How are we supposed to teach addition and subtraction?

[Anonymous]

I learned to line numbers up and work from right to left, “borrowing” from or adding 1 to the column to the left if necessary.

Are we supposed to teach our kids this way? Or are they learning to add and subtract using place value? So 35+51, you would do 30+50 and 5+1.

[Anonymous]

You can teach your child to add and subtract in any ways you like. If their school teaches a different method, so much the better. Learning more than one way to solve problems is like exercise for the brain.

Best practices say to grade based on arriving at the correct answer via any grade level-appropriate method. (Drawing 35 dots and then 51 dots and then counting them one by one would not be appropriate for any grade above K.)

[Anonymous]

I taught with Cheerios. Then we moved on to bouncing a ball, then we moved on to a numbered (empty) parking lot. Then paper and pencil.

[Anonymous]

Side question… if you do the 30+50 and the 5+1 method, how do you explain what happens on the next problem when the sum of the two ones-place digits exceeds nine?

37 + 58 =
30 + 50 = 80
7 + 8 = 15

It seems to me that now you’re back to explaining the same principle as moving that little 1 up to the tens column.

Although I agree with PP that learning different ways to see problems helps solidify a deeper understanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can teach your child to add and subtract in any ways you like. If their school teaches a different method, so much the better. Learning more than one way to solve problems is like exercise for the brain.

Best practices say to grade based on arriving at the correct answer via any grade level-appropriate method. (Drawing 35 dots and then 51 dots and then counting them one by one would not be appropriate for any grade above K.)

+1

Math is math. Borrowing and carrying work because of place value, and when you use place value, you botrpw and carry.

Personally, I think m money is an excellent tool to teach math. They can see that ten pennies equals a dime, ten dimes equals a dollar, etc. Have them work out problems, borrowing and carrying as necessary.

ex. Here is 43 cents. You have 4 dimes and 3 pennies. If you give me sixteen cents, how much will you have left. They’ll have to use place value and “borrow” a dime, decomposing it into ten pennies, at which point, the problem becomes simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I learned to line numbers up and work from right to left, “borrowing” from or adding 1 to the column to the left if necessary.

Our school does this. School wants us to reinforce with the same method they teach -- because it is more successful with more children.

Their years of experience says that many lower elementary kids just get confused if taught multiple different methods.

No doubt there are some kids who might benefit from multiple methods being taught, but it is not generally true for
Most kids.

[Anonymous]

It's common nowadays for kids to learn multiple different methods in school. Is there a reason you feel a need to teach them at home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's common nowadays for kids to learn multiple different methods in school. Is there a reason you feel a need to teach them at home?

I don’t understand this. Are you a teacher? You sound like a teacher by asking this question. All we parents get in terms of messaging is “if your kid isn’t getting something at school it’s YoUr JoB as PaReNtS to work with them at home!!!!!11111” and then we also get questioned if we do actually work with them at home??? Make it make sense. “Is there a reason you feel a need to teach them at home?” GTFO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I learned to line numbers up and work from right to left, “borrowing” from or adding 1 to the column to the left if necessary.

Our school does this. School wants us to reinforce with the same method they teach -- because it is more successful with more children.

Their years of experience says that many lower elementary kids just get confused if taught multiple different methods.

No doubt there are some kids who might benefit from multiple methods being taught, but it is not generally true for
Most kids.

Wow, that's an impressive school! Are you in the DMV? Can you share which school is so enlightened?

[Anonymous]

One of the most important aspects of math is that there is more than one way to solve a problem. They should be able to do in on the number line with hops forward and backwards, with place value, dollars, etc.

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/knowing-and-teaching-elementary-mathematics-teachers-understanding-of-fundamental-mathematics-in-china-and-the-united-states-studies-in-mathematical-thinking-and-learning-series_liping-ma/260226/item/270126/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=high_vol_midlist_standard_shopping_customer_acquisition&utm_adgroup=&utm_term=&utm_content=666157863328&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyL24BhCtARIsALo0fSDGOUU0AvlZOq8L1q-ct6VaLzTstguFZAmZmPlUTzi7uScE6l4vAccaAvDPEALw_wcB#idiq=270126&edition=3336786

[Anonymous]

Have your kids memorize basic addition and subtraction---and later multiplication--facts. The school didn't do that with my oldest and she still makes basic arithmetic mistakes (still wants to count on her fingers/skip count for multiplication...anything but memorize because her teachers "said it was ok."). I had my younger memorize and the difference is light and day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I learned to line numbers up and work from right to left, “borrowing” from or adding 1 to the column to the left if necessary.

Our school does this. School wants us to reinforce with the same method they teach -- because it is more successful with more children.

Their years of experience says that many lower elementary kids just get confused if taught multiple different methods.

No doubt there are some kids who might benefit from multiple methods being taught, but it is not generally true for
Most kids.

This is really surprising to hear a school recognizing this, but also true. I had a friend whose daughter struggled until they moved to Saxon, which is all about the algorithms and repeating practice, and then she caught right up. My own kids didn't get confused by the multiple methods, but found them boring and repetitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can teach your child to add and subtract in any ways you like. If their school teaches a different method, so much the better. Learning more than one way to solve problems is like exercise for the brain.

Best practices say to grade based on arriving at the correct answer via any grade level-appropriate method. (Drawing 35 dots and then 51 dots and then counting them one by one would not be appropriate for any grade above K.)

School is not teaching it. They are looking at place value pictures (Given a picture of squares, how many 10s and 1s are there). For equations they are still doing 12-3 and kids are counting to add and subtract.

So I am wondering how schools are teaching it so I can do it the correct way nationally. I don’t really want to wait for them to learn it in 3rd grade (which is when our curriculum says it will happen). I also want to know how other schools are doing it because I don’t really trust our curriculum. I think we are behind.

[Anonymous]

You are overthinking this, imo.
I would back off w/ the add/sub.
You also risk confusing your child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are overthinking this, imo.
I would back off w/ the add/sub.
You also risk confusing your child.

I don’t think I am overthinking it. I don’t think it’s wrong or weird to want to teach an 8 year old 12+4 or 11-7 without counting on fingers.