Ah, I encountered the factorial trees or whatever they are this year.
I don't mind if they change the way they teach math - as long as they successfully teach basic math. Sadly, they don't.
When I CAN see what my child is working on (this year, all year, they didn't have a textbook to bring home, so I really couldn't help her and she had terrible grades on almost every test), I help.
When it comes to anything like algebra or even basic calculus, I'm the weirdo who doesn't follow a strict set of rules, but can "figure out how to figure it out". I work on a single simple algebra problem with my daughter, and we solve it 5 different ways, and by the end she is beginning to learn what's going on - and how to solve a math problem. Whereas in school, they're taught a strict process to solve a particular type of problem - and as you've all pointed out, this is an INVENTED process that's
alien to many of us - and it's NO BETTER than the old process, and it's NOT EASIER to comprehend. It's just different. And it ONLY teaches them that one funky process - it doesn't teach them to SOLVE A PROBLEM in real life. "Oh, this is where I have to use the factorial tree process" - nope.
First time I met with her latest math teacher, she told me (in the presence of a Vice Principal) about all the resources available for help - she was lying.
Second time I met with this teacher, it took me 3 tries to explain to her the error in the text. Because, as I realized during that conversation - she really isn't any good at math.
Physics, Cal Berkeley, End Rant
Also, ask my daughter what happens if you make an error with a decimal point or something. She'll look at the ceiling and sigh, "I know...I know...everybody dies". LOL. I like to come up with real-life examples of how you might use the math she's doing. Tire traction. Airplane fuel. Collision velocity. Bullet trajectory. You know - stuff a teenage girl can relate to.