What Is the Everyday Math Program?
The Everyday Math program uses a series of overall goals and concepts to teach students math skills. The program was developed in part based on research studies of how children learn mathematical concepts. Everyday Math contains a different course and set of learning criteria for each grade level. Although it received a high rating from the U.S. government, parent groups have sued school districts who use the program.
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History
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The Everyday Math Program, developed by the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project, is published by Wright Group/McGraw-Hill. The course is devised for students in grades pre-K through sixth. Development of the program began in 1985. The program has undergone several revisions since its debut. Publishers claim the program is now used by more than 3 million students in more than 185,000 classrooms in the United States.
Curriculum
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The Everyday Math program uses context and real-life scenarios to teach math concepts. Lessons include whole-group, small group, partner and individual instruction. Lesson plans include hands-on instruction. Games and skill set drills are used for practice and review. Homework and timed tests are used for progress checks.
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Goals
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General program goals include knowledge acquisition in measurement, temperature, time, geometry, algebra, patterns, number functions, arithmetic operations and other mathematical concepts. Specific program goals differ depending on the grade level of the student. For example, pre-K goals include learning to count, number recognition and learning to distinguish objects by size, volume and weight. Goals for sixth graders include learning numerical relations, making reasonable estimates, analyzing and interpreting data and understanding concepts of probability.
Benefits
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Everyday Math teaches communication skills. Students must explain mathematical thinking to classmates. Students are encouraged to share their views and strategies with others. Family participation is encouraged. Parents have the chance to become involved through Daily Home Links or Study Links. Daily Home Links is for students in grades K through 3. Study Links is designed for students in grades 4 through 6. The validity of the program was recognized by the U.S. federal government, with its What Works Clearinghouse giving Everyday Math its highest rating
Drawbacks
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The Everyday Math program has its critics. Tsewei Wang, associate professor at the University of Tennessee, contends the program is missing vital concepts and topics. Students aren't taught how to calculate long division problems. Instead, they're allowed to use a calculator. Wang states other concepts are taught in part or in a way that requires too many steps. Wang reports parental groups and California have objected to the program.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit math image by jaddingt from Fotolia.com
