Math Education

I recently came across this interesting video entitled "Math Education: An Inconvenient Truth." The woman in this video is arguing that students should be taught the traditional methods of solving multiplication and long division problems. She points out that many textbooks advocate having students develop their own way to think through and solve problems. She argues that this does not lead to skill mastery and students are arriving in university unable to do basic math without a calculator.

I believe that mastery of basic facts is important. I realize that calculators are convenient, but they are not always avaliable. I have seen adults who are unable to solve long division problems without a calculator and I believe this is something we should try to prevent. However, I also believe that part of a math program should focus on critical thinking. There are many different ways to solve math problems. Not every student will necessarily master basic math using traditional methods. Students should be encouraged to use different strategies if they understand the strategy and can get accurate answers. I think in order to ensure that students have mastered basic math we need to encourage them to use strategies that they understand. In order to be successful at math, students need to understand why the strategy works. If they understand why they get the right answer then they will certainly understand how to think through a problem and come to the correct answer. Students should master basic math skills, but there is no one correct way to do this.

Check out the video and let me know your opinion on math education.