Switzer, JM. (March 2010). Bridging the math gap. Mathematics Teaching In Middle School. vol 15(7), 400-405.
Switzer gave an argument for the need to know the content and the processes in which elementary schools teach math, in order to better teach students in middle schools and high schools. Switzer wrote about how a teacher called him and asked about these algorithms they were teaching in elementary school that she had not seen before. This lead Switzer to learn about the types of instruction elementary school students received compared to middle school high school students in his district. Switzer wanted to show that it is important for middle school teachers to know what is being taught in elementary schools so that the student's math knowledge can be built upon. Switzer gave the example of the partial product algorithm to multiply integers. This method is an alternative to the usual method of multiplying integers but it allows connection to be made with distribution in multiplication and the placement value of integers. Switzer stated that teacher that know what was previously taught to their students are better able to help them make connection from past material to new material in mathematics and he encouraged teachers and school districts to better communicate their math teaching processes.
Switzer gave a great argument about why it is important for teachers to know what was previously taught to their students, but did not give enough examples. he gave the partial product algorithm and went into great lengths about how it can help students make important connection to deeper mathematical concepts, but this is the only example he gave. I agree with his conclusion that teachers need to learn what elementary schools are teaching, especially since children are learning math faster and at an earlier age now then they did 20 years ago. It would be easy for teachers to get a couple of manuals that give them the idea of what is being taught at lower levels in mathematics. I know that it really helps me when teachers can show me, based on what I have already learned, a new math concept. The only critique I have to the article is that it didn't have enough examples of different algorithms that were being taught in elementary schools.
