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My daughter is a full year ahead in math using the core curriculum and so far I think it's been great. She's in 6th grade doing common core 7 plus and is doing very well. It seems to be well put together.
My oldest daughter is in 5th grade and is identified as having a strong need for AIG services in math. My youngest daughter is in 2nd grade and still tends to count on her fingers. Having said that, I like the new common core curriculum. Since math is taught in heterogeneous classrooms in elementary school (rather than dividing classes up by skill levels), I like that there is a national standard that the curriculum must stick to, rather than teaching to the "average" level of the kids in the class.
My oldest still whizzes through her regular math homework, but she gets pulled out for AG for enrichment. Overall, I've been pleased with the math curriculum she's had throughout elementary school. She is challenged just enough that I feel good knowing it's not way too easy for her, but she's not pushed so hard that it turns her off math all together. Since she really loves math right now, it's a fine line to walk. I'm expecting a wake up call in middle school next year, but we'll take it as it comes.
My daughter is a full year ahead in math using the core curriculum and so far I think it's been great. She's in 6th grade doing common core 7 plus and is doing very well. It seems to be well put together.
That's good to hear. I have a first grader who easily does third grade math (no pushing at all on my part - it appears to be his "hobby"). My other son was a little bit accelerated, but nothing like this, so I am not quite sure what to do about it (if anything). I'm hoping the schools are equipped to challenge him. His teachers are well aware of his ability and seem very good about giving him extra math.
I think they start pulling them for differentiated math in 4th grade.
My daughter is in 3rd grade and I'm happy with the core curriculum for her. They really insist on them learning their mulitplication tables whereas when my older two were in 3rd grade it was "here's multipication" and they kind of gave the whole thing short shrift, even though it's the basis for so many other things. They also expect the kids to be able to explain why they are doing what they are doing, not just rotely spit it back. My DD struggles a bit with math but in the end her teacher says she is better off than many of her classmates, who are faster and more advanced than her, but don't understand what they are doing while she totally gets the "why" behind what's going on. Her teacher says the other kids are "Kumoners" LOL.
I am not sure it's the common core as much as each districts' curriculum, teachers, etc. When I was in WI and we switched to common core last year, I saw very little difference from the WI standards. Maybe previous NC standards were different?
I mainly taught 2nd-4th grade and kids had to learn their facts, (someone posted they're glad they have to do that again) had to justify their work and explain the how/why and be exposed to multiple strategies for learning a concept (many parents not happy it wasnt just the traditional way, but kids had to understand what they were doing and why). Other than the timeline-and the fact that common core now requires us to skip some areas assuming kids already learned it-not much different than what I was doing.
This is my first year teaching here. The school I teach at does group the kids in all grades by ability, plus remediation and AG groups. I am not sure if this is new or if they've always done this.
We like the core curriculum for my son who is working 2 levels above grade in Math and reading . He seems to be liking it doing common core 7 plus in 5th grade. They have a new section in math where they have to explain answers by providing examples/facts and definitions.......just like "goodbyesnow" mentioned. This is a non-multiple choice section, that they had to learn new this year as a part of common core. They get point off for skipping ahead to the answer without explaining the step by step reasoning. certainly helpful to slow down kids like mine who do the math in their head and choose the correct answer.
MM_nature, if you don't mind my asking, what school is your son in? WCPSS had said they weren't doing advanced placement this year "until they collected more data" on the new curriculum. I'm curious where you guys are and how they went about advancing him.
If it doesn't involve Everyday Math, I am happy. ;-)
Everyday math had some good parts to it-needed more of the "explaining/justifying but did make us teach multiple strategies. Before teaching everyday math, I taught Math Investigations which focused heavily on the critical thinking aspects of math so kids understood what they were doing and why.
The math program we have here is so old-fashioned and boring that many teachers where I work are not using it or have to do a lot of supplementing.
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