From: Jim <jschwar@frontiernet.net>
To: Teacher2Teacher Public Discussion
Date: 2002111920:44:44
Subject: Re: Which way is correct?

I'm a big believer in making it real. I can't think of very many cases
where I would REALLY have to add the two numbers together and then
round the answer. On the contrary - real life often suggests that I
round the numbers I have to work with in order to get an estimated
answer. (Note the important difference between the term "round" and
the term "estimate.")

Now - as to your specific question of what to teach. I like to have
students solve problems in ways that make sense to them and then
explain to me and to each other what they've done and why they've done
it. You'd be surprised how sophisticated is the thinking of the
children we teach, when we give them an opportunity to do their own
thinking. I would ask the students what THEY would do in the situation
you've described. There can be a lot of right answers to this one.

JS

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