Son's teacher needs to go back to school

dizziblonde

My usual error is slightly less vital though (and certain parents - whom I got on really well with so it was done in the spirit of friendly banter - would take great glee in getting the red pen out for it) - I'm forever writing the wrong year in reading diaries until my brain gets caught up with the change of years... in about June time!

mummyoftwomonkeys

skylight wrote: »

We were taught to look at is as a crocodile that eats the biggest number!

So the croc is not trying to eat 30, therefore its the smaller number = less than.


Amazing how many methods there are out there! And how we don't agree with it!

I interpret is as less than still. The sign means greater than but it is before 30. If it were after 30 it would be 30 greater than - but here it states something is greater than 30.

To remember which way around the "<" and ">" signs go, just remember:

• BIG > small So Something (such as 31) >30 means 30 is the smaller number.
• small < BIG

yep thats how i was taught it too

WhiteHorse

'Modern Mathematics' has very little to do with the requirements of the real world.

DVardysShadow

WhiteHorse wrote: »

'Modern Mathematics' has very little to do with the requirements of the real world.

Having studied at school using the School Mathematics Project materials in the late 60's and early 70's, I would say that the range of topics covered was far superior to that covered on traditional maths syllabuses. I actually found that I had encountered some topics [albeit not to such depth] for O level, which were totally gobsmackingly new to colleagues in the second year of my degree course. And yes, all of it was useful and it has served me far better than the lamentable traditional teaching of History and Geography I had at the same time.

make_me_wise

rachbc wrote: »

which is all well and good BUT in no new teaching method that I know of does >30 mean less than 30

I never stated that >30 means less than 30. I just advised that it helps parents support their childrens learning by understanding teaching methods. Get your facts right.

gregg1

WhiteHorse wrote: »

'Modern Mathematics' has very little to do with the requirements of the real world.

It does actually - Computers?

maire1

Haha! Just been teaching this! I teach 'crocodiles only eat the bigger number' so open mouth eats larger e.g. 31<45

Thing is, teachers do make mistakes sometimes! Point it out in a kind way!

WhiteHorse

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Having studied at school using the School Mathematics Project materials in the late 60's and early 70's, I would say that the range of topics covered was far superior to that covered on traditional maths syllabuses.

Then why would I interview young people clutching A* passes in Modern Mathematics, and find that they were utterly incapable of doing practical arithmetic?

welshgirl78

As a secondary maths teacher, just to point out that reason it is wrong is that if you read it aloud it says " less than" 30

However, if you had an x there (which I am sure the teacher is capable of but didn't want it to be confusing,) it would obviously say x is greater than 30

I do think it is a little patronising to say the teacher should go back to school, I can assure you everyone makes mistakes! What is genuinely interesting to me as a teacher is why, there are often very logical reasons!

peaceandfreedom

welshgirl78 wrote: »

As a secondary maths teacher, just to point out that reason it is wrong is that if you read it aloud it says " less than" 30

However, if you had an x there (which I am sure the teacher is capable of but didn't want it to be confusing,) it would obviously say x is greater than 30

What?

You are saying that '>30' reads as 'less than 30' but that 'x>30' reads as 'x is greater than 30'. That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Yet you, a secondary maths teacher, thinks it's obvious.

Blimey, it's no wonder our kids are leaving unable to do basic maths - the teachers can't either.