Common Core Math Frustrates Students, Parents

But its aim is to help students become problem solvers and thinkers. 

Common Core, a new set of English and math standards which has been adopted by 44 states, is proving, at least on the math side, to be extremely challenging to elementary school students and their parents. Some of the parents say that adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing has become as complicated as calculus.

Terms such as “rectangular array” and “area model”; a need to learn four different ways to do addition; and division problems requiring the use of squares, slashes and dots are just some of the features of the program which are frustrating parents and their children.

Diane Briars, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, tried to defend Common Core. "Part of what we are trying to teach children is to become problem solvers and thinkers," she said. "We want students to understand what they're doing, not just get the right answer." For many parents, that is a very unfamiliar approach. 

Some authorities say Common Core is an example of “reform math,” a teaching method that became popular in the 1990s. Reform math stresses the need for students to understand concepts like place value before doing standard arithmetic. However, critics, which refer to it as “fuzzy math,” believe this type of arithmetic fails to stress computational skills and consequently leaves students poorly prepared for higher math. Stanford University mathematician James Milgram believes reform math is too advanced for younger students and not nearly challenging enough for those in upper grades. And teachers are often not prepared well enough to adequately teach it.

Having been out of the teaching profession for quite a few years now, I don’t pretend to know much about Common Core. But the idea of trying to teach children not only how to do a certain mathematical procedure but why they are doing it a certain way is surely not a new idea and does seem to have some logic behind it. If a driver has his automobile break down on the highway, he might possibly be able to fix the problem himself and shortly be on his way again — if he understands the apparatus underneath the hood. On the other hand, if he knows little or nothing about how the car works, he will have to call for assistance and likely have to wait by the side of the road a while for the tow truck to arrive. Something similar might be said about doing math.

Surveys have shown that the best elementary school students tend to have parents who are interested and helpful in following their kids’ progress in school. It seems that the people in charge of Common Core math may need to be more effective in not only writing textbooks but in communicating the concepts behind Common Core to parents and teachers as well. It seems a balance must be found between “dumbing down” students and, on the other hand, talking over their heads.

This can be a lesson for all of us who are communicating with others, be they children, students, subordinates, or blog followers. And it is extremely important when it comes to communicating the Gospel. We may be preaching the true Gospel, but if our listeners or readers do not understand what we are saying, how much good are we doing?

Truthfully there are some things in the Bible which are not easy to understand. Even St. Peter pointed out that some of St. Paul’s letters “contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16b). However, the Gospel itself is not difficult to understand. It is just difficult, for some people, to believe. The Gospel requires us to first admit we are sinners and to repent of our sins. Then the Gospel points us to the Savior, Jesus Christ, who in our place suffered the punishment we all deserve and paid the price with His death. The twin gifts of forgiveness and salvation are offered to us as gifts of the Holy Spirit and require nothing on our part as payment, but they must be accepted or received through faith.

“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 3:28).

Reference: Michael Rubinkam, “2+2=What? Parents rail against Common Core math,” AP / Yahoo News.
  
**************************************

Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail your request to admin@lutheranscience.org].

****************************************

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Does vitamin D promote bone health?

Although a study published in The Lancet did not find evidence vitamin D can boost bone density, other studies show vitamin D in sufficient doses reduces the risk of falls and fractures..

Source: American Profile (March, 9-15, 2014)

****************************************

NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including those containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity, personal attacks or advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow several hours for it to appear on the blog.