That could be, and I should have gone into more detail. A student who is already quick with their facts (both multiplication and addition) can use this method to do longer problems in a quick manner. I will not argue that one bit.
What I was trying to get at is that this method is often used as an intervention for students who have a hard time with multiplication in general–and these students are tremendously slow when it comes to doing basic 2-digit times 2-digit types of problems using the lattice system.
I’m looking at this “lattice” method - and after looking it over, I say “Idiocy!!” :mad:
WTF? What was wrong with memorizing the “times tables” (usually in 3rd grade, with some kind of race/competition to get to the twelves) then learning how to multiply by more than 1 digit? Works good to me! Seriously, can anyone give me a link to a non-biased paper on this that?
My personal example…
When my daughter was in 3rd grade, the school went to some kind of new grading system, that gave a number from 1-4 based on performance level, four being “above grade level” down to one which was “well-below” grade level (or something). Made no sense, helped parents not at all, and even the teachers I talked to hard a really hard time, since they weren’t allowed to use a traditional grading scale for testing - no more percentages, ever!
Drove me crazy, since it served no purpose whatsoever - I mean, really, isn’t the “A-B-C-D-F” scale almost universally understood (in America, at least - I don’t know what grading scales are like elsewhere) :mad:
It seems simple enough, but more like a party trick then the primary method they should be using to solve a problem. You have to know your basic times table through 9 anyway in order to use it, so what’s the point? :smack:
I don’t understand what your problem is. “Lattice” multiplication is just a different way of drawing out pretty much exactly the same thing as long-form multiplication. If you read the article carefully it becomes quickly obvious that the principles are the same, it just switches the directions around a little.
You still have to know your “times tables” to use the lattice method.
Judging from the adults I know, this isn’t any different than it was in the past.
I would disagree based on the folks that I know–but perhaps I just surround myself with above average people.
It honestly seems to get to be more of a problem each year, with the skill of rapid recall of math facts growing worse. I started to track this last year, using simple facts test, but obviously won’t have any data to compare with until this year is over. I’l be even more interested when I have about 5-6 years worth.
I don’t know if this counts as a “fad” or not, but… my son’s school has been looking at research on homework in lower grades. Apparently there have been findings that homework doesn’t enhance student learning for these age groups, and the school found that credible. So suddenly there’s no homework for K-2, optional homework for 3, and limited homework for grades 4 and 5. This has been a good thing for us, but not all parents are happy about it.
When I was a kid we never had homework before 4th grade, so this seems pretty normal to me, but it’s a big change for his school.
We did lattice multiplication when I was a kid in, what, third or fourth grade? Anyway, back in the 80’s. I think we were taught both ways and then could use whichever we preferred. I like the lattices; I find it harder to make careless errors that way.
I apologize for the hijack but I need clarification on this one…
(bolding mine)
I’m not trying to be snarky, I’m honestly baffled here. Honor roll for SECOND grade? I have never heard of such a thing. Isn’t second grade all phonics, figuring out change with large paper coins, and the beginning of cursive writing? Regular devolopment stuff. Why is there an honor roll for that? Do we need to reward children for every involuntary muscle clench? Sounds like its more for the parents to be able to brag sooner about Little Timmy.
not that bragging is your practice, norinew, I’m just baffled.
I don’t know what’s going on in second grade classes in the rest of the country, but I can tell you that mudgirl has spelling tests weekly, is learning algebra (!), and has timed tests not just for reading, but for fluency, as well as such things as vocabulary (different from spelling; she’s expected to recognize much more complex words than she can spell) and reading comprehension. She’s also expected to be able to write coherent paragraphs. I can tell you that some of the stuff she does is much more advanced than my 16-year-old and 20-year-old were doing at the same time.
BTW, I’ve always loved your username. Cracks me up.
I don’t think you’re being snarky, but I think you’re about 30 years out of date with what a second grade curriculum looks like. Second grade now is what 3rd grade was when I was in school (I graduated high school in '92). It’s fractions, three digit addition and subtraction and the beginnings of geometry and multiplication and division. In Reading, it’s short chapter books, analyzing plot and theme and character motivation and writing six sentence paragraphs. In Social Studies, it’s identifying the continents on a map, the parts of a rain forest or swamp, and the life cycle of amphibians.
It ain’t what it used to be.
CrankyAsAnOldMan, I am THRILLED your school district has taken away homework before third grade. That’s the most sensible thing I’ve heard about schools in years. I don’t suppose you know what studies finally swayed them, do you?
