Curriculum a mile wide and an inch deep: how do you make it deeper?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:number sense, number sense, number sense. This is what our math curriculum is lacking. So many kids in K-2 have such a shaky foundation in this area. If you can't "understand" what the number 5 represents, there is no way you can manipulate higher numbers. We need to get rid of the drill and kill mentality that is in our public school classrooms. Yes, there is a point where you need to memorize some math facts but our kids need a better foundation in the basics. Really, does a 6 year old need to know what a Venn Diagram is? Time would be better spent going back to the basics.

We don't have drill and kill in most elementary math classess anymore! Are you crazy?? I wish they WOULD drill math facts more, not less. Math facts ARE The basics!

Students need complete accurate recall of basic math facts; and not to count on/count down on their fingers or in their heads for addition and subtraction.

I agree venn diagrams and set theory and all should be set aside till later.

I agree. I saw the post that you are responding to and decided not
to chime in.
The very issue is that we don't drill enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:number sense, number sense, number sense. This is what our math curriculum is lacking. So many kids in K-2 have such a shaky foundation in this area. If you can't "understand" what the number 5 represents, there is no way you can manipulate higher numbers. We need to get rid of the drill and kill mentality that is in our public school classrooms. Yes, there is a point where you need to memorize some math facts but our kids need a better foundation in the basics. Really, does a 6 year old need to know what a Venn Diagram is? Time would be better spent going back to the basics.

We don't have drill and kill in most elementary math classess anymore! Are you crazy?? I wish they WOULD drill math facts more, not less. Math facts ARE The basics!

Students need complete accurate recall of basic math facts; and not to count on/count down on their fingers or in their heads for addition and subtraction.

I agree venn diagrams and set theory and all should be set aside till later.

Math facts are important, but you need to know what the facts represent. That's what PP means by number sense. Concrete experience with counting (beans etc.), arrays representing multiplication, understanding the relationship between multiplying and adding and dividing and subtracting.... sure, drill kids in math facts but for pity's sake give them a grounding in number sense alongside or before.

[Anonymous]

You make, make sure that when they memoriaze "8 plus 6 = 14", they actually understand that "8" means ******** and "6" means ****** and "14" means ********** ****?

OK. Just as long as at the end of second grade, when you ask them "What's 8 plus 6?", they can reply confidently and without hesitation, "14"... and without:

1) counting on their fingers
2) drawing 8 circles and 6 circles and then couting them;
3) or looking on their number line and finding 8 and then counting up 6.

I don't care how they get to 14 at first and all through 1st and 2nd grade, but by the end of 2nd grade they should have those facts down automatically.