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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It is the stupid new way they teach math now.

They should be memorizing the facts first the way math has always been taught.[/quote]

I am sorry. Where's the proof in American education and worldwide standings, and our overall success in math, that shows that the old way actually worked?[/quote]

I don't get that problem.  We have done it both ways and traditional works much better.  We just switched to MCPS and the curriculum is not impressive, to put it nicely.[/quote]

I respectfully disagree.

DD is now in third grade and thoroughly understands the concepts AND has memorized the facts.  She's got both.

Not because we drilled her on them.  But [b]because the class worked with the numbers so many different times and ways in first and second grade that she just knows them now.  Addition and subtraction combos and most multiplication combos, too.  My guess is the rest will be cemented in her head soon enough.  They practice and play a billion different ways.[/b]

To me, this is a huge improvement.  Not necessarily now in 2nd/3rd grade.  But looking ahead to 8th grade and beyond.  This is where kids separate out in to those who feel confident in math and those who don't.

By eight grade, kids who are strong with computation because they memorized the basics are at risk for leveling out (or stressing out) when math becomes more conceptual.  Kids who took in the concepts and are excited about them as "puzzles" rather than memorization are more confident with and open to advanced math.

Of course, YMMV.  But my experience is that it's not either/or.  It's both/and.[/quote]
I don't have a good enough memory to compare it to the way it used to be, but I agree with the bolded whole heartedly.  It's actually kind of amazing to see what they know or can figure out.[/quote]

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