Thread by @ZoeYorkWrites

Went to an open house in my son's grade one classroom today (Ontario public school). We watched and participated as the teacher took the class through a math lesson. I have some thoughts. #onpoli #onelxn #ldnont

First of all, teachers are amazing. There is no way most of us could manage a classroom, full stop, let alone also get some real education progress happening. A month from the end of school, this classroom felt alive and positive and focused. #onpoli #onelxn #ldnont

As the year has progressed, so have the walls. Now they brim with learning strategies and completed work. And as the teacher took them through the math lesson, she kept referring to the math corner of the room--and the strategies there. #onpoli #onelxn #ldnont

If any #ontarioteachers have pictures of their math strategy walls, I'd love to see them. It didn't occur to me to ask if I could take a picture. But basically, there were a number of really clear posters and lists of steps, kind of like this one. #onpoli #onelxn #ldnont

The first part of the lesson was reminding everyone of the steps to take in solving a math problem. The kids all recited the steps from memory. Then they got down to work at their desks, using as MANY DIFFERENT STRATEGIES as they could to solve the problem #onpoli #onelxn #ldnont

I found another example of a math strategy poster. This one expands to include higher level "show your work" examples. And this was a big takeaway for a lot of parents today--this "new math" really preps them for advanced math later on. #onpoli #onelxn #ldnont

But for me, the biggest takeaway was that memorization is still very much a part of the math lesson. It's just not number memorization. It's steps and strategies. And I don't understand how any one could be critical of that. #onpoli #onelxn #ldnont

This assertion by @fordnation does not match what we saw in the classroom today at all. (article from @globalnews globalnews.ca/news/4194296/o…) #onpoli #onelxn #ldnont

"Kids used to learn math by doing things like memorizing a multiplication table" No, that's learning the multiplication table. Not math as a comprehensive subject. "Our kids are left with experimental discovery math." Left with? Taught how to use. #onpoli #onelxn #ldnont

"Everyone gets a participation ribbon" -> I'm not even sure where to begin with this. I mean, it's school, so everyone participates. Does he think we should be eliminating 6yos from the island? #onpoli #onelxn #ldnont

"our kids are left to fend for themselves" -> Being left to fend for yourself is what happens when the only option is memorizing a multiplication table and being told you don't deserve a participation ribbon when it doesn't make sense. #onpoli #onelxn #ldnont

Also, test scores are not a metric I care about as a parent. I care about how functional my kids are as human beings. #onpoli #onelxn #ldnont