Can Kumon overcome Everyday Math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

From a pure scientific perspective: Why on earth would anyone follow the Americqan educational lead when it comes to teaching K through 12 mathematics to our children? Can anyone make a case for this and the use of "Everyday Math" (I hope I got what folk are calling this great instructional paradigm)

Well, I actually think that we need an infusion of a new line of teachers, just for math from Singapore, Japan, and Russia,...or anywhere else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am currently getting a masters that involves taking a great deal of coursework about how to teach math. This has helped me to see how misguided people on DCUM are about math instruction. Why exactly do you hate EDM? Can you please articulate this?

My first grade child's homework sheet asked this question:

Write the numbers 7 - 10 on the lines below. Then circle the number you wrote best.

I started looking into Kumon the next day.

Was that an Every Day Math worksheet, or one created by the teacher?

It was an Every Day Math worksheet. It was not created by the teacher.

[Anonymous]

To the OP: Yes, Kumon saved my DC from the mess that EDM created. He started Kumon at the end of 2nd grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the OP: Yes, Kumon saved my DC from the mess that EDM created. He started Kumon at the end of 2nd grade.

Did you do the classes or the books.

[Anonymous]

Classes.

[Anonymous]

EDM will help your child develop true number sense and flexible thinking--what real mathematicians have. Feel free to supplement with more traditional methods and anything that helps your child develop automaticity with math facts--EDM never says not to do this. My child had EDM through elementary, then switched over to more 'traditional' approaches. Never had supplementation and is soaring in math. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Sometimes I miss some of the exploration my child had with EDM. Math should not just be a slog or memorizing algorithms with no sense of 'why' they work. Let your child enjoy this time and supplement as needed.

[Anonymous]

Like the PP above I have a different perspective too. My child had EDM for most of elementary. During 4th and 5th there was an infusion of more a more traditional approach to math. My child is now in 6th grade and doing fantastic in pre-algebra. I questioned EDM too at the time but we never did any hard supplementation just practicing the basic math operations on various math websites. One I would strongly recommend is www.khanacademy.org, it gives short lessons in nearly all math topics and practice problems too. You can use it to see if your child really "gets it".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:EDM will help your child develop true number sense and flexible thinking--what real mathematicians have. Feel free to supplement with more traditional methods and anything that helps your child develop automaticity with math facts--EDM never says not to do this. My child had EDM through elementary, then switched over to more 'traditional' approaches. Never had supplementation and is soaring in math. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Sometimes I miss some of the exploration my child had with EDM. Math should not just be a slog or memorizing algorithms with no sense of 'why' they work. Let your child enjoy this time and supplement as needed.

Why do people think that curricula like Singapore have NO "exploration"? Take a look at the books before the assumptions. Anyway, elementary math should not have too much time devoted to exploration since there is little room for that.
Also, your child might have been better at math had a traditional curriculum been used.

[Anonymous]

Singapore Math is a fantastic math program. It is definitely not "drill and kill".

I think Kumon is more of a drill to matery program, which is what many children require at least at some points in their math learning.

[Anonymous]

My child is in 3rd at a private school w/EDM and I too am a little perplexed at the approach but riding it out and hoping for the best.

This is a very helpful thread in terms of ideas of how to supplement.

Thanks to the PP for the web site for Khan Academy -- can anyone else suggest other web sites for elementary school aged kids, or even computer based at home tutorial programs for purchase?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:EDM will help your child develop true number sense and flexible thinking--what real mathematicians have. Feel free to supplement with more traditional methods and anything that helps your child develop automaticity with math facts--EDM never says not to do this. My child had EDM through elementary, then switched over to more 'traditional' approaches. Never had supplementation and is soaring in math. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Sometimes I miss some of the exploration my child had with EDM. Math should not just be a slog or memorizing algorithms with no sense of 'why' they work. Let your child enjoy this time and supplement as needed.

Why do people think that curricula like Singapore have NO "exploration"? Take a look at the books before the assumptions. Anyway, elementary math should not have too much time devoted to exploration since there is little room for that.
Also, your child might have been better at math had a traditional curriculum been used.

Are you kidding me?

Historically the US has not produced overwhelmingly confident and strong mathematicians from our high schools. This is because we focused so much on rote memorization and not at all on understanding the concepts behind the algorithms. Students who are exposed to inquiry-based learning in a constructivist context will construct their own knowledge and have a much deeper and authentic understanding of math.

I don't come down hard on either side in that I do think students should also learn the algorithms. But it's a farce to pretend that the algorithms without understanding will work for everyone. That is how you get students making mistakes that are totally illogical in the context of a problem, but not having any concept of reasonableness of an answer or what they are actually doing.

See this video to see the kind of thing I am talking about: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/dan_meyer_math_curriculum_makeover.html

[Anonymous]

I'm curious about the academic and professional backgrounds of those who criticize EDM on this board. Can you share some of your actual expertise in mathematics education or mathematics itself so we can better understand where you're coming from?

[Anonymous]

To clarify and to answer 13:48, I am 13:17 and I am the grad student studying how to teach math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about the academic and professional backgrounds of those who criticize EDM on this board. Can you share some of your actual expertise in mathematics education or mathematics itself so we can better understand where you're coming from?

OP here, math major college, now veterinarian.

[Anonymous]

You ask why is EDM a problem? Because the American education system does not really create circumstances that make it effective. In middle to poor areas its use is a disaster because the classes really never can keep track of support the transitions that are required so learn from exploration. The classes are too large, teachers too inexperienced in math and the language and behavior issues are too large. Furthermore lack of some rote knowledge means that Americans vaguely remember some experiment but not the actual math facts. Well off areas not sure what their excuse is but I also remember that I loved the idea that there was no truth and post-modernism. I have since recovered. I want my kid to know how to do things and I have seen no evidence of strong math skills where it is used.