Everyday Mathematics
Q: Why did the
district choose Everyday Mathematics?
A: The district
recognized the need to provide a more challenging and authentic mathematics
program for elementary students. Everyday Mathematics was selected based upon
its proven success, its strong research foundation, and recommendation of
district staff members.
Q: How is
Everyday Mathematics different from what was used before?
A: Many of the
methods, activities and projects are similar to those used by teachers who had
adapted materials from other programs and sources. The major difference is that
Everyday Mathematics follows the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
(NCTM) standards, the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards, and is
consistent across district. The goals are for all children to learn to:
In order to meet
these goals, Everyday Mathematics focuses on higher-level thinking and problem
solving by encouraging individual, partner and small-group activities and
games, and utilizing hands-on projects/explorations. Various learning styles of
children and the importance of approaching each concept in a variety of ways
are considered.
Q: Will my child
learn and practice basic math facts?
A: Your child
will learn and practice all of the basic math facts in many different ways.
He/She will play mathematics games in which numbers are generated randomly by
dice, spinners, or cards. He/She will work with Fact Triangles, which present
fact families and stress the addition/subtraction and multiplication/division
relationships. He/She will have continuing access to Fact Tables that will
serve as reference for study and practice. He/She will take part in oral drills
to review facts with their classmates. Furthermore, students in grades 1 and 3
will integrate a multi-sensory program that promotes the acquirement of basic
facts (Fish’in for Addition and Rhymes n’ Times). In grades 3-5, students will
be given timed tests throughout the year.
Q: Does my child
have opportunities to learn, develop, and practice computation skills?
A: Your child
gains the fact knowledge he/she needs for computation from basic facts
practice. They solve problems in a meaningful way through number stories about
real-life situations that require understanding the need for computation, which
operations to use, and how. They often have the opportunity to develop and
explain their own strategies for solving problems through algorithm inventions.
They practice mental arithmetic during Minute Math or 5-Minute Math. He/she
also performs activities that encourage them to round or estimate numbers
mentally. In Everyday Math, every concept is re-taught five different ways, and
students are expected to master a concept within two years of its introduction.
Q: Everyday Mathematics seems too difficult
for my child. Will he/she be able to succeed in the program? How can the program
address his/her individual needs?
A: If your child
is having difficulty, continue to expose them to the program and give them a
chance to meet its high expectations. Everyday Mathematics has many open-ended
activities that will allow your child to succeed at their current skill level.
While playing games, inventing algorithms, writing number stories, and solving
problems in Minute Math and Math Boxes exercises, your child will develop their
strengths and improve in the weak areas.
Rest assured, they
will receive repeated exposure to all concepts throughout the program. Within
the course of a year there will be at least five opportunities for material to
be presented to students. Teachers will be actively looking for learning needs
of individual children and will arrange additional opportunities for specific
instruction to help students who learn best in specific ways.
The Everyday
Mathematics process for teaching lies in helping students to understand not
only how the mathematical process works but also why. This gradual development
of processes, repeated opportunities for connections and understanding, and
allowances for children’s previous knowledge is embedded in this program. For
example, your child may be part of a small group working directly with the
teacher, he/she may be paired with another student, or he/she may be working
independently. The teacher may also modify or adjust the program material
according to student needs.
Q: Why does my
child play games in class?
A: Everyday
Mathematics games reinforce mathematics concepts in a valuable and engaging
way. They are designed to help your child practice his/her basic facts,
computation skills and develop increasingly sophisticated solution strategies.
These games also lay the foundation for learning increasingly difficult
concepts. Certain games give your child experience using a calculator while
others emphasize the relationship between the money system and place value or
require your child to practice mental calculations. The games reinforce mental
arithmetic, basic number facts and provide engaging alternative to a strict
regimen of drill worksheets.
Q: Are
multiplication facts still learned in third grade?
A; Multiplication
facts have been and continue to be part of the third grade program. As before,
we work toward mastery, but not all children achieve mastery at the third grade
level. Because children will have many opportunities for repeated opportunities
for repeated exposure to multiplication, it is expected that the majority of students
will master these facts while in grade three. Furthermore, the district
utilizes Rhymes n’ Times, a multi-sensory program that specifically works on
student acquirement of multiplication facts.
Q: Why is there
so much time spent “writing” about math?
A: The emphasis
in mathematics is moving to a balance between rote memorization of arithmetic
facts and problem solving, application, reasoning, and communication.
The new State
Assessments emphasize written explanations and this will drive the need for
teachers to encourage more writing in the mathematics classroom.
Technical reading
and writing are strongly aligned to students’ future needs. Community members
have identified the need for their employees and associates to be knowledgeable
in the area of abstract and symbolic representation, in deductive and inductive
reasoning and in critical thinking skills.
Q: Are teachers
teaching children the skills they need to complete homework assignments?
A: Teachers are
providing the classroom development of skills for children to be successful
with their homework assignments. The program specifically works on a “spiral”,
wherein students are acquiring the skills they need for homework assigned in
grades K-5 starting in kindergarten. If a student is learning an algorithm that
may be unfamiliar, please refer to your Everyday Mathematics Parent Guide,
distributed in September ’04. The guidebook contains explanations of every
algorithm your child will be learning, and a comprehensive glossary of
terminology. Your child will be learning alternative algorithms in addition to
traditional algorithms we were taught in school. These algorithms address the
need for differentiated instruction within the classroom; not all students
learn in the same manner or pace. Once your child is exposed to various
algorithms, they will have the choice to utilize the one or ones they are most
comfortable with. But in the meantime, students should be encouraged to utilize
the algorithms being taught in their current unit of study.
Q: As a parent,
how can I get involved? How can I reinforce my child’s mathematics learning at
home?
A: Communicate
with your child’s teacher on a regular basis. If possible, volunteer to help
with explorations or projects or observe a mathematics lesson. Parent
participation will be needed with the games where students practice certain
number skills. At home, talk to your child about real-life situations that
involve mathematics, such as buying groceries or balancing a checkbook. Ask
your child to “teach” you the mathematics lessons he/she is learning, including
favorite games and creative solution strategies. Utilize the Triangle Fact
cards each child is given to practice basic math facts during TV commercials,
on long car rides, or at the dinner table. Parents can also utilize the fact
tables students have access to in the program.
With the release
of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in January
1997, it was found that U.S. eighth grade students rated 28th of 41
countries. Those countries with significantly better test scores were
Singapore, Korea, and Japan. However, when the TIMMS scores of a group of
schools north of Chicago were analyzed as if they were a separate country, the
eighth grade results placed them statistically equivalent to scores of students
in six of the top seven countries in the world. This group of schools had formed a “nation” through a partnership
with the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory and the U.S. Department
of Education. They participated in the TIMSS as this “First in the World
Consortium”. Approximately 80 percent of these consortium schools used the
Everyday Math curriculum.