Arithmetic 101 part 2

So you have had a few days to take the test.  We had quite a few page hits on this post.

How did you do?  Did you let your students try it, to gauge how good/bad their knowledge is?  Were you shocked about your student’s results?  Were you amazed at the results for the college class?  Leave a comment.

Thinking about this test prompted a trip down memory lane, back to my grade school days (many potholes on that road).  I can remember taking a placement test at the end of sixth grade, to see what section we were going to be placed into when we went to junior high school.  The only problem I missed on the test was a percentage problem.  Based on that, I would say we did not do percentages prior to seventh grade.  I can distinctly remember fractions in sixth grade, and decimals in fourth grade (as well as long division).   I don’t remember statistics and data/probability, or all of the art work in Everyday Math (also known as geometry).

I also recall that we did not have homework of any major size until seventh grade.  I remember everyone being so excited about getting our first homework assignments on the first day of seventh grade!  Boy, did that excitement die quickly.

So I guess we focused on a relatively narrow set of topics (called Arithmetic), and really learned them well.  Sounds a lot like what the Common Core State Standards are striving for (but miss the boat in several places).

Based on my recollection of my math education, I would have aced this test in the seventh grade.  I would suspect that the administration would say that our students should be able to do this test in sixth grade, given the general acceleration of the curriculum.  However, acceleration is not always good, when it comes at the expense of really learning the basic topics (such as this test covers).  Everyday Math covers so many topics, there is not sufficient focus to allow mastery of any particular area. 

Now think about what it will take to change a program (EDM) of that description to something closer to the “arithmetic” program similar to what was taught in the 1960’s (prior to the first wave of “New Math”).  As I say to my daughter when she asks for something, “Ain’t gonna happen.”  (And yes, my wife corrects my grammar.)  So do you really want to risk another lost generation of elementary school children getting a poor math education?   Time to get rid of Everyday Math!