It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

Common core and math education in years past

page: 1
4

log in

join
share:

posted on Jun, 4 2015 @ 04:31 PM
link   
So a few weeks ago I was discussing Common Core math with my mom, she was against CC largely because of what she had read from people she knows on Facebook and the many articles attacking it.

I sat down with her though and started explaining the main concept behind CC, basically that it seeks to round numbers to the nearest 10s, 100s, and 1000s so that you can easily do the math.

After I finished the explanation my mom said that what I had just explained was extremely similar to how she was taught early in grade school in the 60's but that around the time she was in 8th the country changed to a new system known as "modern math" which taught the methods in use today.

So here's my question for those who were around to experience this since I'm not finding it in the history books. How was math taught in the 50's-mid 60's (or earlier) and do you remember this switch to the so called "modern math". The closest I see is new math, which I've linked below.
en.wikipedia.org...



posted on Jun, 4 2015 @ 04:40 PM
link   

originally posted by: Aazadan
So a few weeks ago I was discussing Common Core math with my mom, she was against CC largely because of what she had read from people she knows on Facebook and the many articles attacking it.

I sat down with her though and started explaining the main concept behind CC, basically that it seeks to round numbers to the nearest 10s, 100s, and 1000s so that you can easily do the math.

After I finished the explanation my mom said that what I had just explained was extremely similar to how she was taught early in grade school in the 60's but that around the time she was in 8th the country changed to a new system known as "modern math" which taught the methods in use today.

So here's my question for those who were around to experience this since I'm not finding it in the history books. How was math taught in the 50's-mid 60's (or earlier) and do you remember this switch to the so called "modern math". The closest I see is new math, which I've linked below.
en.wikipedia.org...


Besides a few FB memes and forwards of what appeared to be obvious mistakes in workbooks or an oddly worded math word problem, I have not seen any real evidence that CC is bad. My daughter is 17 and during middle school and high school for her, the math 'method' changed so many times, I had to re learn it. It wasn't just about 'showing your work' which I remember I had to do, it was HOW to show our work and it changed bizarrely and yearly. I had to hire a nursing student to help her. I just could not handle it after awhile. I like the idea of across the board methods if they are kept and further mathematics learning ease in this country.
Common Core Sit e
edit on 4-6-2015 by reldra because: (no reason given)


That all sounds useful. I was never very good at math and I remember geometry started in 9th grade, then algebra 1 in 10th grade, algebra II in 11th grade and no math in 12th grade. By the time I got to college, I had to go to the 'learning center' 10 hours a week and get tutored by foreign students to pass my core math classes. So, something went awry in my elementary/middle and high school experience. What I read about common core will have students learning the foundations throughout.
edit on 4-6-2015 by reldra because: (no reason given)
I think math in the 50s and 60s was similar to how math was taught in the 70s and 80s. It was obvious we had fallen behind many countries in math by how it was taught and, especially, that up until a certain point females were sort of allowed to breeze through.
edit on 4-6-2015 by reldra because: (no reason given)



posted on Jun, 4 2015 @ 04:49 PM
link   
a reply to: Aazadan

I was taught the old fashion standard method. I think that's limiting.

The problem I see - - is not fully educating the teachers on new methods - - and then not giving them enough time to fully integrate.

Personally, I'm now looking forward to CC - - even though I was once against it. More reading/education - - - less listening to opponents.



posted on Jun, 4 2015 @ 05:12 PM
link   
a reply to: Aazadan

The only problem with common core is the lack of focus on math facts. They are so busy trying to make math easier that they are forgetting that 99% of all math, and all math used in the real world, requires memorizing math facts.

Once a child memorizes math facts they can do any math problem that they understand the basic formula for.

In the schools in my area the teachers have already started to figure this out and our giving the kids math facts on thier own.

Comom core is great but it is a step that fits between math facts and algebra, and currently they are introducing it too soon for most kids.



new topics

top topics
 
4

log in

join