January 6

Convoluted confusing confounding Common Core

CommonCore2014-09-30-kid-test WTFurby?!?

The student’s answer makes a lot more sense to those of us who have to do math in real life. Clearly common core is replacing common sense. Most will agree that simplification is valued over complication. The Common Core approach to math is useless in the real world! Isn’t the entire point of school to prepare students to enter the real world? If a teaching method does not actually prepare people for reality, then it has failed. Simple.

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Posted 01/06/2015 by ronysue in category 2 cents

7 thoughts on “Convoluted confusing confounding Common Core

  1. Marta Jean

    The saddest thing about this is that it does sort of make sense to me. (Oh the shame!) When given the problem 8 + 5, in my mind I would immediately find the 10 and think 5 + 5 + 3. It’s not exactly how this teacher is explaining it – but the same idea. My issue with common core is not so much the methods that are being taught – it’s the requirement that ALL students and ALL schools are required to use ONE method that is MANDATED by the FEDERAL government (though I’d have the same problem if it was the state government- or even the school board) The fact (no pun intended) is, minds work differently. It is the responsibility of the parent and the teacher to introduce several ways of looking at a problem. It then becomes the student’s responsibility to find one that works for him and use it! If the correct solution is reached, there is no need to correct the method that is used. (Unless the method of choice is copying your neighbor’s paper)

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  2. ronysue (Post author)

    I totally agree, but we automatically figure it out in our head that way because we have a strong grasp of math facts. You can’t explain solving a problem in ones head when the head has not yet absorbed the basic facts. I am concerned that schools are being mandated to abandon tried and true methods for this Common Core cacophony instead of, as you said, introducing a combination of methods for different types of learners.
    You are so right – ONE method for ALL by government mandate is the scariest part of the equation!

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  3. Marta Jean

    You are the first and only person to ever tell me I had a strong grasp of math facts. Counting on my fingers is still my method of choice. :) Common Core is suffocating our children. Let’s protest by chanting, “I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!”

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  4. Jeff

    I agree with the student – you cannot make 10 when adding 8 and 5, because 8 + 5 = 13, not 10. If the problem had been “show how to make a 10-inch board from an 8-inch and 5-inch board”, what would the correct answer be, Common Core supporters? The teacher’s answer was that you can split 5 into 2 and 3?? Without any further information like “You have a hammer, nails, glue, and a saw…” you have to take 8 and 5 at their face value!

    Sorry kids, but it’s a bullshit question. Actually, it’s not even a question, it’s just a statement. In keeping with the touchy-feely-every-kid-gets-a-trophy approach to education, how can there be any wrong answers anyway? The kid should get half credit for trying, plus extra credit for being spelling-challenged and probably being a male, female, or other classified minority.

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  5. Dolo

    A kid who wants 10 candies when he has 8 and his friend has 5 knows he just has to scoot two of those candies from his friend’s pile to make 10. I don’t think this is very confusing. I think it’s even easier for kids because their brains are still forming.

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  6. Dolo

    Another point is that I always see one isolated common core question at a time. Aren’t there lessons and isn’t there a bigger picture? Remember number lines, jumping forward and backwards on the line to understand how to add, subtract and get a concept of negative numbers? I am thinking that the idea of common core is to get children used to breaking down and building up numbers for a deeper understanding of how to solve problems.

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    1. ronysue (Post author)

      Hi Dolo! Welcome to my blog Thing!
      I’ll admit I am hyper critical because of the way it is being forced instead of suggested as an enhancement to creative teaching strategies. I am not arguing the concept – The IDEA of common core is not so much the issue as the MANDATE. Government has no business choosing curriculum. We have professionals for that, they are called TEACHERS =)

      Reply

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