My worst version of this was in third grade where we learned our multiplication tables. Our teacher had us all make multiplication flashcards. 1x1 up through 12x12. She then assigned us to spend a certain amount of hours practicing the flashcards, including some log and parental sign-off IIRC. A card might have “3x8” written on one side, “24” on the other. Practice and drill until you memorize them all.
Well, the problem I had was that I memorized my times tables in a fraction of the time we were required to practice. I ended up getting in trouble for not having enough practice hours - even though I was acing the quizzes we were getting. This wasn’t even about showing your work, as this was a rote exercise in memorization!
But the teacher thought that it took X number of hours of practice to learn your times tables. That’s what she assigned, and nothing was going to change her mind. So I sat at home pointlessly practicing the times tables I had already memorized, instead of doing something fun or even moving ahead to more advanced math concepts.
I had teachers like this. Let’s just say I keep coming back to less than nice things to say about that kind of behavior.
The flash-card thing is kind of cursed anyway because multiplication is commutative, and you really don’t need the cards for zero, one, and ten. If you can add anything to itself in your head, throw out the twos while we’re at it. So you really only need 40-ish cards to do the job, not 144+.
or even moving ahead to more advanced math concepts.
Yeah, can’t break the class up into multiple lesson plans. Gotta move with the herd.
In a just world, you’d have been bumped up a grade, moved into an advanced track, or given time in advanced sessions with other gifted students. That said, your teacher would have been responsible for making those recommendations. FWIW, I did get into those advanced sessions but only after contact with a teacher that wasn’t projecting, envious, or an authoritarian blowhard about this kind of thing.
In a just world, you’d have been bumped up a grade, moved into an advanced track, or given time in advanced sessions with other gifted students. That said, your teacher would have been responsible for making those recommendations.
Oh that did end up happening eventually. I did go down that track. Ended up taking calculus freshman year of high school.
My worst version of this was in third grade where we learned our multiplication tables. Our teacher had us all make multiplication flashcards. 1x1 up through 12x12. She then assigned us to spend a certain amount of hours practicing the flashcards, including some log and parental sign-off IIRC. A card might have “3x8” written on one side, “24” on the other. Practice and drill until you memorize them all.
Well, the problem I had was that I memorized my times tables in a fraction of the time we were required to practice. I ended up getting in trouble for not having enough practice hours - even though I was acing the quizzes we were getting. This wasn’t even about showing your work, as this was a rote exercise in memorization!
But the teacher thought that it took X number of hours of practice to learn your times tables. That’s what she assigned, and nothing was going to change her mind. So I sat at home pointlessly practicing the times tables I had already memorized, instead of doing something fun or even moving ahead to more advanced math concepts.
I had teachers like this. Let’s just say I keep coming back to less than nice things to say about that kind of behavior.
The flash-card thing is kind of cursed anyway because multiplication is commutative, and you really don’t need the cards for zero, one, and ten. If you can add anything to itself in your head, throw out the twos while we’re at it. So you really only need 40-ish cards to do the job, not 144+.
Yeah, can’t break the class up into multiple lesson plans. Gotta move with the herd.
In a just world, you’d have been bumped up a grade, moved into an advanced track, or given time in advanced sessions with other gifted students. That said, your teacher would have been responsible for making those recommendations. FWIW, I did get into those advanced sessions but only after contact with a teacher that wasn’t projecting, envious, or an authoritarian blowhard about this kind of thing.
Oh that did end up happening eventually. I did go down that track. Ended up taking calculus freshman year of high school.