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Re: advanced computation
Posted:
Nov 19, 2000 8:57 AM
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My district has also been struggling with this issue. We have, after
much discussion and deliberation, concluded that students can be
introduced to the traditional computational algorithms once they have
a solid conceputal understanding of the mathematical opperations
involved. We don't "test" kids on their ability to use these
algoithms, but we do offer them as one strategy to solve computational
problems. After all, sometimes the algorithm is the quickest way to
the "answer". Personally, I feel that when students are ready for a
short cut of any kind having exposure to a new way to get the answer
is all most kids need to try it out themselves. If the student is
really "getting it" then the short cut procedure will make semse and
be usable by the student. My understanding about the philosophy of
Investigations is that we need to allow students to bulid their own
mathematical understandings, at their own pace. they will move along
a continuum, for example, of counting out blocks. to using tally
marks, to noticing that tens and ones can be added separately then
combined using number strings, etc., etc. until many of these problems
can be solved mentally. If accuracy and efficiency are goals of the
program, then children will continually try to find quicker and more
accurate methods to compute. If we try to force a method on a child
whom isn't finished doing the preliminary experiential part of the
learning, the method may be applied improperly some or all of the time
and will therefore be neither quicker or more accurate. Just my
opinion.
Sam
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