No textbook for kids in Montgomery County?

[Anonymous]

I was educated in India - so I am basing a lot of how I help my kids with school work - on how I was taught.

So - I need a textbook to understand what the kids are learning and how they need to be taught, even in elementary level...even though I have an advanced degree in Math.

If I try and teach Math without a textbook, in my enthusiasm, I will teach them more advanced concepts than they need to know. Because I may have a degree in Math does not mean I know how to teach and what to teach. Having a textbook provides me a guideline in how to help.

I have also found the Math Textbooks that I have used till now, are easy to understand and very well written - for both the student and the parent.

The school does not necessarily adheres to the Units sequentially as it is presented in the textbooks (or even the syllabus) - so you need to be aware of that.

I find it amazing that parents will buy workbooks all the time, but balk at buying textbooks. I personally think that doing the exercises in the textbooks provides ample practice.

So, for the foreign-born moms here, who feel the need for textbooks - go ahead and buy one second-hand from Amazon.com.

Just because things are done a certain way in this country does not necessarily mean that it is the most efficient way. Being exposed to two cultures mean that we are in the position to pick and choose the best from both the cultures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was educated in India - so I am basing a lot of how I help my kids with school work - on how I was taught.

So - I need a textbook to understand what the kids are learning and how they need to be taught, even in elementary level...even though I have an advanced degree in Math.

If I try and teach Math without a textbook, in my enthusiasm, I will teach them more advanced concepts than they need to know. Because I may have a degree in Math does not mean I know how to teach and what to teach. Having a textbook provides me a guideline in how to help.

I have also found the Math Textbooks that I have used till now, are easy to understand and very well written - for both the student and the parent.

The school does not necessarily adheres to the Units sequentially as it is presented in the textbooks (or even the syllabus) - so you need to be aware of that.

I find it amazing that parents will buy workbooks all the time, but balk at buying textbooks. I personally think that doing the exercises in the textbooks provides ample practice.

So, for the foreign-born moms here, who feel the need for textbooks - go ahead and buy one second-hand from Amazon.com.

Just because things are done a certain way in this country does not necessarily mean that it is the most efficient way. Being exposed to two cultures mean that we are in the position to pick and choose the best from both the cultures.

+1. I'll start buying used textbooks next year, once older DC gets in first grade.

[Anonymous]

+1. I have already decided to get Singapore Math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good question OP.

DD is in 4th grade, and still no sign of a textbook.

I would like to peruse (not just single worksheets that come home now and then) to have an understanding of what's being taught and what's she's expected to understand. I feel like the goal is to keep the parents in the dark as long as possible, and direct them to meaningless edu-speak pricey brochures when they have questions.

You could start by looking at the curriculum guide for fourth grade.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/elementary/parentguides/english/ParentGuideGrade4.pdf

(I don't think that "Multiply any whole number by a 2- or 3-digit factor." is meaningless edu-speak; do you?)

No, but the point of a text book is to teach the child how to do the above-stated objective. Is it being taught by arrays? How are the arrays transitioned into the idea of algorhythmic (sorry for my spelling) process? Is the child expected to do this multiplication by drawing symbolic arrays? By the "normal" method of multiplication? By lattice multiplication?

Without a text book, parents don't know and students can't review outside of class.

Also, working without a text book puts those who need written materials and multiple reviews inside or outside of the classroom at a disadvantage. It's not best teaching practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
No, but the point of a text book is to teach the child how to do the above-stated objective. Is it being taught by arrays? How are the arrays transitioned into the idea of algorhythmic (sorry for my spelling) process? Is the child expected to do this multiplication by drawing symbolic arrays? By the "normal" method of multiplication? By lattice multiplication?

Without a text book, parents don't know and students can't review outside of class.

I don't understand. Are you saying that a textbook is the only way for the parents to find out how the teachers are teaching multiplication and for the students to review outside of class? It is one way, yes; but it's surely not the only way. Another way, for example, is to look at the work the student brings home and to ask the teacher. And if the student doesn't bring home work, and/or the teacher won't answer, the problem is not that there is no textbook. The problem is that the teacher is not doing what the teacher is supposed to

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No, but the point of a text book is to teach the child how to do the above-stated objective. Is it being taught by arrays? How are the arrays transitioned into the idea of algorhythmic (sorry for my spelling) process? Is the child expected to do this multiplication by drawing symbolic arrays? By the "normal" method of multiplication? By lattice multiplication?

Without a text book, parents don't know and students can't review outside of class.

I don't understand. Are you saying that a textbook is the only way for the parents to find out how the teachers are teaching multiplication and for the students to review outside of class? It is one way, yes; but it's surely not the only way. Another way, for example, is to look at the work the student brings home and to ask the teacher. And if the student doesn't bring home work, and/or the teacher won't answer, the problem is not that there is no textbook. The problem is that the teacher is not doing what the teacher is supposed to

Every teacher says she is too busy. A textbook is simple way to save the teacher some effort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good question OP.

DD is in 4th grade, and still no sign of a textbook.

I would like to peruse (not just single worksheets that come home now and then) to have an understanding of what's being taught and what's she's expected to understand. I feel like the goal is to keep the parents in the dark as long as possible, and direct them to meaningless edu-speak pricey brochures when they have questions.

You could start by looking at the curriculum guide for fourth grade.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/elementary/parentguides/english/ParentGuideGrade4.pdf

(I don't think that "Multiply any whole number by a 2- or 3-digit factor." is meaningless edu-speak; do you?)

No, but the point of a text book is to teach the child how to do the above-stated objective. Is it being taught by arrays? How are the arrays transitioned into the idea of algorhythmic (sorry for my spelling) process? Is the child expected to do this multiplication by drawing symbolic arrays? By the "normal" method of multiplication? By lattice multiplication?

Without a text book, parents don't know and students can't review outside of class.

Also, working without a text book puts those who need written materials and multiple reviews inside or outside of the classroom at a disadvantage. It's not best teaching practice.

Agreed! I personally think that using a text book is an advantage. Everywhere in the world students use textbooks. Its useful for clarifying concepts and methods, useful for revision, useful for reading ahead. It has examples that are worked out step-by step Helps parents to teach the child, even if the parent does not have knowledge of the subject. So no downside, only benefits.

So- those who want to use it - go ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1. I have already decided to get Singapore Math.

Can you give suggestions about the textbook and other materials you want to use?

[Anonymous]

I don't understand...Kumon is ok...but textbooks are not ok?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every teacher says she is too busy. A textbook is simple way to save the teacher some effort.

No, every teacher does not. In my experience with many teachers in several different schools, the teachers have always responded promptly and helpfully to my e-mails, and all but 1 has responded promptly to a request for a conference. And that one also responded after I was politely persistent. If your child's teacher refuses to respond to your e-mails or requests for a meeting (assuming you're not harassing her with constant requests), then you should go to the principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1. I have already decided to get Singapore Math.

Can you give suggestions about the textbook and other materials you want to use?

http://www.singaporemath.com/ has everything. I would just use the text book along with the challenging word problems books. The books are very cheap as well.

[Anonymous]

In my opinion, textbook is an agreement on a good detailed level how school system as well as teachers will teach. In addition, literally, by the book, parents teachers students can check their progress. Without text book, there is no agreement, there is little coordination and all parties are constantly guessing what is going on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my opinion, textbook is an agreement on a good detailed level how school system as well as teachers will teach. In addition, literally, by the book, parents teachers students can check their progress. Without text book, there is no agreement, there is little coordination and all parties are constantly guessing what is going on.

Gee! Is that one of the things that MCPS gets wrong?

[Anonymous]

Catholic schools seem to have textbooks. I have yet to understand why public schools do not. I think they're just too cheap.

[Anonymous]

I have child in 5th year of elementary school and I've been fighting the battle of textbook since first day of KG. It annoys the heck out of me the fact that textbooks are not allowed to come home ( and graded test as well ). It get tiresome pretty quickly fighting the bloated American school system. No wonder we are failing miserably compared to other industrialized nations. You would think it's a 3rd world country. As a consequence I will not allow my son to take end of year standardized test this year. I had it enough. Let them scratch their heads for a change.