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If a grown woman can't figure out a second grade math problem, what does that tell us about the education system that that mother learned under?
I don't think the article makes any real case against Common Core. Kids have always cried over homework. But having children currently in school I completely understand why the mom is having trouble helping her.
When my daughter was younger, I was helping her with an addition problem. I said something about "carrying the 1," and she had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. They learn to "regroup" now.
And the multiplication is even crazier.
My older children are in middle school and both are two years ahead in math because they are such good math students. My husband is an engineer, and he often says that Common Core is the most convoluted math he has ever seen. He said he knows how to do the math, but when he reads through the way my kids are learning, he can barely understand it the way the text books teach it. And he has a degree in engineering.
I don't think the article makes any real case against Common Core. Kids have always cried over homework. But having children currently in school I completely understand why the mom is having trouble helping her.
When my daughter was younger, I was helping her with an addition problem. I said something about "carrying the 1," and she had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. They learn to "regroup" now.
And the multiplication is even crazier.
My older children are in middle school and both are two years ahead in math because they are such good math students. My husband is an engineer, and he often says that Common Core is the most convoluted math he has ever seen. He said he knows how to do the math, but when he reads through the way my kids are learning, he can barely understand it the way the text books teach it. And he has a degree in engineering.
When these kids get to algebra in HS many of them are lost.
Lattice multiplication, regrouping, forgiving method of long division, drawing pictures in the margins.
None of that works with a polynomial equation.
Students in HS science classes can't read graduated cylinder markings and handing them a calculator means nothing.
When these kids get to algebra in HS many of them are lost.
Lattice multiplication, regrouping, forgiving method of long division, drawing pictures in the margins.
None of that works with a polynomial equation.
Students in HS science classes can't read graduated cylinder markings and handing them a calculator means nothing.
My oldest is in high school Honors Algebra in the 7th grade. He's doing really well, but he's practically Rain Man. My kids all got my husband's math skills. But for kids who aren't as smart, as adaptable, or as good at math, this seems like a disaster in the making.
Not to mention, for practical, adult, real life uses, this math makes no sense. I can multiply out multi digit numbers on a corner piece of scrap paper. Using today's method, the kids need a clean sheet of paper to have room to do a couple of problems. I guess their iPhone calculators will do the work for them when they grow up.
Last edited by brentwoodgirl; 02-14-2014 at 12:28 PM..
My 10 YO 4th grader is mastering concepts and methods I have no idea about blowing me and my old methods away. I had no idea this was happening because she is an advanced honor student whos been on auto pilot since pre school. I think the words gifted and genius are thrown around to much but she is at the top of her class through hard work and shes very competitive
The problem is my 9 YO 3rd grader is spitting the bit and I have to go to my 4th grader to get help for my 3rd grader.
Bottom line is if the parents aren't deeply involved they are cheating their children.
My oldest is in high school Honors Algebra in the 7th grade. He's doing really well, but he's practically Rain Man. My kids all got my husband's math skills. But for kids who aren't as smart, as adaptable, or as good at math, this seems like a disaster in the making.
Not to mention, for practical, adult, real life uses, this math makes no sense. I can multiple out multi digit numbers on a corner piece of scrap paper. Using today's method, the kids need a clean sheet of paper to have room to do a couple of problems. I guess their iPhone calculators will do the work for them when they grow up.
Many parents who have seen this Math and have concerns have taken matters into their own hands and do additional work at home with their kids teaching them the traditional methods.
My son was lost with the new methods but understood the traditional methods I taught him.
And I stood my ground when his teacher asked me to stop teaching him that..she wanted him to learn her methods and use her methods on tests.
With Math there is more than one way to get an answer and each way is valid.
Yet that math teacher was adamant that only "her way" was the correct way.
The best math teachers I had were the ones that showed us several ways to get an answer and then told us to use the one we understood the best.
When these kids get to algebra in HS many of them are lost.
Lattice multiplication, regrouping, forgiving method of long division, drawing pictures in the margins.
None of that works with a polynomial equation.
Students in HS science classes can't read graduated cylinder markings and handing them a calculator means nothing.
I respectfully disagree. My kids were all taught Everyday Math in elementary school, and the oldest two successfully transitioned to middle school algebra and then to high school honors math and science. Neither struggles with calculators, graduated cylinders, or applying formulas and solving equations. My youngest is just now starting pre-algebra, and he seems to be coming along at a reasonable pace, too.
Last edited by randomparent; 02-14-2014 at 12:41 PM..
Reason: Typos
My 10 YO 4th grader is mastering concepts and methods I have no idea about blowing me and my old methods away. I had no idea this was happening because she is an advanced honor student whos been on auto pilot since pre school. I think the words gifted and genius are thrown around to much but she is at the top of her class through hard work and shes very competitive
The problem is my 9 YO 3rd grader is spitting the bit and I have to go to my 4th grader to get help for my 3rd grader.
Bottom line is if the parents aren't deeply involved they are cheating their children.
If she gets it then by all means leave her alone because she's doing just fine.
It's the kids that don't get it that need help and not all parents can help anymore.
Many parents who have seen this Math and have concerns have taken matters into their own hands and do additional work at home with their kids teaching them the traditional methods.
My son was lost with the new methods but understood the traditional methods I taught him.
And I stood my ground when his teacher asked me to stop teaching him that..she wanted him to learn her methods and use her methods on tests.
With Math there is more than one way to get an answer and each way is valid.
Yet that math teacher was adamant that only "her way" was the correct way.
The best math teachers I had were the ones that showed us several ways to get an answer and then told us to use the one we understood the best.
I think that is the biggest problem with Common Core. It grades the process more than the answer. It forces the kids to do math the "Common Core" way. In many cases, the process is worth 4 points, and the right answer is worth 1.
My oldest got a 96 on a test this year because he got the right answer on one problem, but worked it different than the Common Core way. His way was also 100% correct. No matter what numbers were in the problem, his way would have found the right answer. But he still lost 4 points.
But if you follow the Common Core way, even if you get all the answers completely wrong, you get an 80% because you showed the Common Core process. You can't do the math, but who cares about those trivial details, right?
I respectfully disagree. My kids were all taught Everyday Math in elementary school, and the oldest two successfully transitioned to middle school algebra and then on high school honors math and science. Neither struggles with calculators, graduated cylinders, or applying formulas and solving equations. My youngest is just now starting pre-algebra, and he seems to coming along at a reasonable pace, too.
I didn't say all. I said many.
We have a one size fits all curriculum now.
What happens in upper middle class suburban schools with involved parents cannot even be compared to the lower SES schools.
I think that is the biggest problem with Common Core. It grades the process more than the answer. It forces the kids to do math the "Common Core" way. In many cases, the process is worth 4 points, and the right answer is worth 1.
My oldest got a 96 on a test this year because he got the right answer on one problem, but worked it different than the Common Core way. His way was also 100% correct. No matter what numbers were in the problem, his way would have found the right answer. But he still lost 4 points.
But if you follow the Common Core way, even if you get all the answers completely wrong, you get an 80% because you showed the process. You can't do the math, but who cares about those trivial details, right?
Not all schools are doing this but it is the norm.
Partial credit should be given if you did everything right but made some stupid arithmetic mistake along the way.
On a bubble test it's either right or wrong but in a show your work test you have room for partial credit.
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