I was wondering if this 16 year old had any goals?  What does he/she want
to do with his/her life?  If the student wishes to further his education
, than he needs some math skills.  However, if  the student has no goals
that include math training, he/she can easily get by with just calculator
skills.  The thinking skills to arrive at the correct  answers in math,
even if using the calculator, are most of the battle anyway, I think. 
Memorization of the times table and addition  and subtraction can be
learned by rote..... if there is a need to.  Knowing  when  and how to
add subtract and multiply and which numbers to use,  takes the thinking. 
I have students who can do the math easily, but when it comes to a
reading problem, they don't know what to do, with or without the
calculator.


Rae Connors 

On Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:46:21 +0000 tcqmom at comcast.net writes:

> How can we help high school students adjust to life with no IEP?  I'm 

> working with a 16-year-old who is 100% calculator dependent.  He 

> cannot (will not?) learn math facts because he's always permitted to 

> use a calculator. Between that and his "digital" calculator, he 

> can't add, subtract, multiply or divide even the simplest of 

> numbers.  I've tried every way I can think of, and he still stumbles 

> on "What's 10 plus 2?", etc.  I really think that the calculator is 

> to blame. He knows he's always allowed to use it and won't imagine a 

> situation where he can't.  "Even my phone has a calculator," he 

> says.  

> Kathryn Quinn

> Home and Hospital teacher

> Frederick MD 

>  

> 

>