Exactly what do kids learn in math class?

It is a sign of the times we live in my sons are in high school and have been allowed to use a calculator since grade 7 in grade 8-10 they were told they need a scientific calculator, then in grade 11-12 had to get one of the graphing ones with a usb port so they could print the results. I have seen peopel in stores using the calculator on there cell phones to do some very basic addition. I taught mine how to make proper change in their head with out a calc and to figure out if soemthing is 15% off how to do that. Twice now they have gotten things free casue someone printed the price of something and it was wrong and when they showed the manager they were able to get the item free of charge as it is there pricing policy.

Get this.. They get to use calculators in math class. I had the hardest time teaching my daughter the lesson on how to give back change. Count back how? LOL It was so gratifying when she got her first fast food job and the computers went down. She came home that day and actually thanked me for teaching her how to do it cause she was the only one (besides managers) that could actually run the window. It infuriates my husband when I pay with change unless it's for the exact amount. He knows it confuses the heck out of the cashiers & is always afraid it's going to take longer to get his food.

I work in a bank, and we do have to enter each denomination into the computer, for a record of what they were given. But that is only the second time we count it. The first is as we are getting it out of the drawer, to ourselves, then into the computer, and finally, to the customer. The only time I have not counted the money out to the customer was when she took a cell phone call just as I was ready to. Didn't wanna be rude and interrupt her conversation, lol. (little sarcasm there). But I do agree that young people these days really have no grasp of common math. We have kids come in with their paycheck, and say "I want to keep $25". Ummm, well, how about KNOWING how much you're putting in your account? They really have no idea. Or how to fill out a deposit slip, for that matter. Teaching the higher maths is great, but I really think that every day things should be taught as well.

My first job was as a cashier, and the register would tell you the change. But..... my boss at the time would not hire anyone that could not count back change. There was actually people who could not count back change! That totally amazed me. Now, I've noticed that most of the teenagers and many people in their twenty's cannot count back change without help of the register. That is why it surprises me when our daughter needed to have a calculator in the third grade. No wonder they can't figure this stuff out in their head.

It's the kids being too dependent on the computers telling them what to do. It's sad that it's come to this but not going to change unless the school system teaches them the old way like we learned growing up. I learned to master my computer in no time but give me a cash register and I'm lost. lol I prefer the old way of just counting change back. I'm having a tough time teaching my daughter the right way to make change back when given a higher amount than the total but I'm getting there. She is just being lazy and wanting to do it the 'easy' way. Now the way they are teaching the kids nowadays is confusing as heck to me. I often find myself calling the teacher and have her explaining a problem to me so I can help my daughter with her homework. I'm like, this isn't the way I was taught. wth?

I know that this is true enough. When I had a job at a animal feed store, there was a new employee who had to quit after a week because we didn't have electronic cash registers. He threatened to sue because we weren't equal opportunity employers because if someone (like him) couldn't do math, they wouldn't be hired. Sure enough we never got anything back about the supposed lawsuit. But seriously, whats wrong when people think they can sue because they don't know math?

They don't teach a lot of anything like they used too. When I was in school we had to learn this. Then I went to work at a retail store and had a manager that expected you to count back the change even if the machine told you how much for example say you total was $10.23 and you paid with a $20. YOu would get back $9.77 she expected you to go 0.24 0.25 0.50 0.75, 11.00, 12.00, 13.00, 14.00, 15.00 and 5.00 makes twenty and you wouldn't believe how many people can't do that. Now a days most people and managers want you to get them out in as little time as possible. So they just hand back your change in a lump sum. I have actually told cashiers to count back my change because I didn't think it was right and they got mad so I stood there until they did it or they called their manager and sure enough they were wrong. I remember one time the girl was off by $5.00.

I am with the cashier in this case. Unlike those days the cashier must be dealing with many more transactions per day. No body's perfect. If so everyone would have ended up as maths professors. When doing so many transactions one mistake will make the cashier pay out of pocket. If she gives less the customer will request it, and if she gives more the customer might walk away with it. Since computers do the dirty work for us, the cashier must be concentrating more on appeal and courtesy.

I have to agree that most math that they "teach" is geared towards college education and degrees in science and engineering more then it is geared towards real life. Although, my daughter's school actually does have a class that is based upon having the kids do REAL LIFE math. They've done their own taxes, made up budgets, created situations where they're given so much to decorate a home and given a catalog to "make their purchases", etc. The sad part is, this is considered the "slow math" class so most kids don't really get it.

the kids must learn about the numbers and what it's uses in our life!...kids must know how to calculate, add, subtract, multiply, division, and count!...

They do learn basic math, but like someone else posted, if you don't use it, you'll lose it.... and they do allow calculators in the classrooms all the time... so the kids aren't using their math skills. My youngest knew her times tables by 2nd grade. She knew them really, really well and we were always bragging about how good she was! Now she's in 7th grade and when she's working on a math problem, I can't tell you how many times she'll say to me, "Mom, does 7 x 7 = 49?" My response is always, "You tell me!" She used to know them all, and now that she doesn't use them as much, she's losing it.

I think people now are so lazy. They don't want to bother to think anymore. Or they probably didn't love Math so much.

I agree too that the kids now are not as good as us. (LOL). But they still study what we studied while we were young, some topics are even far more advanced. The only problem is that they do not practice that much. They rely on computers and calculators. That's why if my children have time I do not let them use the calculator in doing their homework.

I guess I could say that I was born and raised using computers, calculators, etc. And although I CAN do mental computations on my head sometimes I do get pretty lazy and just punch it in the calculator. Well, if these people use calculators I won'tr blame them. That's what technology is here for anyway, to make things easier and faster for everyone. As long as they still know how to do it mentally (for example they get stuck in an island with no access to technological gadgets) there's no need to get irritated about it.

I totally know what your are talking about. I think for the most part it is that they just don't want to. I know for a fact adding and subtracting with money is taught in schools. I think kids just forget what was taught and don't have the motivation to review it again.

I am in Australia, so the maths teaching may be different here.I am a retired primary teacher. I don't believe maths is taught any where near as well nowadays. Partly it is because teachers have been instructed that maths must be made fun for students, and not to give them repetitive exercises, and mental and times tables tests. But also, children at home are not being motivated by maths. There needs to be stimulation from a very young age, playing and counting blocks, play money, counting red cars, identifying shapes, etc.

i dont think kids really learn in math class. I repeat if we are talking about KIDS not grown up, because math usually is found boring for them like for me xD, but i guess most of the school experiences you get and remembers, are those you do with your friends or classmates on the math hour xD... awww good memories ^^

I am hopeless at Math. Always have been always will be. It wasn't that I hated it as such, I just never had a grasp on the subject, and try as I might, I just could not get the numbers to add up right. I think my teacher despaired of me passing my final exams when I finished School.. Thankfully I did. My partner once unwillingly humiliated me in the worst way, when I asked him for his cell so I could use the calculator to add some mileage up. He refused and told me to do it without, then turned to a friend of his and said Can you believe she needs the calculator to work this out? I was horrified and went straight to the washroom where I burst into tears. Not being good at math has always been a touchy subject with me. People just assume that you must be dumb if you're not good at math. It irks me.

OMG, saying he'd sue because he didn't have the wherewithal to count back change? And was too lazy to learn? That's a pity. I worked as a cashier back in in the late 70s and 80s and we had to know how to count back. Later when the registers showed the change due back, I still tried to count back. But I do think that kids raised with calculators and the like may not even know about counting back. And even if they did, what would be their incentive? It does seem to me that the math taught nowadays is at a higher level, earlier, than it was years ago. Basic arithmetic gets left behind pretty early.

i think it is just because the world has gotten to be so technology dependent...another thing is that everyone is always in a hurry...example/fast food restaurants..people need to slow down a bit and take the time to count out exaact change