Eureka Math - I am SO ANGRY

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who starts counting with their pinky finger????

It’s what the curriculum calls “The Math Way.”


https://www.cpsb.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=8822&dataid=8467&FileName=ParentKinder1.pdf

The intent is to get kids to count left to right. It sets them up for using a ten frame and seeing groups of ten.

Huh, i just realized I count starting with my left pinky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter started 4th this week. I understand the last curriculum, particularly math, was a dismal failure of which this county should be ashamed. But my daughter was doing fine in math, but with some intermittent confidence issues. Now I can't even figure out how to to help her because the her work sheet is like it's in another language. Zero support or explanation or heads up from our school. Even once I figured it out in order to help her, it seems pointless - and frankly designed to rock her confidence by starting fresh yet again. So sick of these people f'ing up not only my kids' education but also our home life and stress levels. My son started K this week and honestly I am not even kidding...we are supposed to teach him to count starting with his pink instead of thumb or index finger. He was pretty advanced in a math at his Montessori and can reason through multiplication in his head. Yet now he is confused and upset.

Is this going to get better???

What are you prattling on about? Are you one of these idiots who are upset that they don’t recognize a superior way to teach math and number sense and insisting on the algorithm approach schools made us use?

Shut up and get a clue.

[Anonymous]

Garbage math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should not need to help your kid with homework in 4th grade. If she doesn’t get it, teach her to talk to the teacher to get help.

[Anonymous]

OP,

You're not going to accomplish anything with this misplaced anger.

Here's the truth:
Parents who scream and rant because the math methods change are people who never understood the point of math in the first place. Math is not about blindly applying a formula or method. For primary math, you should be able to look at the question, figure out the answer, look at the sheet, and work backward from there to explain to your child what the teacher wants. It's easy.

Here's another truth:
Explain YOUR method to your child. As well as the teacher's method. As many methods as you know! Teach your child that mathematics is a beautiful language that accommodates many different paths. Many silly elementary teachers will caution you not to do this, because they are barely qualified themselves and don't want to hear students say: "Well my parent taught me to do this way". Too bad, you're working for your child, not the teacher, aren't you?

It's elementary school math, for goodness' sake. You don't even an average IQ to figure it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
OP,

You're not going to accomplish anything with this misplaced anger.

Here's the truth:
Parents who scream and rant because the math methods change are people who never understood the point of math in the first place. Math is not about blindly applying a formula or method. For primary math, you should be able to look at the question, figure out the answer, look at the sheet, and work backward from there to explain to your child what the teacher wants. It's easy.

Here's another truth:
Explain YOUR method to your child. As well as the teacher's method. As many methods as you know! Teach your child that mathematics is a beautiful language that accommodates many different paths. Many silly elementary teachers will caution you not to do this, because they are barely qualified themselves and don't want to hear students say: "Well my parent taught me to do this way". Too bad, you're working for your child, not the teacher, aren't you?

It's elementary school math, for goodness' sake. You don't even an average IQ to figure it out.

Thank you so much for this advice, very helpful. I also really appreciate the posters who reminded me how important it is not to reveal my own frustration while working on the homework. We haven't had BTSN yet, so hopefully we will get some helpful discussion then. In the meantime, I've followed PPs advice to look online for the curriculum and I'm relieved to see how much is easily accessible. My stress with multiple kids back in school and other life pressures obviously got the better of me this evening! Thank you for the chance to vent. And I'm not a troll, real people really do freak out sometimes

[Anonymous]

OP, I’m sorry for thinking you were a troll.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know what they are doing for the kids who are in the 4th and have been accepted into 4/5 math? Are they doing Eureka?

I'll wait until Back to School Night to pass judgment but it seems like all the kids are in one big group and it doesn't seem like my son is getting the enrichment he should......he's been promised math enrichment each year and I have yet to see it. It's frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know what they are doing for the kids who are in the 4th and have been accepted into 4/5 math? Are they doing Eureka?

I'll wait until Back to School Night to pass judgment but it seems like all the kids are in one big group and it doesn't seem like my son is getting the enrichment he should......he's been promised math enrichment each year and I have yet to see it. It's frustrating.

He won't get it. After 6 yrs in ES, I finally got what my DS needed in private school. Of course, 6 yrs of coasting through ES made private MS a huge uphill battle. He ever had to work for an A before.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think a curriculum is bad simply because a parent doesn’t understand it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter started 4th this week. I understand the last curriculum, particularly math, was a dismal failure of which this county should be ashamed. But my daughter was doing fine in math, but with some intermittent confidence issues. Now I can't even figure out how to to help her because the her work sheet is like it's in another language. Zero support or explanation or heads up from our school. Even once I figured it out in order to help her, it seems pointless - and frankly designed to rock her confidence by starting fresh yet again. So sick of these people f'ing up not only my kids' education but also our home life and stress levels. My son started K this week and honestly I am not even kidding...we are supposed to teach him to count starting with his pink instead of thumb or index finger. He was pretty advanced in a math at his Montessori and can reason through multiplication in his head. Yet now he is confused and upset.

Is this going to get better???

I'm pretty sure that Montessori is designed to go through at least kindergarten (ages 3,4,and 5 in one classroom, right?). If you pulled him out early, that's on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who starts counting with their pinky finger????

I think I figured it out! Make a fist with your hand. Extend only your pinky - 1! Now extend your ring finger also -2! Middle finger - 3. Then 4, then 5. Now make a fist again. Extend your thumb first this time - 1! Now your index finger-2! Keep going. You will get stuck on finger number 4. Your hand can show 4 fingers in a row much better if you start with your pinky.

Remember, the kindergarten curriculum has to accommodate children who might never have been in preschool. It accommodates children who are new to this country. I have a kindergartener also. She knows that she can count in different ways. I don't think she would have a problem counting starting with her pinky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who starts counting with their pinky finger????

I think I figured it out! Make a fist with your hand. Extend only your pinky - 1! Now extend your ring finger also -2! Middle finger - 3. Then 4, then 5. Now make a fist again. Extend your thumb first this time - 1! Now your index finger-2! Keep going. You will get stuck on finger number 4. Your hand can show 4 fingers in a row much better if you start with your pinky.



Sorry, I looked at the link and the poster who said that the kids are counting from left to right is correct. My favorite part of Eureka math is the two-color abacus, though. It's not a new design, but it's brilliant and should be used in more classrooms.

[Anonymous]

Eureka Math-also called Engage NY, is a good curriculum. It is free and you can download the teachers' guide if you want to see how the lessons are taught. However, I think it is completely misguided not to have a separate textbook where students can look back and see how problems are solved and important ideas explained. Every other country that does well in math actually gives students textbooks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eureka Math-also called Engage NY, is a good curriculum. It is free and you can download the teachers' guide if you want to see how the lessons are taught. However, I think it is completely misguided not to have a separate textbook where students can look back and see how problems are solved and important ideas explained. Every other country that does well in math actually gives students textbooks!

I assume they ahve workbooks for purchase on Amazon. ANy suggestions? Our DD just started 1st and they are using Eureka based on the labels I see on her worksheets.