(01-16-2015, 08:47 PM)Lilithium Wrote: Indeed, which is where my next thought is "Why force it on the kids who can't grasp it? As long as they're learning how why not just let the kids who get Common Core use that and the ones who can't use a different method or the old one?"This pretty handily sums up my opinion on the matter.
But one of the problems is it's been Common Core or gtfo for some of these schools. Which I cringe at so hard I want to turtle inside my hoodie that they're laying down the law for how a child should learn something and restricting their use of creativity and growth because 'our way is best way'.
Taking my personal experience of learning multiplication (many many years ago).. as I recall, I learned to multiply by taking my knowledge of addition, and counting by the number. So...
6x4... I'd either count by 6's or 4's until I got my answer.
4 8 12 16 20 24
orÂ
6 12 18 24
Granted, over time, I'd memorized everything up to 12x12, but not by looking at a chart. I did it by doing the problems.
Except for 9s. 9s, I taught myself a trick that, at that time, made it faster and easier for me. The trick was to take whatever other number 9 was being multiplied with, take 1 away from it, then add it up to 9 again. So..
9 x 7
Take 1 from 7 = 6
6 + ? = 9 Â 3
My answer is 63.
Was that 9 trick taught in my classes? No. Is it the correct answer? Yes.
The biggest issue to me is forcing students (and teachers) to look at problems this way as the only way. As long as the student is capable of getting the correct answer and, if necessary, show their work and that works makes sense... then back off and let the student do their thing.
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As to the actual name of the thread... parents that do not discipline their children... at all....
*adds wood to the fire*
Raandal Bennett (Deceased)