Are Calculators a Handicap?

Technology can be a means to enable people, but it can also hinder people. Today I encountered a pet peeve during my High School field service observation. Students were unwilling or unable to do simple stoichiometric mathematics with out a calculator. The students were appalled that I would expect them to complete simple addition facts and multiplication facts with simple brainpower. I feel it is essential to keep our brains active and alert. In order to do this I feel students should not be totally dependent on their calculators. I was even more appalled to find out that my first grader and his classmates have been given calculators to use on their math assignments. This is an excessive use of calculators when students should be developing their brain muscle not encouraging it to atrophy. At least my son tells me he would rather do his math with his head because it is quicker.

Am I too hard a teacher to expect my students to be able to multiply to twenty in their head, or add atomic masses together quickly? Yes a calculator can do it, but I can do it in my head quicker than I can type it into my calculator. I truly feel that students are becoming too dependent on calculators. I will insist that parts of my students’ exams are completely with out the aide of a calculator.