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Let’s Talk Math… Yes, That Math

New math, old math, confusing math, easy math… math, math, math! However you slice it, math in elementary school looks pretty different than it did when we were students—and we all have feelings about it.

And if we’re being really honest, our kids have feelings about our feelings. Mostly that we are terribly, irredeemably annoying when we suggest they do math differently than their teachers taught them. You know, like when we innocently bring up the good ol’ standard algorithm. The look of betrayal they give us? Like we’ve insulted their teacher and took away their screen. My kids act like I’ve committed educational treason. It’s… a lot.

So what did happen? Why is there “new” math?

Well, here’s the secret: there isn’t. Math hasn’t changed. But research happened.

Originally, researchers believed kids learned math strategies in a neat little line, from counting on fingers to more sophisticated methods, one step at a time. But it turns out children are actually pretty complex thinkers. Studies show that they use multiple strategies at once (an average of THREE!) even when they’re solving something we might expect them to recall instantly.

Take 7 x 8, for example. I don’t always remember that one off the top of my head. So I think: “7 x 7 is 49” (doubles are easier for some reason… science says so 🤷‍♀️), then I add 7 more to get to 56. But 49 + 7 isn’t instantly available either, so I do 1 to 50, then 50 + 6. Or, on a well-caffeinated day, I might do 9 + 7 = 16 and 40 + 16 = 56. Am I overthinking it? Maybe. But the point is, I’m using multiple strategies at lightning speed because I’ve had years of experience.

Kids are still building those neural pathways, so schools are helping them develop a toolbox of strategies to build fluency, confidence, and flexible thinking. That’s what “new” math is all about.

In fact, the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (yes, that’s a real thing) and other researchers recommend several practices that support kids’ learning. Some are for the classroom, but many we can do at home:

• Fluency through practice: There’s no getting around it, math facts require practice. Flashcards, apps, “playing school,” or worksheets taped to the fridge—it all counts.
• Real-world problem solving: Have your child calculate the tip at dinner, help double a recipe, or figure out how to divvy up the last slice of pizza (a very serious negotiation).
• Compare solution methods: You want to do the standard algorithm, and they want to do the… let’s call it the unicorns-and-rainbows strategy? Awesome! Try it both ways and see what happens. Who was faster? Did you get the same answer?
• Explain thinking: After solving it both ways, ask your child to explain their strategy. When they can teach it, they really get it.

Ultimately, our goal is for children to know their single-digit facts by heart and to build flexible strategies as math grows more complex: fractions, decimals, negatives, oh my! And no, math people didn’t invent new math just to make homework time extra spicy.

So next time your child looks at you like you’ve betrayed their entire educational belief system by mentioning the algorithm, just smile and nod. Then say:

“Let’s talk math.”

New math, old math, unicorn math… math, math, math.

We’ve got this, even if our kids think we don’t.