5th grade first day — multiplication and coloring?

[Anonymous]

What do you expect? Jane Austen and multi variable calculus?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:China is going to conquer us in 20 years. I wonder if they’re “waking up their kids’ brains” with coloring and simple multiplication in 5th grade. Or 3rd grade.

Yes, our children are going to have no chance at all those cell phone assembly jobs that Chinese factory workers use their 5th grade calculus skills for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At a religious private. I understand that it’s only the first day, but is this normal rigor?? Seems more like 3rd or maybe 4th.

What did your kid do first day of school last year?

If you don't remember, maybe it's not that important after all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:China is going to conquer us in 20 years. I wonder if they’re “waking up their kids’ brains” with coloring and simple multiplication in 5th grade. Or 3rd grade.

Yes, our children are going to have no chance at all those cell phone assembly jobs that Chinese factory workers use their 5th grade calculus skills for.

Those jobs likely won't be in China in 20 years, just like those jobs today aren't in Japan and Korea. But if you think Chinese scientists and researchers aren't going to be dominant in the coming decades, you aren't paying attention.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it’s typical for a fair number of fifth graders to need to sharpen their fact fluency. This is also a way for teachers to start to assess class strengths and weaknesses so that they can adjust instruction accordingly. Regarding coloring, that can be part of a get-to-know you project, something the students do while listening to class expectations, a way to fill downtime while awaiting an assembly, or a number of other purposes.

First days are always about gaining comfort, building community, setting expectations. No, you won’t see “rigor” at this time, especially with the prevalence of anxiety among students and parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:China is going to conquer us in 20 years. I wonder if they’re “waking up their kids’ brains” with coloring and simple multiplication in 5th grade. Or 3rd grade.

Everyone said this about Japan in the 80’ s. Didn’t happen. Relax.

Visit Tokyo and then LA or SF. There you go.

[Anonymous]

By the logic in the responses, maybe they should have practiced cutting out circles and toilet training, just to “warm up” after a long summer.

It’s nonsense. 5th graders should know multiplication tables cold. Or they should be left behind in 3rd grade. No reason to practice what should be second nature.

I suspect this is just the usual pandering to the weakest students, to assuage their “feelings,” rather than trying to improve the top students.

Please disclose school — I want stay away from it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Single digit multiplication sounds like K to me

Nope.

[Anonymous]

It does seem more appropriate for 3rd grade, but give it a couple days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Single digit multiplication sounds like K to me

Nope.

Actually, yes. My kid was focused on single digit multiplication and division in K. First grade was the long form.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It’s nonsense. 5th graders should know multiplication tables cold.

They *should*, but I promise you that they don’t.

— a teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By the logic in the responses, maybe they should have practiced cutting out circles and toilet training, just to “warm up” after a long summer.

It’s nonsense. 5th graders should know multiplication tables cold. Or they should be left behind in 3rd grade. No reason to practice what should be second nature.

I suspect this is just the usual pandering to the weakest students, to assuage their “feelings,” rather than trying to improve the top students.

Please disclose school — I want stay away from it.

There you are! Given up on the other thread, have you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:China is going to conquer us in 20 years. I wonder if they’re “waking up their kids’ brains” with coloring and simple multiplication in 5th grade. Or 3rd grade.

Yes, our children are going to have no chance at all those cell phone assembly jobs that Chinese factory workers use their 5th grade calculus skills for.

Those jobs likely won't be in China in 20 years, just like those jobs today aren't in Japan and Korea. But if you think Chinese scientists and researchers aren't going to be dominant in the coming decades, you aren't paying attention.

Does it matter who makes the scientific advances? We are one world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:China is going to conquer us in 20 years. I wonder if they’re “waking up their kids’ brains” with coloring and simple multiplication in 5th grade. Or 3rd grade.

Yes, our children are going to have no chance at all those cell phone assembly jobs that Chinese factory workers use their 5th grade calculus skills for.

Those jobs likely won't be in China in 20 years, just like those jobs today aren't in Japan and Korea. But if you think Chinese scientists and researchers aren't going to be dominant in the coming decades, you aren't paying attention.

The Japanese and Koreans didn't have scientists and engineers back then. Chinese issue is that it racing to get rich before it gets old. It will be interesting to see which wins.

Gotta remember take anything coming out of China with a big grain of salt because lots of theirs numbers are made up. See the recent news they have 100 million less people than they said they do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By the logic in the responses, maybe they should have practiced cutting out circles and toilet training, just to “warm up” after a long summer.

It’s nonsense. 5th graders should know multiplication tables cold. Or they should be left behind in 3rd grade. No reason to practice what should be second nature.

I suspect this is just the usual pandering to the weakest students, to assuage their “feelings,” rather than trying to improve the top students.

Please disclose school — I want stay away from it.

Please disclose the school that you attended. Your writing is atrocious.