I have a second grader also who had these kinds of things on math papers. It is a different approach than what we are used to from our school days. They are trying to get the kids to READ more carefully and think and follow through. It is more than just Math these days.

If you could see how unprepared young people are in the work place today you would understand that the schools cannot just teach plain math, the kids don’t know how to apply it, they cannot approach real problems and come up with solutions because they simply excuse themselves by saying “I was never good in Math”. But it is deeper than that, they were never expected to think, just memorize tables.

The ability and the desire to follow instructions is important.

In addition you may understand how to solve a particular problem when the problem is simple. As time goes by and the school year progresses the problems and work should become more difficult. It may very well be that while a “strategy” is not needed at one time it is needed later on.

Sometimes knowing the right answers is not enough. Following the instructions can be just as or more important. You child must learn to do what the teacher asks. If the child does that he/she won’t be getting 85s anymore.

Its time for u to have a one on one with this particular teacher. How in God’s name does this teacher expect your child to perform the task without giving her instructions in how to do the tasks she is expecting of her, its mommy and teacher time, try to be very assertive, yet tactful at the same time when you visit with this teacher so it won’t reflect negatively back on your child, but, I would definitely check that teacher, she is there to teach your child productively, not to tear down her self esteem and confidence in her ability to learn effectively. Good luck, let us know how it turns out on “Answers”.

in school “strategies” is more than every thing especially in maths….

because every teachers are follow the topic and “strategies” goes…. so in their mind every thing “strategies” comes first even u got other difference and fast ways…..

kinda pity actually cos they are teacher and what ever they said is true and no wrong…. so what we need to do is just follow what ever they said…. and memorized those formula….

for avoiding got wrong… do their way and on the other side show your own special way to them…. so let them know that they wasn’t right and we wasn’t wrong as well…. ^^

I do not consider them confusing. It establishes uniformity and organization in your child and sets up common ground rules for the process. This also cultivates in your child the skill of doing things chronologically. However, you could talk to her teacher to give some consideration for now.

I don’t necessarily think they are time consuming.

Those “strategies” may prove helpful when your child encounters word problems in the future that are much more complicated.