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Re: (Radically) revamping the early grades curriculum

I didn't publically mention names but your first one is right on target.

On Mon, 25 Mar 1996, Gary Woodford wrote:

> I've obviously missed the beginning of this thread, but I assume it is on 
> restructuring the way we teach mathematics. Daniel mentioned several 
> programs that are on the market, but he didn't give names. I have 
> recently been evaluating math programs for adoption by our school. We 
> narrowed the field to Everyday Mathematics, Creative Publications - 
> Mathland, and the TERC series entitled Investigations in Number Data and 
> Space - published by Dale Seymour. I'm curious as to whether any of these 
> series are among the ones you're referring to, Daniel.
> 
> Regarding Michael South's comments:
> You present a strong case...with a good deal of humor (if one happens to 
> agree with you). Thank you for not only pointing our the weaknesses, but 
> also for giving examples of how our "correct way" of doing algorithms 
> limits our thinking. I've taught outside the USA for 18 years now, but I 
> am USA university trained. I learned all sorts of new algorithms from 
> children who were taught in France, Germany and the UK. Their ways 
> seemed, at first to be wrong to me. I hadn't seen their ways of doing 
> arithmetic before I left the USA, and needed to learn that there are a 
> lot of other ways to do things correctly. Teaching from a constructivist 
> viewpoint, children can make their own meanings. Third graders in my 
> class can very easily explain to you how to solve a problem that would 
> ask, "If note cards come in packs of twenty and I have 380 cards, how 
> many packs do I have." However, I venture to say that not one would write 
> an algorithm to do so. They'd talk of how many 20s in one hundred and 
> work from there. They've worked with landmark numbers (5, 10, 20, 25, 
> etc.) and feel very comfortable explaining their reasoning on how to 
> solve this sort of problem. Yes, they are introduced to the algorithm... 
> and they will cerainly need to have some practice with it. Now the 
> problem is, how can the algorithm be approached in such a way that it 
> will make sense to them?
> Michael, when you talk about restructuring math instruction, what ages to 
> you consider as early?
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
> Gary Woodford                         Hong Kong International School
> garyw@es.hkis.edu.hk                  23 South Bay Close
> garyw@iohk.                           Repulse Bay, HONG KONG
> 
>
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