^ Good question: I think from where I stand I woul...

2012-01-30T01:57:44.043-05:00

^ Good question: I think from where I stand I would actually recommend "no". For what it's worth, I'm dealing with classrooms full of community-college students, none of whom say they've ever seen it before when it comes up in algebra, etc. Then they turn to other resources (like one of my students last week looking at YouTube videos) and wind up confused from the one-off notation.

So if it is taught in elementary school, (a) I'm not seeing any evidence that it "sticks" for my students, and (b) it causes a bifurcation when older students go to read up on it for (what appears to be) the first time.

Better to synchronize it. And I don't see why proper status and usage of the equality symbol is out-of-bounds for elementary students; in fact, it's probably most critical to be taught at that stage.

I agree with you about getting students used to do...

2012-01-30T00:32:31.696-05:00

I agree with you about getting students used to doing "real math" as soon as they are ready. However, I feel that factor trees are not a bad bit of scaffolding for younger students, until they are ready for fully standard notation.
What do you think: can elementary teachers keep using them, until a HS teacher shows students the "normal" way to factorize?

Comments on AngryMath: Against Factoring Trees

^ Good question: I think from where I stand I woul...

I agree with you about getting students used to do...