Monday, March 24, 2014

Understanding the Math Common Core Standards


This column is the second in a three-part look at Common Core Standards. While the first article focused on a general overview of Common Core, this column takes a closer look at Math Standards and part-three will review English Language Arts Standards.

Many of us remember “New Math” or even “Basic Math.” While Common Core is, for most of us, a new way of thinking about math, it is not the same as “New Math.” Experts in Common Core often refer to this way of thinking as inquiry-based, which is designed to promote a deeper understanding of math.

Over a decade ago I heard Michigan State University professor William Schmidt, one of the authors of the Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) speak on the fact that the math curriculum in the United States was “a mile wide and an inch deep.” He compared our curriculum and all of the things we expect students to learn to the curriculum in other countries, who at the time were doing better that the U.S. was on international math tests. It was amazing to see the charts and graphs and then begin to understand that something had to be done to assist our students learn math in a much deeper way.

The result of many conversations, lectures, research projects and meetings with top mathematicians from across the country is the Common Core Standards. The Standards provide students with the understanding and expertise students will need to be successful in their life after school, such as in college, trade school or in their work place. Students learn to justify why a particular mathematical statement is true, rather than simply memorizing many math facts. Even though the correct answer is very important, the Common Core Standards allows students to figure out how to solve a problem, and then asks the student what mathematical imperative or method was followed to solve the problem. The journey a student takes to solve a problem is just as important as the final answer.

Over the past year our teachers at Columbia Elementary and Columbia Middle School have spent a great deal of time working through the Common Core Standards. Recently, one of the first grade teachers told me that her students love math and ask if they can expand math time. One example she used was that when her first graders were working on learning about fractions, they use play dough or clay. They are able to touch and feel the size differences in the fractions as they work on a deeper understanding of fractions. After each exercise, they reflect and discuss their understanding of what they learned.

In another example, teachers use tactile objects called manipulatives to figure out multiplication. They may use blocks to form a multiplication problem like 3 x 4. They could use 3+3+3+3 or 4+4+4; they could arrange the blocks into a rectangle with three rows of four or four rows of three. Some students may have three groups of four or four groups of three. Students may also use visual objects such as graphs, lines, and circles to help solve a problem. When watching our teachers work with students during their math lessons, they may have students in groups sitting at desks, sorting and arranging manipulatives that may be eaten like fruit loops, or sitting in a group on the floor working to solve a problem together.

Our children are excited about this new way of learning math, but they may still have questions. One of my friends watches her grandchildren after school. She recently told me that sometimes she cannot help the youngest boy who is a kindergartner. When she gets stuck, she calls over the fourth grader, who understands the new Common Core Standards and he gets to be the expert. In addition to a new way of solving some of the problems, there is new terminology that comes with the Common Core Standards. If your child or grandchild is using math terms that are foreign to you, be sure and email your child’s teacher and they will help by giving you the definition and an example.

If you are interested in learning about Columbia School District or the programs we provide to our students, please email me at pam.campbell@myeagles.org or call 5175926641.

2 comments:

  1. I disagree with our district adopting Common Core. How are parents/caregivers supposed to take an active part in their children's education when, as you said, they aren't able to help them understand the content and objectives? I have had some adults with Master's degrees in various subjects including education tell me that the content of this learning is confusing even to them. You shouldn't force a child to do math 8 different ways if only one way makes sense to them. This is confusing and counterproductive. It also gets in the way of special needs children and their education (http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/02/the-common-core-is-tough-on-kids-with-special-needs/283973/). Very disappointed in the district lately because of this. I wish you would take an active stance against these policies. States that have chosen Common Core-aligned tests have seen 30 and 35 percent drops in proficiency rates. That's not a very strong case so far for continuing with these standards and testing.

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  2. Here is evidence of decreased proficiency rates among all students. Note that disabled students were, indeed, at a higher risk of low proficiency. http://wfpl.org/post/kentucky-education-commissioner-responds-new-yorks-common-core-testing

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