“New Math” a joke

I found an article entitled “Is Your Child a Math Moron?” via Digg this morning, and it brings up a number of interesting points. Why are people, specifically young adults and children, completely dumbfounded when it comes to simple mathematics? The author points to some new math “programs” that are being used in schools these days. “Math Education: An Inconvenient Truth” (video via YouTube) is an excellent example of why these programs are a complete joke.

“New math” programs are a waste

1. The new algorithms are highly inefficient compared to the “traditional” way of completeing double-digit multiplication and long division.
2. The new algorithms can confuse parents who are unfamiliar with them, resulting in their inability to assist children with their homework.
3. No room for mastery of any one algorithm because they are being taught too many others. – Here’s a clue! There shouldn’t be more than 1 or 2 ways of solving 36 divided by 6!
4. Heavy emphasis on use of calculators.
5. Teaching of the algorithms is considered a “waste of precious class time.” – Well, if you aren’t there to teach math, then what is the point…?

General teaching problems

1. A lot of emphasis on the “slower” kids, resulting in the smart kids being bored and not learning to their full potential.
2. The teachers blame the parents, while the parents blame the teachers.
3. Lessons are more about being interesting and having fun than actually, I don’t know, learning the material.
4. More emphasis on group work, which is a double-edged sword. Children need to learn to work as a team, because that’s what most work environments are like. However, not being able to reason something out for themselves results in less-than-adequate test-taking skills (which, if I recall, is still not a team effort).

More on self-esteem

Many schools try to avoid the “track” approach (smart kids go in one track, normal kids in another, and slow kids in a third) because it “might hurt self-esteem”. Blah blah blah blah. I’m pretty sure the point of schools is to TEACH. An individualized, more tailored approach is going to get more results than worrying about self-esteem. Additionally, kids (and people in general) feel good about themselves when it “clicks” and they finally get it, not when someone tells them to feel good about themselves.

All this has me convinced that home-schooling is the way to go, at least for math.

EDIT: It looks like someone else agrees with me regarding “new math.”