Math Matters:

Max Marchitello and Will RaglandSeptember 16, 2015

How the Common Core Will Help the United States Bring Up Its Grade on Mathematics Education

What’s the deal with Common Core Math?

It’s not how I learned math!

The problems are confusing!

Will it even work?

My kids used to love math. Now it makes them cry. Thanks standardized testing and common core! — Louis CK (@louisck) April 28 2014

Goals of Math Matters

• Clearly explain the need for the Common Core.

• Document the evidence in support of teaching mathematics conceptually.

• Demonstrate how the Common Core incorporates conceptual and algorithmic math.

The State of Math Education in the U.S.

Low overall performance and large achievement gaps.

Falling behind other countries.

Graduates lack the necessary skills for the 21st century workforce.

What does this mean?

In mathematics, American students lack critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Students in the U.S. struggle applying math to real-world problems.

According to PISA, more than 25% of American students lack the “skills that will enable them to participate effectively and productively in life.”

Teaching for Conceptual Understanding

Conceptual math is the“mental connections among mathematical facts, procedures and ideas”

Problems with Addition

The traditional algorithm introduces misconceptions and errors.

These problems are compounded as students progress through more challenging mathematical concepts.

Teaching Addition Conceptually

This approach accurately teaches students about numerical value and the relationship between numbers.

Teaching Conceptual Math Works

In a study of PISA and the Common Core, the OECD found:

“Successful implementation of the Common Core States would yield significant performance gains”

Research Base of Common Core MathSince the 1940s, there have been studies demonstrating that conceptual math improves students’ mathematical efficiency, critical thinking skills, and problem solving.

In one such study, student performance jumped from the 27th percentile to the 57th percentile after lessons teaching math conceptually.

Conceptual Math in the Common CoreKnowledge and skills are scaffolded.

The foundations of complex concepts like fractions and geometry are introduced early.

Students spend more time learning concepts and their applications before algorithms.

First grade math standard:

Reason with shapes and their attributes.

Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, fourths, and quarters, and use the phrases half of, fourth of, and quarter of…

Recommendations

• Stick with the Core!• Give teachers more time and more PD.• Communicate more effectively with parents.• Make sure instructional materials actually align with the CCSS.• Improve teacher preparation programs.

“The Common Core has changed how I plan my lessons. When planning, I intentionally connect students’ prior math knowledge and skills with each new mathematical idea. Students “discover” problem-solving procedures, or algorithms, as they begin to understand and master new math concepts.”

“There may be politics and controversy around all of this but I’m not thinking about that. I’m just a teacher who knows that my students are learning and understand math better now because of Common Core. The standards force me to think deeply about the “how” and “what” of my content and to make sure I am doing my best job to help create the next generation of problem solvers.”

Lisa Caponigro, fifth grade math teacher, MA

Kelsey Lucas, middle school math, RI