Math for Elementary Teachers: A Conceptual Approach [Hardcover]

Albert B. Bennett (Author), Ted Nelson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 13, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0072346817 | ISBN-13: 978-0072346817 | Edition: 5

Emphasizing conceptual understanding through the use of models and visuals, this text helps students connect ideas and concepts while providing them with useful methods for teaching math to elementary school children. Mathematics for Elementary Teachers: A Conceptual Approach addresses the NCTM standards by encouraging active student participation through features such as "Math Activities" and "Math Investigations." The "Math Investigations" now appear on the companion website.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 880 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math; 5 edition (July 13, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072346817
• ISBN-13: 978-0072346817
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,646,507 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It's a Textbook, August 29, 2004

By 

Charles R. Williams (Akron, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mathematics for Elementary Teachers: A Conceptual Approach (6th Edition) (Hardcover)

Anyone who wants to save money can get the 5th edition for a fraction of the cost. The main difference is that sections 7.1 and 7.2 are reversed.

I have taught many times from this book and since I didn't choose the text I have no way to compare it to the alternatives.

My students find the book confusing, in part, because the book attempts to cover everything an instructor might want to teach from it. Any text covering this material would have the same characteristic. It is critical to guide students as to what is important and what is not. One cannot simply teach this textbook as is.

Much of the material covered in the text is middle school level and not part of the K-5 curriculum. That's fine as long as the instructor realizes that students aspiring to teach Kindergarten will find middle school material difficult, confusing and irrelevant to their goals.

There is not enough practice in this book to build any skill in which the student is deficient or to cover any gaps in the student's preparation. It is simply not possible to do this in a math for elementary teachers course. Students must rely on tutors for this kind of help. The textbook, then, does not proceed sequentially - like an algebra textbook would - to build skills in a systematic way but rather topically. The book veers from the very abstract to the very concrete and students have trouble with this also.

Most students who will use this book have a good grasp of place-value, operations with fractions and decimals, factoring and simple algegra. This material is covered in Chapters 1, 3-6.3. This is not the case for sets, functions, logic, all topics in geometry, and simple probability and statistics. These topics may be in the official high school curriculum but are rarely taught to mastery to the typical student who decides to become an elementary teacher. Furthermore, these topics are ignored in college math placement tests and in remedial math courses. Those responsible for designing a course that might use this book must take this reality into account.

Another challenge for students is to approach mathematics concepts in which they have a sound working knowledge from multiple learning styles. This is difficult even for those who are well prepared. The book is good resource for this.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good resource for the non-math minded, December 31, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers: A Conceptual Approach (Hardcover)

I had Bennett as an instructor and used this book throughout the course sequence. I found it to be a helpful resource for teachers who were unfamiliar or "rusty" with mathematics. However, if you are a math-minded person looking for more ideas, this book will not help you develop your potential. It is a good place to start thinking about ways to teach and learn mathematics, but not a great collection of information on the whole.

9 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Horrible book!, August 8, 2004

By 

A. Booth "ajnanny" (Medina, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: MP: Mathematics for Elementary Teachers: An Activity Approach with Manipulative Kit (Spiral-bound)

Very complicated book. Bad examples and format. AN FYI for college students trying to save money, the older edition is the SAME as the newest one. What a rip off.