Anyway, I agree that the issue isn't the multiple methods per se--I teach my children multiple methods for anything I can, and let them pick by the problem--it's mandating that every method must be demonstrated on every problem. I would rather see them learn to select the most expedient method for the problem, and for their cognitive style.
This is my problem with it too, in a nutshell. I really rather like the way they show them multiple methods, but I hate that they have to do the tedious ones over and over if they don't want to. DD is having this same issue right now with early algebra--there are all these intermediary steps I've never seen before and that she doesn't need, and it's making her nuts. DD did have one teacher who allowed them to do it however (this was the same one who allowed them not to show work). This teacher obviously understood giftedness, but in a sad way her approach was counterproductive, since the other teachers do/did not follow suit.
