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Manipulatives are great tools for hands-on application of basic counting and math skills. So are functional activities that embed the skills in everyday activities ("If we take three eggs out of the carton to make breakfast, how many are left?" Etc.).
Unfortunately, that is not an option. We have to pretend that this ridiculousness is a wonderful thing, even though my wife and I both see the damage it is doing to our daughter. We won't denigrate the teacher or the school, or even the curriculum, in front of her. However, late night conversations now tend to revolve around math, how ridiculous this whole system is, and how to keep her interest in it.
This is all over the place and confusing but I really do want to understand... Care to explain?
I am not sure what you mean by "all over the place", but I mean there are times when it is either wise or less aggravating to do and pretend to think what Authority tells you even when you think Authority is full of ****.
Children have no power and usually must deal with the teacher and school somehow. But they also need to learn about Reality which the schools CLAIM to help with.
I was just using my Catholic school as an example.
But I do consider "some" science fiction to be informative about reality. Of course I started reading it long before Star Wars and so much SF today is crap. No better than Harry Potter.
Some parents want their children to be good conformists, so to them I am talking nonsense.
Last edited by psikeyhackr; 10-15-2017 at 10:26 AM..
I am not sure what you mean by "all over the place", but I mean there are times when it is either wise or less aggravating to do and pretend to think what Authority tells you even when you think Authority is full of ****.
Children have no power and usually must deal with the teacher and school somehow. But they also need to learn about Reality which the schools CLAIM to help with.
I was just using my Catholic school as an example.
But I do consider "some" science fiction to be informative about reality. Of course I started reading it long before Star Wars and so much SF today is crap. No better than Harry Potter.
Some parents want their children to be good conformists, so to them I am talking nonsense.
Okay, I think I see what you were saying... To me at first it just felt like three separate statements. I get that you pretended to be catholic to make life better at catholic school now, that wasn't clear to me at first that it was intended to be an example or that you had to pretend. To me religious belief is a bit different than math strategies, but I can see where you are coming from.
I too love sci-fi too and think it can be informative (Asimov teaches problem solving and critical thinking for example) but I don't see how it connects back to what you were saying about school authorities.
I am personally not a parent and the furthest thing from wanting kids to be conformists. (That is what gets me into trouble as a teacher the most actually.) I think that I agree with you but I'm just having trouble decoding some of your arguments.
To me religious belief is a bit different than math strategies, but I can see where you are coming from.
To me, what they seem to be doing with Common Core is even more weird than religion.
Religion does not have any checkable correct answers as far as I know. Math does and getting the correct answers as quickly and comprehensibly as possible seems the right way to go. Common Core does not seem to do that. More demonstrably illogical than religion.
My 4 year old asked me what 8 and 8 makes today and I told her to hold up 8 fingers and then start with 8 and count up.
Use of the fingers as counting aids is where the decimal system of numbers originated.
When my brother was in first grade, he came home with instructions to make a "flannel board" to be used with toothpicks for learning numbers and basic arithmetic. Our father asked the teacher why they didn't just use the fingers that they were already supplied with.
The teacher asked, "Would you want him to be counting on his fingers as an adult?"
To which Dad replied, "Would you want him to be carrying a flannel board and toothpicks with him for the rest of his life?"
To me, what they seem to be doing with Common Core is even more weird than religion.
Religion does not have any checkable correct answers as far as I know. Math does and getting the correct answers as quickly and comprehensibly as possible seems the right way to go. Common Core does not seem to do that. More demonstrably illogical than religion.
So there are two parts of math one part is getting right answers to problems. To this end we memorize times tables and whatnot... But there is also the problem solving and deeper understanding of WHY the answer is correct. CC and the associated math programs try to focus more on the latter. I agree that in many ways it's an over correction but that is what we as a species tend to do.
b) she gets her problems marked as wrong when she gets the answer correct because she didn't do it the "stupid way" (her words, btw)
And right there is the problem. You agree with her and are reinforcing the idea that common core math is "stupid". Most likely she isn't being taught standard algorithm in school, so where is she learning what she thinks is the "correct" way?
I've had students tell me their parents think common core is "stupid", or when they go home their parents teach them the "right way" to do math. This doesn't help the kids, it only confuses them when they hear one thing at home, and another at school. Their tests are always going to be based on what they learn at school, so it's best to just get on board with it.
My students recently had a test on area models. The whole point of the test was for them to correctly set up an area model. When they solve a problem using standard algorithm, because that's what their parents said to do, they're going to get points taken off. I feel bad taking off points, but when the question specifically states "
Solve the following problem using an area model"... They are able to fix any mistakes and get a higher score, so at least on the retry for the tests they can show me that they can do an area model and get those points back.
When it comes to standard algorithm in multiplication, students need to first know partial product. Area models help them to break apart and multiply partial products. When they're multiplying 54x61, they might know that 5x6=30 (especially since they can easily count on their fingers by 5), but do they really understand that they are multiplying 50x60 and their answer is actually 3,000 which is why they have to add zeros as they move down the line? This is a concept they need to know as they get into more difficult math concepts.
I think Common core math is fun, I wish we did math this way when I was in school. I hope that my positive attitude towards math rubs off on my students, and they also see how fun it can be. Then when their parents want them to do it the "boring way", they'll want to continue doing it how I taught them in class.
And right there is the problem. You agree with her and are reinforcing the idea that common core math is "stupid". Most likely she isn't being taught standard algorithm in school, so where is she learning what she thinks is the "correct" way?
She learned the standard algorithm last year, in fourth grade, from her teachers. Now she isn't allowed to use it. See the problem? And no, we aren't reinforcing her opinion. We paste smiles on our faces and pretend that it's wonderful and fun.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sundaydrive00
I've had students tell me their parents think common core is "stupid", or when they go home their parents teach them the "right way" to do math. This doesn't help the kids, it only confuses them when they hear one thing at home, and another at school. Their tests are always going to be based on what they learn at school, so it's best to just get on board with it.
My students recently had a test on area models. The whole point of the test was for them to correctly set up an area model. When they solve a problem using standard algorithm, because that's what their parents said to do, they're going to get points taken off. I feel bad taking off points, but when the question specifically states "
Solve the following problem using an area model"... They are able to fix any mistakes and get a higher score, so at least on the retry for the tests they can show me that they can do an area model and get those points back.
When it comes to standard algorithm in multiplication, students need to first know partial product. Area models help them to break apart and multiply partial products. When they're multiplying 54x61, they might know that 5x6=30 (especially since they can easily count on their fingers by 5), but do they really understand that they are multiplying 50x60 and their answer is actually 3,000 which is why they have to add zeros as they move down the line? This is a concept they need to know as they get into more difficult math concepts.
I think Common core math is fun, I wish we did math this way when I was in school. I hope that my positive attitude towards math rubs off on my students, and they also see how fun it can be. Then when their parents want them to do it the "boring way", they'll want to continue doing it how I taught them in class.
There is exactly one correct answer in math. Turning the process of finding that correct answer into something reminiscent of trying to find Hoffa's body isn't fun, it's frustrating. We're turning an entire generation against math due to making it more complex rather than less complex. Common Core is a joke, quite honestly, and I've found very few parents, teachers, or students that think it is a good thing.
In my experience, few of those who rail against CC math had any math aptitude to begin with. Those who "do" math as adults tend to see the point of CC right away.
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