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> We need to be sure not to insist on one approach when analyzing a problem It's encouraging to hear from educators out there who understand communicating the

by tomxor 9y ago

> We need to be sure not to insist on one approach when analyzing a problem It's encouraging to hear from educators out there who understand communicating the value of problem solving and comprehension is more important than rigid adherence to methodology and procedure. I remember the most useful aspect of my secondary school education (12-16yr) was learning how much I liked problem solving. However I came to this realisation through solving various simple math homework problems without following procedure (procedures which I remember finding particularly irritating for not explaining themselves) only to be lectured on how I had not followed the rules in spite of arriving at the correct solution and understanding the problem (albeit not well enough to figure out how the procedures worked). My teachers did exactly the opposite of what the above quote is saying - they insisted on one approach, without explanation, and it totally alienated me from math at the time. Thankfully I was never a very "good student" and it didn't dissuade me from enjoying the problem solving aspect, but it did leave a lasting impression of "i'm not good at math".

autokad 9y ago
its my understanding that common core math is of the theology that its more important to learn how to think than to solve the question. its also important to understand that if a kid uses 'the old way' to solve a question, they do not get points for it. remember, this is coming from an ideology that being taught how to think is priority number one, and priority number two is to not deviate from that thinking. it was always frustrating in hs, especially calculus when I would get 0 points for questions i had right because i used a shortcut, trick, or simply solved it more efficiently. then I got to college and the professor encouraged that. on the first major exam I scored a 96, far above anyone else, and the professor asked to shake my hand, because no one ever solved equations so efficiently before. i attack and do problems differently, sometimes out of necessity. dyslexia is an adversary of mine, and i find it better not to fight it on its home ground. i also read slow, and take much longer to absorb a problem into my head than other people. but once i do, i own it. unless people make me do it their way in the process. its like running 100m hurdles with 30 hurdles. im sure you love how you solve problems. you can do it fine your way, i cant. once you start forcing everyone to think one way and evaluating them, your measuring each animal how well they climb a tree.

by tomxor 9y ago

autokad 9y ago

its my understanding that common core math is of the theology that its more important to learn how to think than to solve the question. its also important to understand that if a kid uses 'the old way' to solve a question, they do not get points for it. remember, this is coming from an ideology that being taught how to think is priority number one, and priority number two is to not deviate from that thinking. it was always frustrating in hs, especially calculus when I would get 0 points for questions i had right because i used a shortcut, trick, or simply solved it more efficiently. then I got to college and the professor encouraged that. on the first major exam I scored a 96, far above anyone else, and the professor asked to shake my hand, because no one ever solved equations so efficiently before. i attack and do problems differently, sometimes out of necessity. dyslexia is an adversary of mine, and i find it better not to fight it on its home ground. i also read slow, and take much longer to absorb a problem into my head than other people. but once i do, i own it. unless people make me do it their way in the process. its like running 100m hurdles with 30 hurdles. im sure you love how you solve problems. you can do it fine your way, i cant. once you start forcing everyone to think one way and evaluating them, your measuring each animal how well they climb a tree.