Research says no such thing
A slightly modified reprint of a column I wrote that was published in Center for Education Reform's "Edspresso" blog in 2007. It is still relevant today.
Traditional Math
Traditional Math: An Effective Technique that Teachers Feel Guilty Using
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Traditional Math
Despite experiencing our teaching in different times, we are both oriented to traditional math teaching.
Making Connections, One Concept at a Time
How to interpret Common Core Math Standards sensibly
The Truly Gifted, the Stupid People, and Egalitarianism
(from Confessions of a 21st Century Math Teacher)
An Equal-Time Critique of Education in the Mid-50's
(This appeared in “Math Education in the U.S.”)
Thoughts on Conceptual Understanding
Withing the education establishment different beliefs are held regarding when the standard algorithm for multi-digit addition and subtraction should be taught.
An Example of Contextual Understanding
Or "concepts" as they are sometimes called
We Must Teach the Concepts, Dept.
517th edition
Conceptual Understanding vs Vague, Transitory Notions
“Conceptual understanding” is one of those terms, that despite many definitions that have been provided, often remains more as Andrew Old once described it: “What people consider to be an important concept to be understood, is often just a notion that is vague or transitory.”
The More Things Change, Dept: H1-B Visas
When I was working in Sen.
Scaffolding Via Incrementally Complex Problems
In teaching math, you have to start somewhere.
What Explicit Instruction and Worked Examples Look Like in the Classroom
Excerpt from "Traditional Math"
The More Things Change, Dept.
The Internet Archive/Wayback Machine is a portal into photos, articles, blogs, etc that have appeared on the internet, many of which have long been deleted.
Teachers Must Be Teaching Math Wrong (Again)
I just finished reading this article in Hechinger Reports. I also just finished writing a comment about the article, which follows:
Some reviews for Traditional Math
Shameless Self-Promotion Dept.
Errata Sheet for "Traditional Math"
For those of you who have purchased my book “Traditional Math”, I have provided this errata sheet for your information and use.
Professional Development, Memorization, and Dubious Rubrics
This is Chapter 15 of Out on Good Behavior. As part of the parole/credentialing process, I was required to have nine hours of Professional Development (PD) for the school year. I didn’t realize it at the time, but a conference I attended prior to my starting at Cypress came in handy when it came time for my first mentor Ellen to fill in the electronic checklist on professional development. I had…
Ed School: 2005
A look back
The Opportunity Costs of Procedures vs Understanding
For those who have followed my writing, my apologies if you’ve heard this before: I majored in math, but didn’t know why the invert and multiply rule for fractional division worked until about twenty years ago.
Thoughts on Conceptual Understanding
In a previous post, I talked about different beliefs held by math teachers and others regarding when the standard algorithm for multi-digit addition and subtraction should be taught.