What’s this “new” math?

QuickFacts (and Opinions) on

Common Core Math

by Kristen Rose LVIS 4th Grade Google Images

The real issue is a rights issue, not a “math issue.”

• 10th Amendment gives the states the right to control education – Most states adopted CCSS in 2010– Race to the Top was a federal money program that

highly influenced most states to adopt CCSS• Backers of CCSS and backers of local standards

are paying big money to sling mud, which is stirring uncertainty.

TIMSS StudyTrends in Mathematics and Sciences Study

• Happens every few years– 2011 was the latest

• Tracks US 4th and 8th grade students in math and science compared to 40+ other countries

• In 2011, 8 countries with scores higher than US in 4th grade math, 11 in 8th grade

• Fact – US students have improved math scores since 1995 and 2007 studies

• Opinion – We’re better than we look on paper.

TIMSS 2007When things started to change

• TIMSS recorded thousands of teachers and classrooms around the world to compare and find strengths and weaknesses

• Things that stuck out to me:– Teachers in other “top” countries put the

responsibility of problem solving on the students instead of spoon feeding answers and using rote methods.

– “Inch Deep, Mile Wide” vs. “Inch Wide, Mile Deep” became a major philosophy changer

http://nces.ed.gov/timss/results11_math11.asp

Common Core Key Shifts in Math

1. Greater focus on fewer topics– Fourth grade used to focus on over 5 different

math strands, each with many subtopics. Now, our overarching focus is multiplication, division, and fractions

2. Coherence: Linking topics and thinking across grades

3. Rigor: Pursue conceptual understanding, procedural skills and fluency, and application with equal intensity

What CCSS has meant for me as a teacher…

• Research to understand the change• Self education to deliver the new standards

well and shift parent, student, and my thinking as painlessly as possible

• Shifting myself from teaching students how to get an answer to teaching students how to think for themselves and apply what they know to solve complex problems. Yes, it’s been hard. It is getting a little easier.

CCSS for my StudentsMultiplication Style

A few years ago…

CCSS for my StudentsMultiplication Style Today’s method of madness: Building true understanding

1 – Number sense, number sense, number sense

2 – Modeling with manipulatives

3 – Using conceptual methods(ways to solve problems)

4 – Traditional methods

5 – Application of skill

CCSS for my StudentsMultiplication Style

Manipulatives – Place Value Chips Revisiting 27 x 3…

Insert Place Value Chips Image 1

CCSS for my StudentsMultiplication Style

Manipulatives – Place Value Chips Regrouped

Insert Place Value Chips Image 2

CCSS for my StudentsMultiplication Style

After understanding is built in the “concrete” with tools, move to conceptual models

CCSS for my StudentsMultiplication Style

After the concept is understood… To the traditional!

CCSS for my StudentsMultiplication Style

After the concept is understood… To the traditional!

Some students continue to use the conceptual models, some use traditional models. The key to success is ending up at the same location, no matter the route taken. In my classes, it’s been about 50/50.

CCSS for my StudentsMultiplication Style

The Lost Piece:Application of Skill

Johnny Appleseed problem

http://www-tc.pbs.org/teachers/mathline/lessonplans/pdf/esmp/apple.pdf

CCSS is about multiple methods to create deep understanding.

Strategies, strategies…