Anonymous wrote:I’ve taught using an inquiry-based system, and I’ve taught using direct instruction. I’ve also tutored students needing remediation and taken course work on remediation strategies for students with specific learning disabilities.
For those who struggle, especially with number sense, there is no substitute for direct instruction with multi-sensory learning strategies.
But there are so also many students who don’t struggle and students who don’t get an adequate challenge from math classes. Those students do really well with inquiry-based learning. In fact, I’ve seen standardized testing scores that show how their quantitative reasoning shoots up under such programs.
There just isn’t one strategy or curriculum that is going to work for all students all the time. I wish we could go back to tracking students into separate math classes so as to better meet their individual needs.
The issue is you're using an inappropriate di curriculum for the kids who are doing well - DI should be teaching what the child doesn't know yet; if you don't adapt your teaching via formative assessment, then of course the child won't learn as much.