What happened to the basics? Parents are upset that their children are no longer learning the basics of school: phonics, spelling, cursive writing, and their basic math facts (addition, subtraction and their times tables). This article looks at the opinions of several different people who attempt to explain why these things are no longer focused on.
I think as math teachers we need to go back and focus on the basics. I understand that there is a lot more to be taught in the same period of time than there used to be, but we need to find a way to drive home the concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, so that our students can be less dependent on calculators (or their fingers) later on in life.
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/05/10/are-kids-still-learning-the-basics/
Jenna,
ReplyDeleteI read this article in the Windsor Star. I think in many ways we do need to get back to the basics. Many parents I have talked to are not impressed with the changes made in the Ontario curriculum. Teachers are constantly focusing on new and innovative ways to teach when realistically we need to teach kids the basics in school and in life.
Jenna and John, I couldn't agree more. The first thing taught to us at the faculty of education was "don't reinvent the wheel". For so long it seemed that the tried, tested and true methods of learning worked well and we are the product of those methods. A stronger focus needs to be made on those skills and tools that have been given to us before they are lost to more technology or manipulatives in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteThat is true. It seems that we depend on technology and forgetting the basic needs. I really do not think we need to use calculators when we want to count change in a daily basis and do not believe teachers should let students depend on them. We need to teach them to use their minds to think and find the correct answers. We do not want them to be robotics.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually a very debatable subject. Although I do agree that we need to stick to the basics, I want to play devil's advocate because I think it is important to look at the other side of the argument. Like Jenna stated, there is a lot more to be taught in the same period of time, thus making it a lot more difficult to spend time mastering the basics. I also look at my own life, where I spent my entire university career as an accounting student relying on my calculator to do some pretty simple arithmetic, and I got by just fine. Also, during my time as a waiter, I would receive cash from customers, punch the amount in the computer, and then give them change based on what the computer said. Although quick math would have helped, I was able to get by. Thus, even though I personally believe the basics are crucial, I can see why less time is being spent on them.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with that, Michael. I am just torn as to what is being viewed as the essentials anymore. I just look at some of my friends, who never quite got the grasp of mental math. When we are in a restaurant and trying to figure out who owes what, I'm able to do the work in my head. Yes, you can definitely use a calculator, but quite honestly I (and the other friends who have good mental math) are able to calculate it quicker than the others who have to first take out their phone, punch in their password, etc. And not even just math-related... Cursive writing for the purpose of a signature; spelling, GRAMMAR (this one kills me)... Why are we getting away from these things? Because we have spell-check?
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with this. I think that getting back to the basics is important. For example, I don't think that the old methods of skill and drill were all bad. I think that students who have memorized their times tables are better at factoring and various other algebraic exercises. And...just because I memorized my times tables doesn't mean that I don't understand them. I think there are ways to get students to understand concepts as well as perform some memorization. Committing certain things to memory will benefit them with more difficult tasks in the future.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I tutor a boy in grade 5, and I started off by teaching him his times tables with the 'groups of' method. Over time, he has come to memorize his times tables, but there are a few that he has difficulty remembering off the top of his head (6x7 for example). But he has the proper understanding of his times table to know that, okay 6x6=36, and we have to add one more group of 6 to that. It's taken him awhile (there are a few learning disabilities present), but he has finally gotten to a point where he has memorized them so he can rattle off his answers, but still understands. Unfortunately, not enough emphasis seems to be placed on things like that. I just don't know how/why we got away from it.
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