This article talks about the debate with common core math, this has been something we as teachers have begun seeing more and more. The argument is students not just being able to memorize math skills but to actually understand why they are doing those skills. Students should understand how multiplication tables work, rather than just memorizing the tables. For example 5x3 = 15, but why? How can we understand this? By showing students that there are 5 groups with 3 sticks in each group, this is how we get the number 15. I really enjoyed this article!
http://www.usnews.com/news/special-reports/articles/2014/02/25/the-common-core-math-standards-content-and-controversy
I had no idea that higher achieving students' working memory was effected more from anxiety than lower achieving students. This really puts a new perspective for student achievement. I think that it is a great idea for students to write about their anxiety towards math to allow for them to reflect on and realize what bothers them. If they can get an idea of what bothers them, they may be able to gain control of it easier.
ReplyDeleteI'm still very much against standardization, so I'm not sure I agree with the ideas of Common Core Math. That being said, I do agree that understanding the "why?" of math is becoming increasingly more important, because calculators are so accessible these days. However, I still think it's important to not only understand how multiplication tables work, but to also continue memorizing it. I don't think there's a way around memorizing your multiplication tables, not matter how the curriculum changes.
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