trust him or the teacher.
- Let it go - When you reach a stalemate over an assignment, let it go. Let your child do the assignment his way. He will either find out he was right, or have an opportunity to learn from a mistake. Either option is beneficial to his growth. If you and your child have worked hard but just can't seem to figure out the assignment, communicate with the teacher by writing a note on the assignment or sending an email about the questions you had, and then put the assignment away. The teacher can then address the issue the next day.
- Witness the struggle - As a parent, it can be tempting to want to protect our children from difficulties, but struggling is a natural and necessary part of life. Our brains are muscles and they need to work out and be challenged to develop. Grow comfortable with watching your child struggle. Encourage them to be persistent and not devastated when something is difficult. Share with them your academic struggles and how you overcame.
- Proactively address areas of weakness - If your child chronically struggles with math, be open to providing tutoring and other supplemental support to help bridge the gap. If a child in elementary has not mastered math facts by 3rd or 4th grade, math will continue to be a struggle. Math facts are essential tools used in a variety of math concepts. Be aware of your child's strengths and weaknesses and form a plan to aggressively address the gaps. Assessment tools like STAR Math and TCAP scores can give indicators not only for our teachers to use to direct instruction, but also for parents to identify areas of need. Partner with the school to form an educational plan.
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