Old Math vs. New Math: What Is Happening in Elementary School Mathematics?

Math uses logic, and that should be a simple system. However, the math many parents grew up with is actually different than the elementary school math being taught today. This makes teaching math a different experience, and math homework has become a riddle for many parents.

Obviously, logic hasn’t changed, and neither have the solutions to math problems. However, with Common Core as the primary method used in schools, the curriculum and methodology in solving a problem has changed quite a lot.

So, what’s the difference between “old” and “new” math?

While the difference between old math and new math might seem vast, it can be a relatively simple concept to grasp. While an older view of mathematics involves memorization of arithmetic, consider the Common Core approach to be summed up as a means to “show your work” in a standardized format. What parents remember from textbooks back in their grade school days has drastically changed, in many ways for the better.

The common core approach

Education in America has taken many twists and turns; and Common Core can be traced all the way back to 1958, when President Eisenhower signed the National Defense Education Act, boosting education across the board for the entire nation.

As states began to rely on standardized formats, colleges also recognized the benefit of having students’ work be easily gauged and measured rather than each different state using separate systems. Essentially, consider Common Core a set of education guidelines students should have an understanding of by the time they reach high school. Because of this mentality, the way math education was taught in schools changed drastically.

Many parents find Common Core to be a confusing adaptation; “why change math?” many would ask. "Why standardize everything?" As the curriculum has changed, this gap in knowledge has created a lot of frustration in teaching students at home, and parents are recommended to take some time and learn the principles of “new math.”

What is “new math?”

Whereas “old math” focuses on memorization, in which students are encouraged to memorize many formulas and concepts to solve problems, “new math” has been implemented throughout a worldwide shift that took place around 2010 to 2013. This approach is designed for students to truly understand conceptual math, focusing on problem-solving and using math in real-world application throughout a student's curriculum.

As stated before, the answers to problems have not changed. Grade school students will arrive at their solutions using the same logic involved with the same right answer, but essentially have a better understanding of how it works.

For instance, a typical addition problem of 31 + 29 would be split by place value. The student would focus on the 10’s place numbers first, adding 30+20 to arrive at 50. Then, they would add the one’s place values, adding 1 + 9 to arrive at 10. The final step would be adding the end results, giving them an answer of 60. These guidelines apply to subtraction as well, and there are many more approaches involved.

Essentially, “new math” means showing your work. Problems are drawn out much further than “old math” using techniques you have certainly used in your head to solve problems. This allows teachers to recognize their students grasp the concept itself, not just the answer; uplifting the effects of mathematics pedagogy.

Teaching to the test

This terminology is a colloquial term, and it’s as simple as it sounds. Throughout the implementation of Common Core, standardized testing has become a consistent theme in American education. Teaching to the test quite literally means teaching material that specifically prepares students for a standardized test.

In terms of new math, this means students are learning to solve problems (and show their work) adjacent to ones they will find when tested. This kind of curriculum allows students to excel on testing, but has often been critiqued for focusing on test scores rather than optimizing learning. In short, a good teacher and curriculum should be lasering in on both.

Mathematics at Laurel Springs School

Students at Laurel Springs School have access to mathematics at any level, from high-level courses preparing them for college to introductory courses allowing them to build a foundation of knowledge before moving on to more rigorous material.

With a vibrant system of support, students always have access to guidance from teachers and counselors alike from the moment they enter the virtual classroom, teeing them up for success in mathematics education throughout their grade school career.