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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Is there a benefit to teaching my elementary school kid “old math”? I was taught math in the 80s, and feel that the way they teach math now in school leaves gaps. We are now studying double digit multiplication and division.[/quote]

I heard a mathematician talk about this. Benefit of old way is speed of mental calculation. A lot of the algorithms we learned were established when it was useful to do calculations by hand/in your head because nobody had phones/computers with them all the time. Downside is that the old way is not the best way to learn concepts. The modern math is better for grasping concepts behind the math.

If you want, you can supplement at home with the old way and just explain that it is the old way. However, I wouldn't try to derail the teaching and try to contradict the teacher. Unless the teacher is incompetent and can't teach the new way. I think this is problem, though. Parents can't understand what's going on and can't tell if things are being taught well![/quote]

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