Does anyone have a child studying "circle math" in elementary grade levels?

ajrsmom · #1 (**permalink**) 11-11-2004, 05:04 AM

My husband works with a guy who's daughter is 8 and she is studying "circle math" in school this year. The parents were told that this is the "new style" math used across the country.

We have never heard of it.

They live in Ohio if this is any help.

Thanks,
Tami

barbszy · #2 (**permalink**) 11-11-2004, 06:17 AM

I googled the term "circle math" and came up with nothing helpful.
My DD is in 3rd grade and her math looks pretty normal to me. What kinds of things are they doing in "circle math?"

ajrsmom · #3 (**permalink**) 11-11-2004, 07:04 AM

Hi Barb

I did the same thing before I asked here and came up with nothing.

The guy said that it was totally different than what we are used to. It is supposed to open the gates to understanding Algebra and the harder maths.

I've asked my DH to ask this guy to copy a few pages of her workbooks so that I can take a look at them.

If he does give me something, I'll send you a copy if you want to see it.

barbszy · #4 (**permalink**) 11-11-2004, 07:23 AM

That would be great. I'm pretty curious.
Math is not my thing, but I am curious! LOL!
Actually any math program they are in will introduce children in about grade 2 to pre-algebra concepts. Nothing really crazy or advanced but very simplified versions of these problems.

Hala · #5 (**permalink**) 11-22-2004, 04:42 AM

Hi Tami,

I live in Ohio and know exactly what your talking about! All circle math really does is show the kids a different method for solving a problem. My 3rd grader brought home math homework and neither my husband or myself could figure it out....when I asked the teacher about it she explained it to me and said they were trying to get kids to "think outside of the box". I frankly think it's more confusing then the straight foward methods that we learned as kids. It's like taking something simple and making it hard in my opinion.

ajrsmom · #6 (**permalink**) 11-22-2004, 05:59 AM

Hi Hala!! Welcome to Family Corner!!

Boy am I glad to hear that someone knows that there is such a thing and that Im really not as nuts as I sound!!

Do you think that my hubby would remember to ask this guy that he works with for some examples? I will have to paste a note to his head for him to remember, lol!!

Is there any way that you could scan an example of this and send it to me? I would love to see what it is really like.

What is the proper title for it? Is it circle math?

My son's first grade teacher had no idea what I was talking about. Do you know if it is primarily used in Ohio?

Thanks for helping me out!

Tami

Coll · #7 (**permalink**) 11-23-2004, 07:15 AM

I too would like to know what this circle math is.
I have a second grader, and if she brought something like this home for me to help her with I think I'd have a fit.

I will have to ask her teacher if she has ever heard of it.

I will also ask my son if he's ever heard of it. He's a senior this year, he's had all the math you can have from K-12, he is now taking college courses.

Coll

Hala · #8 (**permalink**) 11-30-2004, 04:09 AM

Hi Tami,
Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you. We've been sick around here for a week.

I don't have of my sons math papers here at the moment but as soon as he brings something home I will be able to give you a better example. It still confuses me completely. It's really hard to help my kids with there homework these days because they are being taught differently than I was. We could come up with the same answers but they are showing them a different way to get the answer than the way I learned. Does that make sense? lol.

Have a good day!

ajrsmom · #9 (**permalink**) 11-30-2004, 04:36 AM

Hi Heather, Hope everyone is feeling better in your house. This darn sickness has gone through our house once already and is now going around again.

My DH finally brought home 2 workbook pages showing examples of circle math. I understand the concept ---at least on these 2 pages but they dont show how they come up with the same answer as we know it.

For example if you are using Circle 5, 2x4=3

I understand it if I have the circle to look at. What I dont understand is what is the reason for using it?

I dont have an explanation of any kind as to why they are teaching this. Can you help me?

Is it only in multiplication?

Thanks so much for your help!

Tami

Coll · #10 (**permalink**) 11-30-2004, 05:53 AM

I sure hope thay don't start using circle math here in our school district.

I don't think us old timers LOL will ever catch on. I know when we learned what they called the new math, my dad was always upset because we were learning something different than what he learned.

He would show me his way and I'd would show him the new math. We both came up with the same answer, but the 2 concepts were totally diferent.

I look at it this way- if you come up with the right answer, what difference does it make how you got it? As long as you weren't using a calculator. Now I sound like my dad. LOL

Coll