Math Blues

Today was the first math lesson of the semester. The lesson got switched around when the students appeared to be forgoing the use of the "new" math strategies, such as breaking down the numbers before adding. Everyone was using the standard stacking algorithm for addition - carry thing their numbers, missing numbers, the whole nine yards. This is the math I can relate to, that's what I remember doing to infinity and beyond. It's how I still do math.

Guess what? It's wrong.

 
Using new strategies and mental math strategies is a much more appropriate way to teach and DO math. Why? Well, it makes a lot more sense - you can see how the numbers break down, and you're able to add them several different ways. We worked out a few strategies today - including breaking up both (or one) number by place value, adding by place value, and using a number line. The standard algorithm where you stack numbers and add has been exiled to the land of "Unacceptable Math Practices" here in Grade 5.

Wah! As if I wasn't stressed enough about math!

There's safety in the old algorithms.. yeah, you have no idea why you're doing what you're doing, but you have a plan to follow! This mental math stuff is hard on the brain - you actually have to think about the numbers mean. Novel idea.

I guess we're always learning..