Should kids be allowed to use calculators in school?

My daughter is older than the level you're referring to, I think, but I do have a problem with calculators. Last year, Grade 10 Advanced Math, she was required to purchase a graphing calculator (well over $100) that she will use straight through college. They use it for everything -- including for solving equations that I used to solve in school without the benefit of this calculator. In some cases, when she's gotten frustrated, I've worked the same problem by hand that she is trying to solve "electronically" and I come out with the correct answer and she doesn't. This concerns me. I think, too, that they should be taught the basics of correct computations manually and then, once they truly understand it, then they can use the calculator.

I don't like the idea of kids being allowed to use calculators at such a young age. They should be encouraged to think ont heir own instead of depending on an instrument. That's one thing which disturbs me about the education system here in the US. I hail from India and back there children aren't allowed to use calculators till they reach the 9th or 10th grade. Back when I was studying I rememvber the firs ttime I was allowed to use a calculator was only when in college. I think that really helped us put those brains to use instead of letting them rust. I'm in the US now but don't want my kids to study here, atleast not junior and high school! I'd rather they learn math the hard way.

When I was at school, calculators did not exist, and had to learn to count the hard way, and it was hard for some people. I don't think anyone should only use a calculator for subtraction, multiplication or division, these should all be taught by first principles and then use of calculators should be allowed later. how many of us have been in shops where the tills are not working and the assistant can't even add thing like 23 and 12, simple addition like that is too much for them. This has the added benefit of teaching the children to use their brains instead of letting it be done for them.

ya why not coz every child in not born genius and they are einstein....

I think kids should learn basic math without using a calculator. I think by the time they reach high school, it would be okay to use the claculator. Yes, I know how to do math by hand but it sucks.

I think it really depends on the math they are doing. I know I wouldn't expect someone to try and do a Calculus problem with a pencil. That would just be ludicrous, but I don't think they should be using calculators for simple math either.

when i was still in elementary, we weren't allowed to use calculator. we calculate simple math on our own. we do have lots of scratch papers to work on before placing our final answer on the quiz pad or test papers. it's better that way. we were able to study harder and remember procedures more. it was in highschool when i started getting algebra classes when we were allowed to use calculators. and i think that's just fair. as of now, i still believe that kids in elementary should learn the basics of math. this is better than jumping into the simple method of using calculators. it's good so kids won't be too dependent on calculators themselves.

no student should be allowed..calculators should be allowed after the high School

I think it's wrong! As a teacher and a future father, i think using the calculator kids will stop using their minds and become more and more like robots! I hardly use the calculator, just use it for very dificult operations!

why not, depent on what grade they are thought.child lesson in school now is much harder then in my school time.so i think calculator is really a good tool to help.

I agree they shouldn't be allowed to use them. I know around here they are using them as early as third grade. Yes it can make doign the math quicker but most of the time they aren't learning the basics that they need to. They aren't learning how to do the math themselves and then when they get into higher grades they don't have those basics to draw upon and it's even harder for them to learn. They use the calculator for just about everything. I know when I was a kid we weren't allowed to use a calculator at school. Home if we did they couldn't say much but on a test? We were on our own. We had to know how to do it or else we failed.

Well, I don't think younger kids should use calculators, otherwise they'll never learn their maths tables. They're not allowed to use calculators here until they go into secondary school when they're about 12/13 years old.

these day kids are using computers.what is important is creativity as i think for the development of society.mathematics is a skill which can also be developed with active computing.

Base on my own experience, it is better to let students compute for a mathematical problem without the use of calculator as it enhances and sharpen a person's mind power and memory, and most importantly they will not depend on the said device when math problems arise outside the school; because most likely no one brings a calculator everywhere everytime.

I as a parent of five almost adults two still at school feel the school would do a lot better without them .Just look in a checkout if the till breaks down the assistants cannot work out how much change to even give us back i think they need to get the kids using their brains again

when i was in kindergarten and junior high school, i learn mathematic without using calculator. so i know simple additon/subtraction/multiplication/division without using calculator. we use calculator in senior high school, for calculate a complicated calculation like physic, chemistry and mathematic expert.

In may daughter's case, calculators are taught as part of the curriculum. They are used in such a way that the kids will be able to use them in daily life. She's a normal kid and wasn't allowed to use calculators in class until high school (except when they were teaching them how to use them). This is the same way I was taught in school. My son, on the other hand, has some learning difficulties that make it impossible for him to remember math processes. For this reason, his whole special-ed class is taught to use the calculator for daily use, based on their separate abilities. For example, my son can multiply in his head quite well, but can't do it on paper. He also cannot remember all the steps in division, even though he has been taught numerous times. I think there are a lot of kids like him out there who just can't remember all the steps. Calculators are a lifesaver for them that allow them to move on to more complex math without getting bogged down in basic math details.

they should not be allowed to use calculators.

I think they should be allowed after the high School only.

You're right. The basics should be established first because Math is part of everyday life (so everyone should at least know how to do basic operations). The reason for higher math to require calculators is to arrive at a solution faster. Honestly, I would still prefer the old way of trying to figure out the formulas by understanding them because this encourages logical thinking, even if the child may not major in Mathematics later on. I mean look at the standard of education these days. A lot are getting less proficient in math!