Comments on: Of math and maps and stems and leaves http://karentempleton.blogsome.com/2005/11/08/of-math-and-maps-and-stems-and-leaves/ As good a place as any to corral some of those scattered thoughts. . . Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:00:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Karen Templeton http://karentempleton.blogsome.com/2005/11/08/of-math-and-maps-and-stems-and-leaves/#comment-100 Sat, 12 Nov 2005 01:24:10 +0000 http://karentempleton.blogsome.com/2005/11/08/of-math-and-maps-and-stems-and-leaves/#comment-100 See, that's what I don't get -- if it takes the kids four weeks to "get" the concept, wouldn't that tell somebody that they're not ready for that concept yet? I recently read that most kids' brains aren't ready for algebra before 14 or 15, and yet they're started to teach it younger and younger. An otherwise very bright kid, I remember being totally stymied by Algebra I at 13, which meant I had no foundation for Algebra II at 15, two years later. Hated, hated, hated it. I also don't understand the bouncing around, especially in math. There seems to be so little building on what they've already learned, moving up step by step. Instead each chapter seems to have nothing to do with the previous chapter, which means by the time they get back to what they had been working on, they've forgotten it. And this business about making things so convoluted in some lame attempt to make it "clearer" just slays me. I just cringe whenever the poor kid says he has math homework, and he needs help. How I'm going to deal with middle school math, I do not know. :( See, that’s what I don’t get — if it takes the kids four weeks to “get” the concept, wouldn’t that tell somebody that they’re not ready for that concept yet? I recently read that most kids’ brains aren’t ready for algebra before 14 or 15, and yet they’re started to teach it younger and younger. An otherwise very bright kid, I remember being totally stymied by Algebra I at 13, which meant I had no foundation for Algebra II at 15, two years later. Hated, hated, hated it.

I also don’t understand the bouncing around, especially in math. There seems to be so little building on what they’ve already learned, moving up step by step. Instead each chapter seems to have nothing to do with the previous chapter, which means by the time they get back to what they had been working on, they’ve forgotten it.

And this business about making things so convoluted in some lame attempt to make it “clearer” just slays me.

I just cringe whenever the poor kid says he has math homework, and he needs help. How I’m going to deal with middle school math, I do not know. :(

]]> by: Mary http://karentempleton.blogsome.com/2005/11/08/of-math-and-maps-and-stems-and-leaves/#comment-99 Sat, 12 Nov 2005 00:14:58 +0000 http://karentempleton.blogsome.com/2005/11/08/of-math-and-maps-and-stems-and-leaves/#comment-99 Karen, I taught fifth grade math last year and had never heard of stems and leaves. Ridiculous thing. I hadn't taught fifth grade in 16 years, and the math had gotten a LOT more advanced. I don't understand. I don't think it's developmentally appropriate, but no one asks me. Karen, I taught fifth grade math last year and had never heard of stems and leaves. Ridiculous thing.

I hadn’t taught fifth grade in 16 years, and the math had gotten a LOT more advanced. I don’t understand. I don’t think it’s developmentally appropriate, but no one asks me.

]]> by: mary beth http://karentempleton.blogsome.com/2005/11/08/of-math-and-maps-and-stems-and-leaves/#comment-95 Wed, 09 Nov 2005 04:32:27 +0000 http://karentempleton.blogsome.com/2005/11/08/of-math-and-maps-and-stems-and-leaves/#comment-95 Hugs on math. DD is in Geometry. I haven't been able to help her in years. Good luck with the atlas. :-) Hugs on math. DD is in Geometry. I haven’t been able to help her in years.
Good luck with the atlas. :-)

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