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You want us to teach them best practice? Then we need to teach them maths, without relying on calculators. I teach secondary maths (specifically Algebra II), an

You want us to teach them best practice? Then we need to teach them maths, without relying on calculators. I teach secondary maths (specifically Algebra II), and they can't understand what I'm supposed to be teaching them because they have no clue how numbers work. Why don't they know this, if they're 15/16? Because they were given calculators at too young of an age and know "just push the button". What you're arguing is for a complete removal of teaching math, period. Also, why would you want to pull out a calculator every time when it's often quicker to do some mental calculations in your head? For instance, I've seen my students multiply by two in the calculator. Then be amazed when I can just say it. Over-reliance on the calculators is already a huge issue, and we don't need to make it worse.

maximexx 9y ago
> What you're arguing is for a complete removal of teaching math, period. No. I suggest focussing on explaining concepts, not drilling sums. And explain them why in ancient times the teacher used to use a cheat sheet because drilling didn't work because science found out our minds are not wired for that. Besides, from over 7 billion people on Earth, how many need Algebra 2? Please try to be honest and give us here an estimate teacher. In your life Math is important apparently, but in most lives it's not. Teach it to those interested please and don't push it through the throat of those not interested.
- ColinWright 9y ago
  > I suggest focussing on explaining concepts, not drilling sums. The research I've seen suggests that having a bunch of stuff at your finger tips then makes it easier to have the concepts crystallise. Trying to start with just the concepts doesn't work. So what's needed is both, significant practice to help embed the simple underlying facts, with extensive exploration of the links between the facts to help the concepts emerge, be identified, and then distilled. To me, it seems that almost everyone goes full extreme: "Must do this", "Must do that", whereas, as in game theory, it seems obvious that a mixed strategy is likely the best option.

maximexx 9y ago

> What you're arguing is for a complete removal of teaching math, period. No. I suggest focussing on explaining concepts, not drilling sums. And explain them why in ancient times the teacher used to use a cheat sheet because drilling didn't work because science found out our minds are not wired for that. Besides, from over 7 billion people on Earth, how many need Algebra 2? Please try to be honest and give us here an estimate teacher. In your life Math is important apparently, but in most lives it's not. Teach it to those interested please and don't push it through the throat of those not interested.

ColinWright 9y ago
> I suggest focussing on explaining concepts, not drilling sums. The research I've seen suggests that having a bunch of stuff at your finger tips then makes it easier to have the concepts crystallise. Trying to start with just the concepts doesn't work. So what's needed is both, significant practice to help embed the simple underlying facts, with extensive exploration of the links between the facts to help the concepts emerge, be identified, and then distilled. To me, it seems that almost everyone goes full extreme: "Must do this", "Must do that", whereas, as in game theory, it seems obvious that a mixed strategy is likely the best option.