Jake poured 6 1/2 quarts of water into his fish tank. Each pitcher held 2 3/5 quarts of water. How many pitchers did it take Jake to fill his fish tank? If just reading that question gives you anxiety, you are not alone.
You are likely a product of the way we “used” to teach math. If you cannot remember how to solve such problems, being terrible at math may not be the reason – memorization may be the culprit. You were probably taught an algorithm and were required to practice it over and over again. If you haven’t used that algorithm for a while, well, it’s gone from the active part of your mathematical mind.
I became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2012 as a Middle Childhood Generalist because, as an elementary teacher, I teach all subjects. The Middle Childhood Generalist Standards from NBPTS states, “The knowledge that accomplished teachers have of their students is enhanced by their understanding of the social, physical, emotional and intellectual development that characterizes middle childhood. Teachers recognize that these students are maturing in their ability to progress from concrete to symbolic and abstract thinking.”
At the heart of board-certification is the understanding that teachers must have purpose in everything they do, that teaching ensures students begin to see the intrinsic value of education and that students deserve to be challenged and are short-changed if they are not. Similarly, the Common Core State Standards focus on developing critical thinking and problem solving – analytical skills that are applicable to any number of academic topics or real-world situations.
At the elementary level in mathematics, we begin by building the foundational understanding of the concrete understanding using models, number lines and drawings. Then we move toward the representation of that conceptual understanding followed by the abstract equation. Without that foundation, students are not successful mathematically.
Common Core Standards for Mathematics provide the precise structure for teachers to build that foundation. The Standards for Mathematical Practice were created by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics back in the early 1990s. Nearly 25 years later, we have Common Core Standards for Mathematics that address these practice standards and build the foundation necessary for elementary students. As a math coach in an elementary school, I support the Common Core Standards and the Standards for Mathematical Practice wholly and completely.
With this shift in teaching and learning, some parents have expressed frustration, even anger, because the methods they learned in school are not necessarily the approach their children are learning. I remember the times my own parents became frustrated as they watched me struggle through a homework assignment, puzzled at the approach I was learning in school. Those of us now raising our own children will experience similar challenges – though having access to so many digital resources does change the dynamic a bit. The common core allows teachers and students to focus not on procedures and rote memorization but on drawing out a deep understanding of what they are learning, essentially solving for “why.”
Rather than re-creating the generational divides or repeating our errors, these higher standards will enable us to dig in and focus energy on ensuring students truly master concepts because the Common Core State Standards provide the structure necessary to build a strong foundation. We continually fall below globally in math and science. In China teachers develop the conceptual understanding of solving for “why” before they move elementary students into understanding the abstract algorithm. Singapore math devotes the majority of time and energy in building number sense. This, too, is putting the focus on building the conceptual understanding like Common Core Standards.
It is our job to ensure the children of North Carolina are given the most rigorous education possible and that we prepare – not protect them – from challenges and new ways of learning. Our children will be well-prepared for life after high school – be it college, technical school or career – if we do.
Rene Herrick of Holly Springs was the 2009 Wake County Teacher of the Year.
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