Old Dogs, New Math: Homework Help for Puzzled Parents

by Rob Eastaway

"Perfect for parents who want to understand the different methods to do arithmetic their children are learning-and why they are being taught that way."
-Keith Devlin, award-winning Stanford University mathematician "Can you help me with my math homework?" If this question fills you with fear (or even panic), then Old Dogs, New Math is here to help! Gone are the days when elementary school students simply memorized their times tables and struggled through long division. Today, students are expected not just to find the right answer, but also to use the best method-and to explain why it works . If your attempts to help your child are met with "That's not how the teacher does it," then it's time to take the stress out of math homework. Old Dogs, New Math demystifies Common Core math for parents, Complete with sample questions, examples of children's errors, and over 25 games and activities, Old Dogs, New Math will not only help you and your child subtract on a number line or multiply on a grid-but also help you discover math all around you, and have fun doing it!

Genres: Mathematics

384 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2010

About the author

Robert Eastaway is an author who is active in the popularisation of mathematics. He is a former pupil of The King's School, Chester, England and has a degree in Engineering and Management Science from the University of Cambridge. He was President of the UK Mathematical Association for 2007/2008. Eastaway is a keen cricket player and was one of the originators of the International Rankings of Cricketers. He is also a former puzzle-writer for the New Scientist magazine and he has been involved in live mathematics shows on Virgin Radio (now Absolute Radio). He is the Director of Maths Inspiration, a national programme of maths lectures for teenagers which involves some of the UK’s leading maths speakers such as Simon Singh and Colin Wright.

Robert Eastaway's titles appear under the name "Rob Eastaway" in the UK and some other countries.

Reviews

[Catherine Mikkelsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am appalled at how math is taught in our school system. It's as though the entire thing (teaching math) is conceptual. We ended up going absolutely alternative, but when we were dealing with ordinary math, this book was a help. Kudos for a great idea!

[Ilib4kids]

510 EAS
Contents in elementary school. One of the biggest problems we have is the belief that learning should be effortless and fun.

Some ideas of math is wrong:
p28 For example, 1/4 of a gallon is greater than 1/2 of a pint, even though 1/4 <1/2
Author had a fundamental wrong concept about number. A number, either integer 1, 2, or fraction 1/2, or 1/4 has a precise definition in math. In math, it is always 2>1, 1/2>1/4. But when we attach a physical unit to a number, we don't simply compare numbers, we also compare physical things. In order to make comparison reasonable, we must choose the same unit. In this example, a gallon is not a pint. We must compare apples to apples.

Now school emphasizes:
Number sense,

NOT:
Long multiplication
Long division

[Shayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of fun ideas for helping kids approach math with more interest, playfulness, and fun. Love it!