Third grade math. any teachers out there?

[Ken]

I have noticed once again that the everyday math program used in the elementary system is being used idiosyncratically by some teachers.

So as a resource for those of us who do not get the family letters created by the outsourced publishers (note the Chicago school is where neocons are excreted) from the terribly overworked teachers, here is a link you can download them from.

http://www.wrightgroup.com/index.php/home/everydaymathematics/emsecondupdate/familyletters/46?SID=2146

The letters for other grades may or may not be available from the same site.

Also note the many references in home work pages to the “student reference” book which it seems is not allowed to be brought home by the student.

I have been trying to determine the version number of the book so I can order a paperback version from either the publisher or Amazon since the book we as taxpayers own seems to be too valuable to the school system to be allowed out of the classroom.

Can anyone confirm that this is a system wide practice or perhaps a justifiable hording of scarce resources?

I have the resources to research and acquire whatever is required but I can imagine there are many who do not even know of the existence of the textbook.

I remain skeptical of the entire theory but will allow it to take its course. I was however alarmed by some of the typographical errors, simple math errors and outdated biased assumptions included in many of the home link pages.

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[herongrrrl]

I share your concerns with this curriculum. I wanted to mention, though, that if you are able to visit the school and ask to borrow a book, usually the teacher will let it go home with a parent (even though they aren’t “supposed to”) if you find you need it.

I have also found that when I show my daughter the “old fashioned way” to do the problems, the teachers don’t complain too loudly. Some of them are just as fed up with this program as we are.

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[GenHillOne]

In our experience, no textbooks go home, just workbooks – not all that useful for parental help. Agree with HG that we’ve been able to borrow a book at times, but if everyone does that, or if it’s for a long time, they’ll be short in supply at school. This year, I knew my son was outpacing my math skills…so I found a used copy of the text (got name from teacher) on Amazon – actually ended up being Tacoma Goodwill. It’s in better shape than the book he uses at school, it’s one less book to schlep home, and I try to read ahead…god I hate math. It’s a weird system, Ken, but the used book was all of $12 so if you can get your daughter’s, I think you have the right idea.

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[mellaw6565]

Textbooks are not allowed to go home as a regular practice because of scarce resources. I can’t tell you how many of my history texts are found torn up on sidewalks, lost in moves, etc…… They are VERY EXPENSIVE to replace and the problem is that you can fine the kid and their parents, but they don’t pay it a lot of the time and the school/department has to come up with resources to replace them. Not to mention that I only usually have one class set of books that have to be used for students in all 5 classes.

I do allow students to check out textbooks for specific reasons – for example when they are struggling or doing extra credit, etc….But I usually have a parent’s note first so that parents are aware that the book has been taken and they are responsible for damage, etc…..

Used books are great if you can get them and every teacher appreciates if a student can have extra practice at home.

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[GenHillOne]

added bonus – you can give the used book to school when you’re done with it!

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[Julie]

Buying used copies helps with the overloaded backpacks, too–even when the texts are allowed to come home. When you find a couple of good deals on used copies, consider buying an extra or two and donating them to the teacher for students whose parents couldn’t afford to do so.

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[Ken]

How did my poor southern elementary school always have books I could take home growing up? The “Book Fees” we paid at the beginning of each year?

The publisher seems to be dinging single students and small schools nearly 200 bucks per head for this error riddled crap. I assume the district negotiated a better deal than that.

Note there are hundreds of book sellers just on amazon offering the book starting at less than a dollar plus shipping. Perhaps the school should offer parents the option of paying twice for the book so their student can have one nearby each time the home link page refers to a page number in a book no parent gets to see.

Are other programs in the district as outsourced as the math program? Are there curriculum studies and learning systems being built in-house like many other school district I have had contact with? Do any teachers do their own lesson plans and make up their own tests?

Inquiring minds want to know.

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[mellaw6565]

I make up all of my own tests and only use the textbooks for background material. Most of my curriculum is based on primary source documents which I provide to students.

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[Ken]

If the way sausage, hamburgers or politics are made makes you queasy, the way text books are made will make you spew chunks.

I know a biochemist who has his name listed as a text book author and yet it is a committee who gets together each year or two to slightly alter the book and rearrange wording so the publisher can issue a “new” edition.

Here is a link to a similar situation described:

http://www.edutopia.org/muddle-machine

I got a hint of things to come when I overheard my boss lamenting, “The books are done and we still don’t have an author! I must sign someone today!”

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[mellaw6565]

In my experience in history texts – they’re basically very biased and useless other than for background information. The real learning takes place outside the book.

I love to have my kids compare Howard Zinn’s perceptions to textbook perceptions – really gets them thinking where the truth is (somewhere in the middle as always).

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[Ken]

Comparing the history I was taught in school to the several years of reading I did at the LOC using microfiche of the original documents (and sometimes the actual originals) made me more cynical than you can possibly imagine.

Conservatives have been actively replacing history with myth for three generations.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/north/north332.html

The author of the above paean is the son in law of Rushdoony the father of American dominionist theofascism.

http://www.reason.com/news/show/30789.html

Too many textbooks and discussions leave students free to make up their minds about things.

–Mel Gabler, Textbook censor, Texas

Allowing a student to come to his own conclusions about abstract concepts creates frustration. Ideas, situation ethics, anti-God humanism — that’s what the schools are teaching. And concepts. Well, a concept never will do anyone as much good as a fact.

–Mel Gabler, Textbook censor, Texas

“When a student reads in a math book that there are no absolutes, suddenly every value he’s been taught is destroyed. And the next thing you know, the student turns to crime and drugs.”

–Mel Gabler, textbook censor, Texas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_and_Norma_Gabler

“We’ve been attacked by the intelligent, educated segment of the culture.”

—- Ray Mummert, creationist from Dover, Pennsylvania, 2005

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[mellaw6565]

Notice what state most of those comments come from? George Bush really beefed up that education system didn’t he?

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[charlabob]

Mel, I am so impressed that you present Howard Zinn as an alternative viewpoint. I agree that “the truth” lies somewhere between though, I would argue, closer to Zinn than to cur4ent textbooks. :-)

Gazillions of years ago I fought to have McCarthyism (50’s version) taught as the destructive force it was. As late as 1974, in my dismal Michigan HS, Joseph McCarthy was taught as a patriot and a gentleman. Must be before they found out he was gay.

Sad footnote (speaking of reversing my tivo) the Democratic Convention retrospective on presidential candidates mentioned Joseph instead of Eugene McCarthy as the peace candidate in 1968.

Margaret Spellings, the woman who assisted W in destroying the Texas education system is now Secretary of Education doing the same thing for all the kids left behind.

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[charlabob]

I’m sorry — there’s a neocon view of math? How did this get by me? Apparently I was too busy fighting the neocon view of pronunciation (nuclear verus nucular.)

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