WTH 3rd grade math!?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know how to answer this question:

How does testing solutions help you learn about unit fractions and equal areas?

Um, I'm stumped, and my kid doesn't have a clue. Tried google, but couldn't find an answer. Given that homework doesn't count for diddly squat under 2.0, I'm not inclined to agonize over this. Nonetheless, I'm wondering if anyone actually knows the correct answer. I'm just a lawyer, so I'm I'll equipped to answer such a question. Perhaps an mcps teacher who understands the point of 2.0 math can shed some light.

DC needs to pay more attention in class and not rely on you to find out what testing solutions is... He is supposed to know from classroom instruction. If you want to know ask the teacher and I'm sure she'll explain it but its the students thats supposed to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here: everyone gets a check plus for turning in homework...I doubt the teacher even bothers to look at it since homework isn't graded and isn't factored into grades at all. Honestly, some parents have opted their kids out of homework since it doesn't matter.

Switching gears: what do parents think about the question that typically appears at the end of the math homework that asks a question like: what did doing x teach you about X (or, how did doing A and B help you understand AB?)...and then the kid is supposed to write a one or two sentence answer. My kid can't answer these questions on his own, and I don't blame him bc sometimes I can't either. Why can't they just teach math the way we learned it? It worked for me.

I'm 10:01 who asked for the update. I hate homework for lower grades in general, so my answer is biased. I would take that question as a prompt to "me" to discuss the more analytical side of my child's homework with him, if I thought there would be any benefit. But I doubt I'd make him write anything down. Weird question for 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

Wait, so what was the answer 'supposed' to be? Or did I miss that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so what was the answer 'supposed' to be? Or did I miss that?

It wasn't a mathematical question... The question was based on some learning tools that it appears were discussed in class. If you do not know what was discussed in class or what tools were lectured on there is no way to answer the question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Testing solutions refers to the Thinking or Academic Success Skill that is currently being taught in 3rd grade (in all subjects). They relate those critical thinking skills to every content area. There is no "right" answer-he needs to explain how testing multiple solutions while doing his work is helping him to learn the current math content.

Curriculum 2.0 is all about the infusion of these skills into academic content. I like that a lot.

I work in MCPS and for the record to the OP and PPs, the previous curriculum did not provide homework either, that has always been up to the teachers to create based on their own students. There are lots of resources provided to teachers with this curriculum. It isn't scripted like the previous curriculum was, so there are less worksheets, but there are resources provided, so I disagree with the PPs.

Can you expand on what resources are provided in the C2.0? In looking at my DC's classwork, it seems that most of the work done in class is pulled by the teacher from publicly available web-based teacher resources that have nothing to do with MCPS. Sometimes the stuff is appropriate to the grade level/skills being taught, sometimes not.

I think it's not a grade-appropriate expectation from the writing/language perspective to expect 3rd graders to "explain how testing multiple solutions helps you learn math." A kid would have to be pretty sophisticated linguistically to explain this at this age. Also, I think that this thread is but one illustration of how the curriculum has become infused with teaching/pedagogical buzzwords to such an extent that it is actually an obstacle to student and parent understanding. It's educational bureaucratese that doesn't belong in the classroom. As an editor, I would be slashing my big red pen through that kind of wording. Plain English, please! Math is hard enough having to learn to translate the plain English into commonly accepted "math" conventions (like being able to construct an equation from a word problem) -- don't make it harder than it has to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New poster here. What PP was saying is that there's no ONE right answer. Many solutions to the same problem. Kids are meant to explore all the possible solutions.

2+2=4

but also ...

2+2=6-2
2+2=0+2
2+2=-4+8

By exploring them all rather than just looking for one right solution, kids learn more.

This can't possibly be a solution, regardless of what type of math your child is learning. Right?

2+2=0+2

[Anonymous]

Asked my 5th gr. GT student, who just accepted into middle school computer science magnet program.

He has no clue how to answer this question. So I guess the mcps teacher PP said was right. There is no right or wrong answers. The catch is, students who are bad with writing and have limited creativity, will be terrified.
some people can simply answers a paragraph without answering anything.

I guess those good at writing and creative kids have a better chance getting ES on report card in math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Asked my 5th gr. GT student, who just accepted into middle school computer science magnet program.

He has no clue how to answer this question. So I guess the mcps teacher PP said was right. There is no right or wrong answers. The catch is, students who are bad with writing and have limited creativity, will be terrified.
some people can simply answers a paragraph without answering anything.

I guess those good at writing and creative kids have a better chance getting ES on report card in math.

This is a separate grade from math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Asked my 5th gr. GT student, who just accepted into middle school computer science magnet program.

He has no clue how to answer this question. So I guess the mcps teacher PP said was right. There is no right or wrong answers. The catch is, students who are bad with writing and have limited creativity, will be terrified.
some people can simply answers a paragraph without answering anything.

I guess those good at writing and creative kids have a better chance getting ES on report card in math.

Also it doesn't matter if your child is Gt. if he wasn't in the class he couldn't possibly know.

[Anonymous]

Hey 11:13 and all the other PPs who think the teachers are covering this during class: ha ha ha ha ha. Do you know what happens during the math block now that kids dont switch to different classes for instruction? The classroom teacher rotates through three groups of students (grouped by ability) for 15 minutes of instruction....that's math instruction. When your kid's group isn't working with the teacher for fifteen minutes, he is supposed to work independently with his group. The teachers aren't covering how to respond to these sorts of questions. They merely present the content and strategy. The open ended question (for which there is no correct answer) is part of how 2.0 is supposed to merge math with reading ith science with social studies....but in the end, we all realize it's just not working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey 11:13 and all the other PPs who think the teachers are covering this during class: ha ha ha ha ha. Do you know what happens during the math block now that kids dont switch to different classes for instruction? The classroom teacher rotates through three groups of students (grouped by ability) for 15 minutes of instruction....that's math instruction. When your kid's group isn't working with the teacher for fifteen minutes, he is supposed to work independently with his group. The teachers aren't covering how to respond to these sorts of questions. They merely present the content and strategy. The open ended question (for which there is no correct answer) is part of how 2.0 is supposed to merge math with reading ith science with social studies....but in the end, we all realize it's just not working.

They are covering it in class... I've seen it. The question is to see HOW you child is thinking of math, whats the thought process when they are solving problems. And while there is not just one correct answer there certainly can be incorrect answer ( in this case a blank line )

[Anonymous]

Ridiculous question, don't bother with it.

[Anonymous]

The answer is 42.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Testing solutions refers to the Thinking or Academic Success Skill that is currently being taught in 3rd grade (in all subjects). They relate those critical thinking skills to every content area. There is no "right" answer-he needs to explain how testing multiple solutions while doing his work is helping him to learn the current math content.

Curriculum 2.0 is all about the infusion of these skills into academic content. I like that a lot.

I work in MCPS and for the record to the OP and PPs, the previous curriculum did not provide homework either, that has always been up to the teachers to create based on their own students. There are lots of resources provided to teachers with this curriculum. It isn't scripted like the previous curriculum was, so there are less worksheets, but there are resources provided, so I disagree with the PPs.

Can you expand on what resources are provided in the C2.0? In looking at my DC's classwork, it seems that most of the work done in class is pulled by the teacher from publicly available web-based teacher resources that have nothing to do with MCPS. Sometimes the stuff is appropriate to the grade level/skills being taught, sometimes not.

I think it's not a grade-appropriate expectation from the writing/language perspective to expect 3rd graders to "explain how testing multiple solutions helps you learn math." A kid would have to be pretty sophisticated linguistically to explain this at this age. Also, I think that this thread is but one illustration of how the curriculum has become infused with teaching/pedagogical buzzwords to such an extent that it is actually an obstacle to student and parent understanding. It's educational bureaucratese that doesn't belong in the classroom. As an editor, I would be slashing my big red pen through that kind of wording. Plain English, please! Math is hard enough having to learn to translate the plain English into commonly accepted "math" conventions (like being able to construct an equation from a word problem) -- don't make it harder than it has to be.

I completely agree with you! This type of written explanation of math is so far beyond what is fair to expect of a 3rd grader. The pedagogical buzzwords abound in this new 2.0 era. Hard enough for an educated parent to understand, let alone kids. Let math be math.

[Anonymous]

Best part of 2.0 and fractions: there's no such thing as an improper fraction! So, 8/4 isn't an improper fraction that should be changed to 2. According to 2.0, it's 8 iterations of 1/4.....um, okay....try explaining what an iteration is to a third grader. Granted, I understand what they are trying to do with that approach. But try labeling 8/4 on a number line.....dumb....especially when your kid understands that it should simply be 2 wholes.

2.0 math super sucks.