"We didn't have math today."
This is what my “little” told me today at our bi-weekly lunch, sponsored by Big Brothers/ Big Sisters. Lunch Buddies is program that matches professionals and elementary students for lunch at school. Today, we did math worksheets while eating our school lunch of… you guessed it... salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, peaches, and milk!
Anyway- the point to this blog.
My little is in the 5th grade and uses her fingers and a hand scrawled number line to do simple math. i.e. 9-1 or 7+2. I stopped this practice and gave her crayons to use instead- kinesthetic and tactile learners need to be active when doing their work. Holding six crayons, adding four crayons, and realizing that now you hold ten crayons is more effective for a kinesthetic or tactile learner than a number line. I told my little that using fingers in the 5th grade is no longer allowed. (I might add that after she “held” the answer, she had it committed to memory- she now can do some, simple, mental math.)
Now, I didn’t blog today to rant about inadequate differentiation in schools or to toot my own teaching horn. I’m blogging about something my little told me after I said I was going to go tell her math teacher how well she was doing.
“We didn’t have math today.”
“WHAT!!!!????”
I learned that math is not an everyday subject at this Detroit elementary school. Today was computer day, and they sometimes do math on the computers. Unfortunately, the computers weren’t working today, so they sat in the auditorium and watched a movie. My little laughed as she told me this, as she knew how I was going to react.
How we have elementary schools that do not have Math everyday appalls me. In light of this, I find it ironic, that conversations about academic standards and the way to measure students against these standards often brings up reasons why we CAN NOT be held accountable for students' achievement levels.
Well, I want to start holding people accountable. Right now! WE NEED TO HAVE MATH EVERYDAY IN SCHOOL. I’m holding parents accountable. I’m holding teachers, principals, and school administrators accountable. I’m holding the teachers’ union accountable. I’m holding community leaders accountable. I’m holding students accountable. Everyone is responsible!
This is no one person or one group’s problem. This is an EVERYONE problem and we all need to find out why we’ve let educational standards and practices slip, and how we’re going to get back on track.
All I can say is that I bet in Birmingham, they have Math everyday. Why is Detroit different? Is it economic? Is it race? Is it expectations of the community? Why have we disenfranchised an entire part of our community- putting them at a disadvantage that is pretty darn insurmountable. How is this, ‘ok?’
Julie Updyke
Campaign Associate
Resource Development
United Way for Southeastern Michigan
Anyway- the point to this blog.
My little is in the 5th grade and uses her fingers and a hand scrawled number line to do simple math. i.e. 9-1 or 7+2. I stopped this practice and gave her crayons to use instead- kinesthetic and tactile learners need to be active when doing their work. Holding six crayons, adding four crayons, and realizing that now you hold ten crayons is more effective for a kinesthetic or tactile learner than a number line. I told my little that using fingers in the 5th grade is no longer allowed. (I might add that after she “held” the answer, she had it committed to memory- she now can do some, simple, mental math.)
Now, I didn’t blog today to rant about inadequate differentiation in schools or to toot my own teaching horn. I’m blogging about something my little told me after I said I was going to go tell her math teacher how well she was doing.
“We didn’t have math today.”
“WHAT!!!!????”
I learned that math is not an everyday subject at this Detroit elementary school. Today was computer day, and they sometimes do math on the computers. Unfortunately, the computers weren’t working today, so they sat in the auditorium and watched a movie. My little laughed as she told me this, as she knew how I was going to react.
How we have elementary schools that do not have Math everyday appalls me. In light of this, I find it ironic, that conversations about academic standards and the way to measure students against these standards often brings up reasons why we CAN NOT be held accountable for students' achievement levels.
Well, I want to start holding people accountable. Right now! WE NEED TO HAVE MATH EVERYDAY IN SCHOOL. I’m holding parents accountable. I’m holding teachers, principals, and school administrators accountable. I’m holding the teachers’ union accountable. I’m holding community leaders accountable. I’m holding students accountable. Everyone is responsible!
This is no one person or one group’s problem. This is an EVERYONE problem and we all need to find out why we’ve let educational standards and practices slip, and how we’re going to get back on track.
All I can say is that I bet in Birmingham, they have Math everyday. Why is Detroit different? Is it economic? Is it race? Is it expectations of the community? Why have we disenfranchised an entire part of our community- putting them at a disadvantage that is pretty darn insurmountable. How is this, ‘ok?’
Julie Updyke
Campaign Associate
Resource Development
United Way for Southeastern Michigan
Labels: Educational Preparedness
