New Math Program

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Fifth Grade Teachers Chatboard

New Math Program

by KL

Apr 25, 2012

We are in the process of selecting a new math curriculum. We have heard the sales talks, briefly looked through the sample kits, and some teachers have visited schools that are using the programs. We have used Everyday Math (version 2) for the last 10 years - and many teachers do not want to consider Everyday Math. Here is a list of the programs we are looking at. Any opinions will be greatly appreciated.

Envision Math in Focus (Singapore) Math Expressions Investigations

Thanks!!! KL

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Granny I think your first paragraph in particular answers my gut feelings. She does have a unique learning style.

One of our districts locally has completely switched over to Singapore Math after a couple schools "tried it" and they have since adopted that for the entire district. I see a lot of value in that, but from what I hear from other teac...See MoreI think your first paragraph in particular answers my gut feelings. She does have a unique learning style.

One of our districts locally has completely switched over to Singapore Math after a couple schools "tried it" and they have since adopted that for the entire district. I see a lot of value in that, but from what I hear from other teachers is that when a child transfers in from another district that doesn't use Singapore, it is very difficult for many of them to catch up. I haven't heard anything about it in recent months though so maybe the teachers (many who were less then enthusiastic due to all the bandwagon programs of the past). They will probably know more when the state test results come in later.

Thanks again!

On 5/01/12, KK wrote: > I have not personally used Investigations with students, but we did examine > the use of this series on a curricular committee, and I did work with a > mathematics professor who shared her experiences with it, so I've seen the > materials. Based on that information, I would say that yes, some students > would benefit from this program, because it offers many exploratory > activities and encourages students to reflect about what is happening. > Certain learners would be more successful with this approach than just > having naked introduction of algorithms, which don't seem connected to > anything real. > > That said, math instruction is much more effective than it used to be. > Teachers are building in many more experiential, relevant connections to > math than they used to. While it's good that Investigations does this > systematically, it's not as crucial, since many teachers already supplement > their core math instruction with hands-on experiences and ask students to > use writing/drawing to show how they solved problems, comparing different > ways to solve problems, and so forth. > > The main concern I have heard with regard to this program is that it fails > to solidify traditional math skills, and students who experience this > program without supplementary instruction will not be appropriately > prepared for advanced math in high school in college. To put that another > way, my impression is that this program appeals to highly constructivist > teachers in theory, because students are discovering mathematical truths > through their own experiences. Detractors worry that students will miss > steps or arrive at untrue conclusions or develop incorrect strategies, and > that these may not be detected and corrected. > > In one district (a college town), parents who previewed the materials > protested the adoption of Investigations, which had already been selected > as the new math program. They ended up choosing a different program, in > response to the parent complaints. > > When we researched districts who used Investigations, the teachers who > liked it most supplemented that curriculum with other curricular materials. > > Hope it was okay that I posted, even though I technically don't meet the > criteria of an Investigations user. > > > On 5/01/12, Granny wrote: >> The school my granddaughter goes to adopted Investigations this year. I >> have read all the criticisms on line about how children don't learn >> what is on the tests when the schools use this text. >> >> I was curious. Do you that have used Investigations find that some >> children actually thrive and progress using this approach? I ask that >> because my dgd is in second and she has really soared this year in >> math. She went from not liking or understanding math to actually saying >> math is her favorite subject. I can tell that now she thinks >> mathematically - it seems to be giving her thought process some order. >> I have talked to the math specialist at the school about my concerns >> about the negative reviews this series gets, but she lights up and she >> is very excited about it. >> >> I can tell a lot of the children seem lost, but I wonder if they would >> be the same way with any type of math curriculum. I just know this >> child seems to "get it". >> >> So, did you find that some children can "get it" and do well under this >> type of series? >> >> Again, just curious and hoping for some positive comments even if you >> felt that overall the children didn't get it. I know in my dgd's mind a >> lot of basic things like math facts are intact now and I know she got >> it at school.

May 2, 2012

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Lady Truth I attended trainings for Investigations, and sat through many parent conferences with parents who were highly critical of the math program, and these were well educated, upper socio-economic families. I would not risk my child's future academic profile on a junk curriculum like Investigations that mocks the need for children to learn math facts and...See MoreI attended trainings for Investigations, and sat through many parent conferences with parents who were highly critical of the math program, and these were well educated, upper socio-economic families. I would not risk my child's future academic profile on a junk curriculum like Investigations that mocks the need for children to learn math facts and algorithms. When I saw students using the "strategies" that they were "devising" as they "invented" ways of doing math, they would work math problems in the most convoluted fashion. Oh, they were being creative alright, but the problem was that they rarely arrived at the right answer. But, that isn't important in Investigations. (laughing) With all the criticism that Investigations warranted, I was surprised to hear schools were still using it. It is one great example of why our american students are 27th from the top of a list of 30 countries in the world in math and science.

On 5/02/12, Granny wrote: > I think your first paragraph in particular answers my > gut feelings. She does > have a unique learning style. > > One of our districts locally has completely switched > over to Singapore Math after a couple schools > "tried it" and they have since adopted that > for the entire district. I see a lot of value in that, > but from what I hear from other teachers is that when a > child transfers in from another district that doesn't > use Singapore, it is very difficult for many of them to > catch up. I haven't heard anything about it in recent > months though so maybe the teachers (many who were less > then enthusiastic due to all the bandwagon programs of > the past). They will probably know more when the state > test results come in later. > > Thanks again! > > > On 5/01/12, KK wrote: >> I have not personally used Investigations with >> students, but we did examine the use of this series >> on a curricular committee, and I did work with a >> mathematics professor who shared her experiences with >> it, so I've seen the materials. Based on that >> information, I would say that yes, some students >> would benefit from this program, because it offers >> many exploratory activities and encourages students >> to reflect about what is happening. Certain learners >> would be more successful with this approach than just >> having naked introduction of algorithms, which don't >> seem connected to anything real. >> >> That said, math instruction is much more effective >> than it used to be. Teachers are building in many >> more experiential, relevant connections to math than >> they used to. While it's good that Investigations >> does this systematically, it's not as crucial, since >> many teachers already supplement their core math >> instruction with hands-on experiences and ask >> students to use writing/drawing to show how they >> solved problems, comparing different ways to solve >> problems, and so forth. >> >> The main concern I have heard with regard to this >> program is that it fails to solidify traditional math >> skills, and students who experience this program >> without supplementary instruction will not be >> appropriately prepared for advanced math in high >> school in college. To put that another way, my >> impression is that this program appeals to highly >> constructivist teachers in theory, because students >> are discovering mathematical truths through their own >> experiences. Detractors worry that students will miss >> steps or arrive at untrue conclusions or develop >> incorrect strategies, and that these may not be >> detected and corrected. >> >> In one district (a college town), parents who >> previewed the materials protested the adoption of >> Investigations, which had already been selected as >> the new math program. They ended up choosing a >> different program, in response to the parent >> complaints. >> >> When we researched districts who used Investigations, >> the teachers who liked it most supplemented that >> curriculum with other curricular materials. >> >> Hope it was okay that I posted, even though I >> technically don't meet the criteria of an >> Investigations user. >> >> >> On 5/01/12, Granny wrote: >>> The school my granddaughter goes to adopted >>> Investigations this year. I have read all the >>> criticisms on line about how children don't learn >>> what is on the tests when the schools use this >>> text. >>> >>> I was curious. Do you that have used Investigations >>> find that some children actually thrive and >>> progress using this approach? I ask that because my >>> dgd is in second and she has really soared this >>> year in math. She went from not liking or >>> understanding math to actually saying math is her >>> favorite subject. I can tell that now she thinks >>> mathematically - it seems to be giving her thought >>> process some order. I have talked to the math >>> specialist at the school about my concerns about >>> the negative reviews this series gets, but she >>> lights up and she is very excited about it. >>> >>> I can tell a lot of the children seem lost, but I >>> wonder if they would be the same way with any type >>> of math curriculum. I just know this child seems to >>> "get it". >>> >>> So, did you find that some children can "get >>> it" and do well under this type of series? >>> >>> Again, just curious and hoping for some positive >>> comments even if you felt that overall the children >>> didn't get it. I know in my dgd's mind a lot of >>> basic things like math facts are intact now and I >>> know she got it at school.

May 2, 2012

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Pam/NY5 My district has used Investigations for several years. I think it is horrible. Our population did not benefit from this program. Our students are ESL/low income....and far from being higer level thinkers. I had to supplement everything! Students did not obtain mastery of concepts. In 5th grade I had to start the year with basic addition and subtrac...See More

Jul 30, 2012

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5th On 4/25/12, KL wrote: > We are in the process of selecting a new math curriculum. > We have heard the sales talks, briefly looked through the > sample kits, and some teachers have visited schools that > are using the programs. We have used Everyday Math > (version 2) for the last 10 years - and many teachers do > not want to consi...See More

Aug 13, 2012

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Pam/NY5 I really do not have anyting positive to say about Investigations. Our school math scores keep getting progressively worse. Teachers have to supplement with so much more. If you ask peoople, they say they are using it but don't because it is so bad. Our students are not higher level thinkers, which is what the program is good for. Basic facts are n...See More

Sep 2, 2012

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