Curriculums that emphasize such problems go beyond just building procedural skills, he observes. Problem-solving assignments require students to think about what information they need to solve a particular task, as well as how to get that information. Students in Vermont, he states, must use several problem-solving strategies, such as drawing a picture or making a chart, before applying an algorithm. One child will draw six faces and count the eyes one at a time. And when little kids come up with answers, parents are blown away by the diversity of their thinking.
Parents also talk about quilting rules, and they sort by size and textures.
Whiteford also holds workshops for parents to help update their understanding of math in elementary school. Most parents' understanding of math is procedurally based rather than conceptually based. As a result, Whiteford points out, parents often don't understand why language used to describe some procedures had to be changed. Therefore, we now say that we are renaming the fraction. It's simply that the language used now is more precise.