Posted 1:24 pm Friday, December 07, 2007
Dec. 7: Children Must Learn How to Use Calculators
In his op-ed piece on Dec. 2, (columnist Roy) Maynard has done a disservice to education and children. His choice between calculators and learning multiplication facts is a false choice. There is no choice. Children must learn their multiplication facts; they must also learn how to borrow and carry and do long division. But they must also learn how to use calculators. One can’t take the place of the other. Our children must learn both, if they are to receive a complete education.
When our young people get to more advanced mathematics, they will use calculators. Few scientists or engineers figure things by hand – the math is often too complex. This education in using calculators has to start somewhere -- not in place of learning facts and basic skills but in addition to them.
Children also need to understand how they will use these facts in real life. We know that if children are to retain what they are taught, it must have meaning for them. It must connect to something. So teachers must connect the process of regrouping numbers to something tangible so that children can see it has value. The children must see that they can use it for something beyond practicing problems out of a textbook or on a worksheet.
This same conversation also goes on about reading instruction. Should teachers teach only phonics or only whole language? We know that different children learn differently. Some children have already absorbed the connection between the sound of letters and words and don’t need to spend endless hours learning the sound that “b” makes. If children are to learn to read, they must have to be able to use phonics, context, sight words and comprehension and do it with many different kinds of literature.
Don’t set up a choice where one doesn’t exist. If you are going to teach, you had better be able to teach skills and impart knowledge in more than one way to more than one child at the same time. If you can’t, their learning and curiosity will be seriously hampered.
So let’s try to reach beyond political ideology and do what is right for our children.
Maggie Charleton
College Station
When our young people get to more advanced mathematics, they will use calculators. Few scientists or engineers figure things by hand – the math is often too complex. This education in using calculators has to start somewhere -- not in place of learning facts and basic skills but in addition to them.
Children also need to understand how they will use these facts in real life. We know that if children are to retain what they are taught, it must have meaning for them. It must connect to something. So teachers must connect the process of regrouping numbers to something tangible so that children can see it has value. The children must see that they can use it for something beyond practicing problems out of a textbook or on a worksheet.
This same conversation also goes on about reading instruction. Should teachers teach only phonics or only whole language? We know that different children learn differently. Some children have already absorbed the connection between the sound of letters and words and don’t need to spend endless hours learning the sound that “b” makes. If children are to learn to read, they must have to be able to use phonics, context, sight words and comprehension and do it with many different kinds of literature.
Don’t set up a choice where one doesn’t exist. If you are going to teach, you had better be able to teach skills and impart knowledge in more than one way to more than one child at the same time. If you can’t, their learning and curiosity will be seriously hampered.
So let’s try to reach beyond political ideology and do what is right for our children.
Maggie Charleton
College Station
