Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Question about algebra and radical acceleration

Math wars hee hee hee

Please tell me people arent' going to war over this stuff!

Oh, and I just dug out DS6's old workbook from public school at the start of the school year: it's "Everyday Math," too! Does everyone use it?!? LOL!

Now, I was in elementary school in the mid-'70s, so maybe I am a new math kid, too, but it sure seems like we did all the same stuff the 1st graders today are doing. But it seems to be low concept and high repetition to me (though maybe not quite as bad as ours was), and it did NOT look like they were learning new concepts AT ALL fast when DS6 was in there! What's up? Our different takes on the same material? Different teaching styles in different classrooms? Something else?

Of course, we didn't make stick around until winter break, so maybe we just got out too soon to move quickly! LOL!

We use Houghton Miflin math curriculum. I don't think it is wonderful in 1st grade but the 4th grade book has been really great. (at least for my DS)



Kim, that doesn't sound too great. My 1st grader is doing 2 digit addition and subtraction right now and has done some geometry, time, etc. I haven't been as pleased with his math work this year as with other subjects. They have such a push on reading in the 1st grade that I have wondered if they don't push math as much because they want to concentrate on the reading more? I don't know but I don't worry with him because he is a mathy kid. He's already doing some multiplication and he can manipulate numbers really well and can see their relationships without ever being told how to do it, so I figure he's doing fine.


I think there can definitely be different takes on the same material and the teacher makes a huge difference. It all depends on how well your child responds to the curriculum and to the teacher that determines how you feel about it.

And I'm with 'neato - I hope there are no "math wars" going on out there!!!! LOL!!!!

Ok - we've done some geometry. Shapes and qualities of those shapes. And telling time. I just feel he could have gotten through 1st grade Everyday math in a month a year ago. He knew a lot of it in preschool. I have no idea where he really is in math. Conceptually he gets square roots and fractions. He is working on multiplication and division at home.


I think this is very true! I know our first grade teacher is not mathy at all and I imagine privately loathes it. She is not remotely creative or innovative with presentation - it's straight out of the Everyday Math book.

She does give DS and a few other kids some very quality open ended 2nd grade stuff to work on when they get done with their 1st grade stuff.

The very end of the 1st grade "EM" workbook is knowing math facts to 18. Nothing higher than 9+9, though they do "count up" to 100 with a number grid. They tell time to the quarter hour only (after telling it to the half hour in K!). They tell who has more and by how much with pictures of blocks in stacks of 10s and 1s, but not with any numbers attached. They add and subtract money.

Houghton Mifflin sounds a lot better in 1st grade, EandCMom!

Ah! Good catch! I didn't know there was a second one.

I must say, I was appalled!

You've done some great advocacy/acceleration though! I can't imagine getting to where you are in our school. So again - kudos to you.

I can't imagine DS sitting through 2nd grade math next year. Although, rumor has it our school actually ability groups for math starting in 2nd grade (by thirds). Which for a MG child would probably be perfect.

Our schools adopted Houghton Mifflin this year and I think it's confusing (I have to read the 4th grade question 2-3 times sometimes before I understand what they're asking for...what do you think DS6 understands?) The district is doing a month of Singapore math presentations because someone high up think that's superior (sounds like some on this board would agree).
At least Saxon is gone.

Connected math in middle school--I still think is too sluggish for HG kids. DS9 is frustrated with ALEKS because it bounces him back for careless mistakes. I dunno anymore. I wish I could teach my kids but they don't want afterschooling. I like the idea someone came up with on another thread of school 4 hrs/day, then there would be time for our afterschooling/supplemental work without sacrificing their fun, sports, music, theater, etc. time.

EPGY Honors Algebra course used "Beginning Algebra" by Lial, Hornsby, McGinnis. It's definitely better than the text used in our High School (can't remember title), but not easy to grasp. AoPS (Art of Problem Solving) Intro text is very good, but advances quite quickly (no threat of repetition there).

I think working problems with an enthusiastic and capable math coach for competition prep with a group of talented math students would be great to supplement normal, challenging course, but haven't tackled that idea yet to make it a reality.

Not to sound like a smart-aleck, but this is called "homeschooling!" [teasing!]

I hope we will get away with 3

BTW There are states in Europe where elementary students go to school for 20-25 hours per week.