Everyday Math cirriculum?

[makinorlando]

We have been in a school using Everyday Math since 1st grade, I was not real fond of it in previous years, but I have to say this year in 4th grade it seems to be "working", and everything is coming together. DD had struggled a bit in previous years, grades were okay, but she just didn't like it, but this year she is bringing home As on most math papers and is starting to enjoy math.

We struggled with the memorization of multiplication facts for a bit, but one day the light bulb just came on and she went from not doing well on the 1 and 3 minute speed tests to getting 90% completed and correct!

DD loves EM Games, the website associated with Everyday Math, as they can see how they stand compared to other kids in the class. The games are fun. I wish they would have shared this with us in previous years!
I am thankful for the internet though. I could not remember the lattice method the other day to help her with her homework, and she was not able to explain so I looked it up and after we did one together, she had total recall!

 

[bananiem]

I forgot to add that the kids have to memorize their facts here too.
Also, there are other factors that go into standardized tests results than one curriculum.

 

[famofsix]

I actually don't mind the Everyday Math program. I'm a math person and my DH is a high school (AP calculus) math teacher. Our kids are in 4th, 3rd and 1st grade. Our school does suppliment Everyday Math with rote math skills and drills....for example, our kids take timed math test. One thing I do like about everyday math. It encourages kids to THINK about WHY math works, instead of just spitting out answers. It also introduces advanced concepts, at an early age, in bits and pieces. Because of this, my 1st grader is introduced to the concept of algebra (she just doesn't know it).

Jess

I agree.
As a parent you can reinforce the drill math facts at home and it will help with the math at school.
My district has Turk math which is similiar to this curriculum. I don't really care for it but my kids teachers encourage the kids to work on the math facts drill and practice at home in elementary school. We have loads of math games here at home with flash cards that the kids play as well as those turbo twist leapfrog games.
Math is not taught the same way as when I was in school but when I was in school it was alot of memorization. When I got to higher math it was a struggle because I didn't understand the concepts. I think there needs to be a balanced approach to thinking out a problem and several approachs to solve it along with some good old fashioned memorization.

 

[Kitty 34]

I'm teaching (in a long term) 6th grade Math class to 120 kids that just came out of 5 years of Every day Math. Many of them still struggle with just plain multiplication facts and because of that really really have problems with division!!! Makes my job a lot harder!

 

[Jennifer S]

I'm teaching (in a long term) 6th grade Math class to 120 kids that just came out of 5 years of Every day Math. Many of them still struggle with just plain multiplication facts and because of that really really have problems with division!!! Makes my job a lot harder!

Yes ITA. My son is in 5th grade - I can't even help him w/ homework because I only know the "old" way- esp. division. My DH has to help him. I did hear many Middle school kids are having a hard time adjusting. The school is revisiting the whole idea.


Good luck Beth!

 

[Toby'sFriend]

terrible.


Do an internet search and you will see plenty about this program.

 

[momoftwins]

my kids had Everyday Math since 1st grade. They love math and this approach was very easy for them. Luckily, their teachers still felt strongly that kids needed to be able to memorize their math facts. I think it makes a big difference for the child and parent, if the child is taught with this program from day one (1st grade), but it was like I had to learn Math all over again

What the issue is right now, is we moved to a school district that does not use the Everyday Math program. My kids are in 5th grade. They are having trouble transitioning into the traditional method of doing, for example long division, or working their multiplication from right to left.

They know how to do long division, multiplication (lattice method)but never learned what I call the traditional method (the way we learned it in school). My son's teacher has had no experience with Everyday Math and its methods. Her quizzes often have terms that he did not learn (yet) from his previous program.

I have my conference this week, and one of my questions is how are we going to reconcile the methods. She is taking great pains to mold him into using the traditional methods, but gives him little help . As a matter of fact, my DH and I taught him how to do long division the traditional way.

On the other hand, DD's teacher is very aware of the program and as long as my DD can show she knows the correct answer her teacher lets her do it anyway she wants. Go figure - same school, same grade, same Math program.

 

[MushyMushy]

I'm teaching (in a long term) 6th grade Math class to 120 kids that just came out of 5 years of Every day Math. Many of them still struggle with just plain multiplication facts and because of that really really have problems with division!!! Makes my job a lot harder!

I was just going to say to ask a middle school teacher who has to reteach everything!

The teachers at my middle school HATE it. I HATE it as a parent.

 

[MouseLover]

I teach first grade and this is our second year of Everyday Math.

I do not like this program. In fact, none of the first grade teachers at our school like the program, and many of the other grade levels don't either. (I don't know anyone who claims to love this program.)

Parents, the teachers are probably as frustrated as you. We had "support" last year while implementing this program. We complainted repeatedly that there was not enough practice before moving on to a new concept. We were told over and over, "just follow the program and it will work." We were not allowed to supplement this program last year at all. It is very weak on teaching basic facts. Most lessons go like this: Cover a new topic in class, or a new twist on an old topic; do a little practice together; complete Math Journal pages that have nothing to do with today's concept (covers previously taught material), send a Home Link over today's topic.

For example, in Unit 2, the lessons jumped around like this:
lesson 6 = telling time to the hour
lesson 7 = exploring straightedges
lesson 8 = counting pennies
lesson 9 = counting nickels
lesson 10 = counting pennies and nickels together

Unit 3
Lesson 7 = telling time to the 1/2 hour
Lesson 8 and 9: frames and arrows problems
lesson 10 = counting with a calculator
lesson 11 = counting dimes
lesson 12 = counting dimes, nickels, and pennies together
lesson 13 = line plots
lesson 14 = domino addition

It does make more sense to me this year. They really do a lot of counting patterns, addition and subtraction in different ways: Using a number line, a number grid, frames & arrows, function machines, fact wheels, etc.........

My high-achieving kids can do it easily. My middle-level kids get frustrated, but can do most of it. My low-level kids can usually get the games, but putting it on paper is very difficult for them.

Before this, we had Saxon math. It was wonderful!!!!

 

[disneymac]

Our elementary schools use a combination of the everyday math and traditional math - this is the 3rd or 4th year. At first they only used the EM and I hated it, but it's better now that they've added the traditional math.

It seems like the whole curriculum was changed for kids who had problems with math, rather than just making this a special program for those kids who couldn't learn the traditional way.

I don't think our teachers are overly thrilled with the program either, we're all just doing the best we can with what we've been given to work with - as always in schools.