When is it appropriate for kids to use calculators in school?

MARGE GISLER  (All material ©2004 Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Mailing address: P.O. Box 1657, Spartanburg, S.C., 29304-1657
The Spartanburg Herald-Journal is a member of the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group)

Dear Teacher,

Question: I worry about my son who just completed seventh grade, because every time I saw him doing math work this past year, he was always using a calculator instead of paper and pencil.  This was fine with his teachers. I am worried -- what do you think? -- Concerned

Answer: By seventh grade, children should have solid computation skills. Our only concern is that your son might not have mastered the basic facts and is using the calculator to handle them.  If this is what is happening, he might find that his ability to solve simple problems and handle everyday math is compromised. Neither seventh-graders nor adults should need to use a calculator for problems such as 6+9 or 3x7.

The use of the calculator is usually supported by the teachers of middle-school students. In fact, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics recommends the integration of the calculator into the school mathematics program at all grade levels for use in completing classwork or homework. The council also states that children should be taught how and when to use the calculator at each grade level.

Why don't you simply look at how your son is using the calculator to see if he seems to be using it appropriately?

Calculators have definitely freed children from computation drudgery. No longer are children adding or multiplying three- and four-digit numbers or toiling with pencil and paper to do long division. They have also given children the opportunity to handle larger numbers and investigate more difficult concepts.

Errors, of course, can still be made using a calculator, but students quickly learn that they must rely on their ability to make estimations to make sure that their answers are reasonable.