Hellobee Boards

Googling new math!

What are your biggest issues with new math?

In my province (NB) the "old way" is still taught but only after there is deep understanding of the mathematical concepts, which is typically best achieved through the " new way". I'm a second grade teacher and have seen immense growth in our students' math skills. Students who typically struggle in math thrive on "the new way" and develop a sense of confidence that carries over across the curricular outcomes.

I do appreciate though that parents sometimes find it frustrating since the way we introduce new concepts is so different than the way we were taught as kids. It's taken me many years of university , PD training , and hands-on experience to really feel comfortable teaching and embracing it!

I teach 2nd grade in the US. We are encouraged to teach both ways. Honestly, I think the new ways are more complicated and time consuming. Sometimes it helps them learn the concept, but my students always come back to preferring the old method. I know partly this is because the parents get confused and frustrated while helping them at home and probably practice the old ways with them. I know that in the upper grades the new ways are especially complicated. Overall I'm not really a fan.

@woodentulip: maybe we have different definitions of new math...not sure what it's like in ON since I'm in NB but I assume it would be similar.

For example in second grade double digit addition/subtraction is a big outcome. Previously 62+18 would have been taught with a rote set of rules and in a procedural way. A lot of kids wouldn't understand the concepts and would just be going through the motions to get the "right" answer.

Now, we spend A LOT of time with hands on manipulatives exploring the process. We take apart the numbers , put them back together... Use counters , number lines , base ten blocks etc etc until the students really understand what the equation 62+18 means.

We talk about different ways to solve the problem. You could use an open number line , you could solve a related problem and compensate (60+20), you could "make 10" (60+10, 8+2)...and on and on. The amazing part is that kids are using those math terms , and when you finally DO teach them the "rules" and the old way, they understand WHY they are carrying the 1 and not just solving the problem the way the teacher told them to . We emphasize the process more than the right answer and a deep foundation rather than rote thinking - because we know once the foundation is there , the automaticity will come as well.

Sorry for the novel , I'm passionate about early education!!

As for the picture , that would be one way to solve it, if that's how the student chooses . We teach many many different ways (usually the students come up with them on their own ). We talk about efficient vs effective strategies and encourage them to choose the strategy which will get them the accurate answer in the shortest amount of time.

For example:

For 78-21, you COULD draw 78 circles and cross out 21. But that is very time consuming so while it is effective , it is not efficient. A more efficient way would be to go 78-20=58... Then 58-1=57. OR 70-20=50, 8-1=7, 50+7=57.

The most important thing is that kids are able to explain their reasoning for the strategy they chose. Then once we teach "the old way" they actually understand it.

@redsmarties: +1. My sister is also in teachers college in Ontario, and some of the stuff she was learning was baffling to me. The "old" way seemed so much more straight forward! I am not a math person though, so I'm sure that doesn't help. Good thing my SO is.

@PermaStudent: honestly I wasn't a math person until I learned the new way .

I was asked "why do you put a zero when you do long division?"... Uhhh... No idea, because the teacher told me to!

Once I learned the concept behind it I understood it and finally feel comfortable with math for the first time in my life. And my students understand it too! 99% of them LOVE math which is a far cry from my days when hating math was the norm.

@T.H.O.U.: yes I would def agree that the new math sets students up for success in higher math concepts like algebra and calculus. It also gives kids who might not be naturally strong in math a chance to develop skills necessary for success in middle/high school.

@woodentulip: haha let's be honest. Many of us won't be able to help with homework past 3rd grade! I couldn't figure out how to help my 10 year old nephew with his math homework! I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to multiply fractions. Thank God we have the world Wide Web.

@char54: the way you explain it actually makes a lot of sense.

@char54: What you are saying totally makes sense, thank you! I am more than willing to re-learn how to do certain things if it means being able to help my future kids with their homework.

@woodentulip: that's too bad! I bet if you asked your school they would put one on. We do them twice a year (literacy and math) and always get great turn outs, especially for math!

@char54: The way you explain it makes so much sense... and actually that's the way I taught myself to do math because it's easier for me. If I'm doing a large subtraction in my head, I will usually also round one of the numbers first, like you did - 78-20=58... Then 58-1=57. I get it that way.

I'm not sure what I think about it because I don't understand it enough. I think that's the biggest area of controversy. We all know math needs to be taught differently for people who learn differently. Perhaps this is the best way for some kids.

@Baby Boy Mom: @Mrs. Pen: my mental math skills have improved so much since I learnt "the new way". Math never came easy for me, unlike my DH who does those mental math strategies naturally.

The picture above (32-12) is a poor example of new math (not the OPs fault, I see examples like this all over FB by frustrated parents). It is a very roundabout way at getting at the answer and while effective, I would encourage the student to find a more efficient (ie: quicker!) strategy... Ie solve a related problem, 30-10. But before students can do that they need to understand the foundational concepts behind it .

All that to say it's still better than teaching the "rules" right away .... With the old way, so many students didn't have place value concepts yet, so when solving 32-12, going "3-1" (in the tens place column) would not translate to 30-10 for them, which leads to major problems down the line .

@char54: this!

@char54: I learned a lot reading your post... if you're ever up for a guest blog on the new math, I think our readers would really love it!

@char54: that is actually how I naturally do math. Like @Mrs. Pen: when I do math, I do whatever to arrive at the answer the easiest, most clear way to me.

It is interesting because dh does math very differently than I, and he seems do to it the most difficult way possible.

I'm not a math person as an adult but I understood the concepts of addition, subtraction, etc just fine as a kid. We used manipulatives too. I don't have strong feelings about this but it seems a little time consuming.

Eta: and I believe I *could* have been a math person... Just didn't have the interest when it mattered.