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It's time to recognize that, for many students, real mathematical power, on the one hand, and facility with multidigit, pencil-and-paper computational algorithms, on the other, are mutually exclusive. In fact, it's time to acknowledge that continuing to teach these skills to our students is not only unnecessary, but counterproductive and downright dangerous.
[snip]
Shouldn't we be as eager to end our obsessive love affair with pencil-and-paper computation as we were to move on from outhouses and sundials? In short, we know and should agree that the long-division "gazinta'' (goes into, as in four "goes into'' 31 seven times ... ) algorithm and its computational cousins are obsolete in light of everyday societal realities.
It's Time to Abandon Computational Algorithms
by Steven Leinwand
Education Week
I wonder whether he regrets writing that piece?
Possibly not.
2 comments:
"I wonder whether he regrets writing that piece?"
Since his position was quite in line with the 1989 NTCM "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics", I don't see why he would regret writing that piece.
From page 66 of the fine 1989 document: "... the calculator renders obsolete much of the complex paper-and-pencil proficiency traditionally emphasized in mathematics courses.
....
If students have not been successful in 'mastering' basic computational skills in previous years, why should they be successful now, especially if the same methods that failed in the past are merely repeated? In fact, considering the effect of failure on students' attitudes, we might argue that further efforts toward mastering computational skills are counterproductive."
I don't think the NTCM position has changed much since 1989, so I don't see why Steven Leinwand would feel any need to regret the position he took.
-Mark Roulo
I'm thinking of his language more than his position (which I realize i didn't say...)
I'm going to read the whole piece -- don't think I've ever done that.
There are some interesting passages on closing the achievement gap by not teaching long division -----
John Hoven may be right.
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