Common Core Math Standards Making the Simple Complicated
Barry Garelick wrote at The Atlantic about the Common Core Math Standards. Basically he says that kids are required not to just learn how to make a calculations, but also how to explain why they are doing so. The standards actually elevate this above learning how to solve math problems. Garelick points out a couple of emails he has received as anecdotal evidence that the implementation of the standards are falling flat.The second from a teacher…They implemented Common Core this year in our school system in Tennessee. I have a third grader who loved math and got A’s in math until this year, where he struggles to get a C. He struggles with “explaining” how he got his answer after using “mental math.” In fact, I had no idea how to explain it! It’s math 2+2=4. I can’t explain it, it just is.
I am teaching the traditional algorithm this year to my third graders, but was told next year with Common Core I will not be allowed to. They should use mental math, and other strategies, to add. Crazy! I am so outraged that I have decided my child is NOT going to public schools until Common Core falls flat.
Garelick then goes on to explain why the Common Core Math Standards complicate math needlessly fo