Additional Everyday Math Comments

Mr. King:

We greatly appreciate your comments regarding the Everyday Math curriculum for 5th and 6th graders. As parents of a 4th grader, we have endured a very frustrating school year as our son has tried to learn this new program, along with his teachers, who have done a fabulous job. We were looking forward to next year and a return of "normal" math. Of course, we realize that we are among many who do not like change but my husband and I are both college grads (he, in elem. ed.) and have felt very inadequate as we have helped our son with homework on a nightly basis. We are very discouraged to think that we will have some of the same struggles again next year. What we really liked about what you had to say is that it may have been better to introduce the program to the younger grades first and then add a grade each year. In all fairness, we do think that Everyday Math is a good program and we have both a Kindergartner and 2nd grader (who piloted it his first grade year) that have excelled with this material. We do see the wisdom of exposing our kids to algebra, geometry, etc.. at a young age and our younger kids have caught on quickly. Our regret is that our 4th grader had all of this thrown at him after already "mastering" many of these lessons in a different way. We are worried that a big chunk of his lessons have not been completed since he was switched abruptly to a new program. Our fear is that next year our son will once again be instructed by teachers who are inexperienced at instructing in this way. We just wanted you to know that we support your comments and wish the outcome would have been different. Thanks for your time and continue the good work of providing for our district!