COMMON CORE

What’s this ruckus?   

Common Core has me in the mindset of the elder vampire Viktor when he was awaken a century ahead of time therefore sending poor little Craven into frenzy. I swear I wanted to just give Craven a Xanax.  Yeah, this may be dramatic, but let’s be honest Common Core has caused the biggest uproar in education since No Child Left Behind so in my opinion being dramatic is acceptable.  Judge me! LOL

In my opinion I do not believe it is the standards that are the problem, but the implementation of the standards.  Teacher autonomy is almost nonexistent.  Seriously it’s almost like just let a robot teach the class.  As an educator I believe it is my purpose to challenge my learners to see mathematical content in complete totality, not just limit my learners to the standard algorithm.  After teaching a standard my learners should be able to take their knowledge of the standard algorithm and apply it to a variety of problems (some in which they have never seen before) and solve them successfully and defend their reasoning. 

Let’s look at Common Core Standard:

4.NBT.5: Multiply a whole number of up to four digits by a one-digit whole number, and multiply two two-digit numbers, using strategies based on place value and the properties of operations. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models.

So traditionally learners had to simply solve a multiplication problem using a standard algorithm, now they have to take that knowledge and apply it in a variety of ways. 

Traditional Way

Common Core Way

Solve:                        7   6                       5 8 8         X          8          4, 7 0 4

Which answer seems more reasonable? Explain their errors. Brian                                               Jermaine                                                                                               6                               6  6            5 8 8                   5 8 8         X   8      or  X           8  4 0, 7 0 4                4, 6 0 4  The learner should be able to comprehend that they must first solve the problem in order for them to be able to effectively evaluate and analyze the work of Jermaine and Brian.  After solving the problem the learners should be able to identify that Jermaine’s response is more reasonable.  When explaining the errors made by Brian the learner should have determined that Brian no longer regrouped after the ones place.  Brain multiplied 8 x 8 then added 6 and got 70; versus placing 7 over the 5 Brian allowed it to be part of the product, etc.  Also, the advanced learner may point out that Brain’s work does show he knows his math facts, Brian’s errors are due to him not understanding the correct algorithm. The learner can infer that Jermaine’s mistake was possibly due to not proofreading or rushing, as he added incorrectly in the tens place.   When Jermaine multiplied 8 x 8 then added 6 he got an answer of 60 when he should have got 70.  Unlike Brian James knows the algorithm, he merely added incorrectly.

Sigh...I have no clue why those 6s in the second column appear the way they do. They are fine in my draft post :(

I love the Common Core way (Please note I said I love Common Core, not PARCC, but that discussion is for another blog).  It challenges the way my learners think, provides opportunity for engaging discussions thus leading to good debates.  This methodology also allows students to have an opportunity to learn how to agree to disagree respectfully, see how others think and why, and lets them comprehend the importance of defending their answers through experience. Keep in mind education was initially designed to help build social skills and foster the minds of beings to be assets to their community; not test takers. Sigh.

Let’s look at another standard:

4.NBT.6 Find whole-number quotients and remainders with up to four-digit dividends and one-digit divisors, using strategies based on place value, the properties of operations, and/or the relationship between multiplication and division. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models.

Traditional Way

Common Core Way

Solve: 1,497 ÷ 5

In which place is the first digit in the quotient 1,497 ÷ 5? The leaner must know math terminology. Quotient =answer.  The learner does not have to complete the problem to solve.  If you look at the problem to your left you will see the that 5 cannot go into one which is in the thousands place, however 5 can go into 14 thus placing a 2 over the four that is in the hundreds place, thus the first digit of the quotient starts in the hundreds place.

Again I have no clue why the work does not display in the first column. :(

Think about this, lack of knowledge in terminology hinders our understanding.  Many times we can work a problem or complete a task, however depending on how it is asked it can hinder success/completion.  Many learners know the algorithm however we must take them beyond simply algorithm and into analytical thinking.  Also the biggest challenge for learners on state test is lack of vocabulary knowledge. 

Common Core in my opinion has good intentions.  Implementation & resources are what I am observing to be the issue.  Fussing, complaining, and name calling is not going to solve our challenges in education.  Communication, honesty, responsibility, and possible solutions are what we need.  As you read my next few words take this quote in, “Truth is not judgment.”   

Like it or not America is falling behind other countries in the area of education. I am not saying Common Core is the answer. I am saying something must be done.  Our learners must be challenged. Education is not revered in America as it is in most countries or for that matter as it once was here in America many moons ago.  Many Americans take education for granted. Sad but true. Makes you think of that old saying “When something is given away freely and frequently it loses its perceived value.”  Teachers in America are not valued and are more than often taken for granted.  Many decisions that are made about education seldom have the input of teachers.  Many individuals who are making these decisions never taught in a classroom. Children should be prepared to be an asset to their communities and to identify and foster their talents.  As a teacher I love all my students and for me it is about them.  I encourage them to foster their talents.  Not all students’ talents are that of an academic/college nature.  I encourage them to educate themselves and how to do so (reading, researching, networking, keeping good company, having a good reputation).  I encourage them to not just desire be a professional athlete, but to desire to own a team.  To see the beauty in being an entrepreneur. Most importantly I teach them the importance of being kind to others.  The world is changing before our eyes, technology has created limitless possibilities. When it came to finding work my parents competed with individuals in their city, my generation started out competing with individuals in their city and state, and now we compete with all of America when applying for a job.  The idea of working for a company 30 years no longer exist.  The idea of staying in the same city or state for 30 years is a memory.  The truth is this generation of learners will not compete with the individual in their city, their state, or country, they will compete with the world.  Like it or not something must change in our education system.  A start would be embedding in our learners to look at teachers with as much admiration as they do that football player or artist.  For this to take place that means all of America should admire and praise teachers.  I am not saying teachers should be idols. I am saying that we should be respected so much that if a child dreamt of disrespecting us they should wake up and apologize. Teachers are not glorified babysitters.  From observing other countries the respect and appreciation they have for teachers far exceeds ours just as their academic success does.  Education not college is what is vital.  I know plenty of people with college degrees that have yet to apply their knowledge and be successful.  Education is more than remembering (lower level of BLOOMS) which conquistador conquered Montezuma.  Education is about how to evaluate and analyze (higher levels of BLOOMS) how to prevent meeting the same fate as Montezuma.  In America we worship status, titles, positions, money, and things far more than we value each other.  We are so far off our true essence and purpose; LOVE.  We compete and copy versus cooperate and compliment.  Do not for one second think that other countries are not watching us.  When I look at students, I look at easy prey.  Students in other countries are going to school longer and have a passion for learning like no other.  I’m not even going to say this is a race thing because at one point education in America was hard to come by for all races and genders. Abraham Lincoln taught himself.  Think about it.  I will say this. As a woman of color it’s disheartening when I observe the number of failing schools and my race is the dominant, if not only, population at those failing schools.  A ball in the African American community has been dropped.  Yes we have done and continue to do great things as a race, however doing great does not mean we ignore/excuse the bad. Blaming teachers for failing schools and low test scores is not the answer. That’s equivalent to putting a band aid on a stab wound.  Parents and students should be held just as accountable.  In summary I am saying that children are given a false sense of reality growing up in America.  Hopefully American will not one day be a modern day Montezuma.  Think on it.