Has anyone else noticed an increase in middle and high schoolers who can't do basic math with a calculator? At least half my students in the 10th and 11th grades still don't know their multiplication chart, and division, forget about it.

I’m a huge advocate of doing mental math. I have seen students give me blank stares when I ask them for ten times some number and I die a little every time.

I am a Spanish teacher, and when we learn numbers, I use a book called "Minute Math". We start the class with this. They get a page of simple math problems to do in a minute, and then we correct them, saying the numbers in Spanish. It goes from addition all the way to fractions. Students have commented that they have gotten better and faster at basic math. Since they always need to work on their numbers in Spanish, I rarely hear complaints.

Both me and my spouse when our kids were young refused for them to learn math with a calculator especially for basic math. They needed to learn how to do it in their head

I recently taught three classes of 7th grade math and three classes of 8th grade math. None of them could add with “carrying” or subtract with “borrowing”. They could only multiply with a calculator, and none of them knew anything about fractions. And, I learned quickly that I could not give them word problems, because they couldn’t read. Sad story! Also, several students consistently told me that they didn’t have to do any work in school because admin would pass them, no matter what! And, you know what?! They were right! 😔

They also lack the ability to estimate, like this is about triple that.

Thanks to remote learning and the pandemic, kids probably dont know how to use a calculator because the Math app. Follow the science people. Follow the science. That was sarcasm.

It's amazing that we've advanced these kids to 10th and 11th grade without these skills. Something's broken.
I don't think it's important that students memorize multiplication tables. The students who are able to memorize it are going to simply by using multiplication, which they should have been doing for about 5 years by the time they get to you. If they're not going to memorize then they should know how to do the problem and quickly figure it out.

My sister, a 4th grade teacher, and I were talking about this. We still quickly and accurately do math in our heads because that’s how we were trained to it in those days before we had calculators. Our students are consistently amazed and comment on how fast we “math.” Confession: Siri is now my favorite mathematician.

Yes, at least three of my freshman students absolutely did not know that 1/2 is the same as 0.5. I don't know what to do with that!

I work with 6 grade students and they do not want to learn the times tables either. It's a pull teeth session every week. I gotta plan games with the flash cards and promise small snacks for rewards. I also keep reminding my students that this is basic and very essential that they learn the times tables before they go to high school.

Yes, reading And Math are in lower levels Cali. and Ariz...I have students literally use their fingers to multiply ...I tell them it's their own calculator when they don't have one,,,funny, but works!!

I am one of those higschoolers. I also have short term memory issues and forget everything. Along with adhd

I asked my social studies 8th grade kiddos once what was percentage of majority, and got crickets . Forget about even trying pluralities. Ridiculous

Ok? Have you talked with your principal or discussed this with your junior high mathematics teachers or dept. head? You are not doing your job if you don't research this and discuss this as a district concern. You may not be cut out to be a teacher?

This is so sad but not surprising with the pandemic plus modern technology access. Intelligence isn’t just about memorization, it’s about using the tools around you to solve your problems. However, you are giving them a tool - the calculator, so I don’t even comprehend how they can’t use it. You literally just type it in. I never got the hang of long division in 4th grade and I still wouldn’t remember how without watching a video lesson, but hey, that never comes up. However, basic division, multiplication, addition, and subtraction are a part of life. I learned my ‘times tables’ in 3rd grade and we relied heavily on a CD that had a song for each one. I still remember the 3 song and it plays in my head when I’m multiplying 3’s in my head, if I ever forget the direct memorized answer sometimes. However, middle schoolers are going to feel too old to learn through song probably, which is unfortunate. It could have made sense to have students repeat their quarantine grade level in person that first year back, but we didn’t do that. So, now we have to adjust and realize that students who were in school during the pandemic will need to learn things a bit older. Teachers also need to find more ways of teaching. Are we all addressing visual, audio, and kinesthetic learners? Lots of kids learn math better with physical tiles they can use to learn the basics and fractions. Middle and high schoolers often want to know how the subjects that bore them are relevant to real life. You could have a grocery shopping lesson that students do (maybe in small groups) to make decisions on a certain budget. You can say their phone died on the way to the store, so they don’t have a calculator. You can tie it to certain parameters like “you need x amount of protein, x amount produce, this person wants a healthy snack, this person wants chips, and one family dessert” for example. Maybe the lesson could happen with calculators the first time and then later on have the “dead phone, no calculator” setup. I remember my resistance to math in high school was “why will I ever need this” so finding some life-relevant scenarios could help.

Sadly, schools are tested on basic calculator usage, addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, telling time, or even counting money. They are tested on Algebra, use of formulas,and basic Trig. Until schools are no longer rated on this. . .basic math will not be a priority. . just like spelling cursive, and grammar.

You all are responsible to go to your principal, and Superintendent, and ultimately the school board....get the community to implement standards in math curriculum....Josh Shapiro our exceptional governor of Pennsylvania is pushing to get rid of cell phones during the school day....and more. This is a commonwealth and state education responsibility.