I've read several posts lately that bashed the Common Core standards. So here's my take, as an educator who was around (albeit for 2 years) before Common Core.
Stop hating on a group of standards - start hating on the curriculum your district choose instead or on how your child's teacher CHOOSES to teach them. School districts chose the curriculum that is used to teach your child NOT the common core. Teachers choose how to incorporate them into lessons.
For example:
"2.NBT.B.9. Explain why addition
and subtraction strategies work,
using place value and the
properties of operations.
(Explanations may be supported
by drawings or objects.)
Examples are given:
Students need multiple opportunities explaining their addition and subtraction thinking. Operations
embedded within a meaningful context promote development of reasoning and justification.
Example:
Mason read 473 pages in June. He read 227 pages in July. How many pages did Mason read
altogether?
Karla’s explanation: 473 + 227 = _____. I added the ones together (3 + 7) and got 10.
Then I added the tens together (70 + 20) and got 90. I knew that 400 + 200 was 600. So I
added 10 + 90 for 100 and added 100 + 600 and found out that Mason had read 700
pages altogether.
Debbie’s explanation: 473 + 227 = _____. I started by adding 200 to 473 and got 673.
Then I added 20 to 673 and I got 693 and finally I added 7 to 693 and I knew that Mason
had read 700 pages altogether. Becky’s explanation: I used base ten blocks on a base ten mat to help me solve this
problem. I added 3 ones (units) plus 7 ones and got 10 ones which made one ten. I moved
the 1 ten to the tens place. I then added 7 tens rods plus 2 tens rods plus 1 tens rod and
got 10 tens or 100. I moved the 1 hundred to the hundreds place. Then I added 4
hundreds plus 2 hundreds plus 1 hundred and got 7 hundreds or 700. So Mason read 700
books.
Students should be able to connect different representations and explain the connections.
Representations can include numbers, words (including mathematical language), pictures, number
lines, and/or physical objects. Students should be able to use any/all of these representations as
needed.
An interactive whiteboard or document camera can be used to help students develop and explain their
thinking."
This is a second grade standard, and while it isn't as easy as actually solving the problem. EXPLAINING how you get there is important too. For teachers, it's important for us to know a student gets it - not just that they can calculate the right numbers.
If your child is staying up frustrated and crying about homework - write a note and let the teacher know you need a better explanation on how to solve it. Don't ever let a teacher tell you, "don't help" - that's BULL. NEVER do your child's homework - that doesn't help them learn it just shows them it's okay to do someone else's work for them. It also won't let the teacher know what they need to work on with your child - the correct answers will actually make them think your child gets it and doesn't need help.
The other issue - the staying up all night issue, isn't Common Core's fault, it's the teacher's fault for assigning too much homework or homework that is too hard. The purpose of Common Core is to provide students with extra ways in which to solve problems - not just one concrete way. We all learn differently, which is the basis behind more detailed standards.
As I read the last couple statements I realize I'm putting a lot of blame on the classroom teacher - but seriously it is...or on the district if they are so micro-managing that they dictate how teachers teach in the classroom. The Common Core are a set of standards that are common throughout most of the country. The goal was to create a more equal playing field between the states, so that when students move from state to state they will be taught relatively the same thing and won't be too far behind or above the rest of their class.
Don't let a district tell you it's to Common Core's fault - they are just a set of guidelines, they don't force a certain way of teaching.
In my classroom, I teach my students several ways to solve a problem - then I let them choose which one they want to use. As long as we end up at the same place and they can tell me how to get there. I don't care which way they used. That's how Common Core should be implemented - showing several different ways to solve a problem and then letting students choose the one they like best - because we all get there different ways.
Have I used number lines to show multiplication? yes. Have I used blocks to show multiplication? yes. Do some kids get frustrated? yes. Have I had parents tell me they stayed up with a frustrated kid? yes. Was it my fault for giving work that was too hard? yes. But I take blame for that - I'm not going to blame it on a piece of paper.
If you think the Common Core is too hard, check out what other kids around the world have to do:
http://hrd.apec.org/index.php/Mathematics_Standards_in_APEC_Economies
Example was taken from Arizona's College and Career Readiness Standards:
http://www.azed.gov/azccrs/
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