NCTM Elaborates on Position on the Use of Calculators in Classrooms

A new position statement by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics on the use of calculators in math classrooms emphasizes a “balance” between the electronic aids and paper-and-pencil computation.

The statement, approved by the organization’s board of directors last month, revisits a long-standing debate.

For years, the NCTM has come under fire from some teachers, parents, and academics who accuse the influential group of overemphasizing calculator use at the expense of students’ development of basic skills in...