Why Johnny Can’t Add Without a Calculator
A new trend is the use of a calculator for EVERYTHING. While we demand mastery at Gideon which requires memorization of basic math facts, many students (from high performing school districts) we see are still counting (or even multiplying!) on their fingers. There...
Yes, Algebra IS Necessary
Maybe I'm a math nerd (ok, I am), but asking whether Algebra I is necessary seems crazy. Whenever I hear the argument we should not teach higher math to all students as most won't use it, I always think, but how do you know which ones? Would you want your child...
Math Teachers Feel Poorly Prepared
From Joannejacobs.com Many teachers say they’re not well-prepared to teach math, according to an excerpt from a new book, Inequality for All, by William H. Schmidt and Curtis C. McKnight. In first through third grade, teachers feel prepared to teach only...
Spelling Bee Words: Could you spell them?
From WashingtonPost.com: Posted at 04:24 PM ET, 05/30/2012 By Valerie Strauss Fancy yourself a good speller? See if you would have been able to spell the words given to 278 young spellers in the second round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which started...
Why Some Kids Hate Math
From joannejacobs.com & usatoday.com “Our kids hate math” because they’re pushed to learn higher math before they’ve mastered the basics, writes Patrick Welsh, who teaches at T.C. Williams High in Virginia, in USA Today. The experience of T.C. Williams...
Will ditching smartphones boost student’s reading skills?
In the age of Googling on your phone for a quick answer or 24-hour news channels giving you two minute stories, are we really thinking deeply anymore? While I enjoy both quick fixes, we ought to spend time regularly analyzing complex subjects if for no other reason...
Spell Check Will Not Always Save You
Maybe I'm getting old, but I really dislike the acceptance of 'u' for 'you' and 'r' for 'are' in texting. Is this really ok? It doesn't take much to write the word out correctly! It does make you wonder if a) our youth are just too lazy to spell correctly, b) they...
1963 to 2011: How kindergarten math has changed
Interesting blast from the past! Critics of the American education system note how we teach SO many topics each year while not going into great depth of any. Higher performing countries teach less topics per year and do not need to repeat them over several years as...
Rethinking the 100m dash – cool math!
On Your Mark from mathalicious on Vimeo.
Parents may need help with new math lingo
Math vocabulary has changed quite a bit from even just 25 years ago when I was in elementary school. While the more precise language can be confusing to parents and not what they are used to calling the operation or characteristic, sometimes the changes are...
Help your struggling reader develop a strong vocabulary
A great article from specialeducationadvisor.com by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis highlights ways to build a struggling reader's vocabulary. If struggling readers do not have strong knowledge of the vocabulary they hear in class and see when reading,...
Gideon Gold Stars – Killian & Kaz
Here are longtime students, Killian and Kaz, describing how Gideon has helped them. Their mom gives great advice to new parents as well! Check out other interviews with real Gideon students and their parents on our new homepage! www.gideonmathandreading.com
Need for education doesn’t end when summer begins
From insidebayarea.com By Tom Barnidge Contra Costa Times columnist State Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson visited the Bay Area to deliver a message last week. Yes, schools need more money, but that’s not why he was at the microphone on this occasion. He was...