Swun Math: Debunking Common Core
•
1 like•1,589 views
Swun Math describes one of the biggest new controversies in education - the Common Core Math curriculum. As parents, you’ve probably heard about how Common Core is difficult, unwieldy, and worst of all, poorly designed and confusing to parents, students and teachers alike.
Recommended
Recommended
More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (20)
Similar to Swun Math: Debunking Common Core
Similar to Swun Math: Debunking Common Core (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Swun Math: Debunking Common Core
- 1. Debunking Common Core Some Background Information & More
- 2. One of the biggest new controversies in education is the Common Core Math curriculum. As parents, you’ve probably heard about how Common Core is difficult, unwieldy, and worst of all, poorly designed and confusing to parents, students and teachers alike.
- 3. But the truth is far more complicated, and can’t be reduced to a simple soundbite. Let’s take a look at the history and reasoning behind Common Core...
- 4. Believe it or not, Common Core was not a federal effort, but a state one. In 2007, then-Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, in her role as the chair of the National Governor’s Association, created an initiative focusing on innovation in America. How was Common Core created?
- 5. When they realized that innovation was impossible without excellent education, Napolitano established a task force to achieve a difficult goal: improve student achievement, and in the process, catch up to math powerhouses like Singapore and South Korea.
- 6. Thus Common Core was born. But it was certainly not an easy birth, nor an exclusive one: the task force encompassed nearly a hundred experts with backgrounds in education, child development and psychology, and design.
- 7. First, the Common Core is not a curriculum: instead, it is a set of education standards, or guidelines and goals that set out what students need to be able to do within a certain time period. These standards take a new approach to mathematics education, with key differences being a greater emphasis on visual and hands-on learning, and more rigorous problems that help students build a stronger math base. What’s new?
- 8. Of all the subjects, math is perhaps the most visual, hands-on, and arguably engaging one. The issue, however, is that math was not always taught that way. Common Core promotes a more interactive method, using digital or paper number lines, ten frames, or even Lego blocks. Visual, Interactive Problem Solving
- 9. Take a look at this comparison of math problems pre- and post-Common Core: you’ll see that Common Core math problems are written in a clear, straightforward way, with little ambiguity and confusion. Notice that each of the Common Core problems require a knowledge of equations, multiple calculations, and most importantly, a deep understanding of foundational math. Better Worded, Deeper Problems
- 10. In a nutshell: poor execution. Why is Common Core so Confusing?
- 11. As we said before, Common Core is a set of guidelines, not a fleshed-out curriculum with textbooks, worksheets, and lesson materials. Instead, the actual curriculum documents are purchased by states and even individual counties and school districts, which means wildly different source material, a lack of support from publishers, and overall confusion.
- 12. It’s gotten to the point where even Jason Zimba, a college professor and one of the original designers of Common Core math, has expressed his frustration at the lackluster curriculum at his children’s school.
- 13. The key then, is not when or what you learn, but how. Towards that end, at Swun Math, we’ve dedicated ourselves to building lessons that are easily understood, logical, and interactive. Take a look at some of our offerings today.
- 14. Thanks for viewing! For more articles & information, please visit: and don't forget to sign up for our newsletter here: