Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Common Core Math

What do you mean?

I think I know, but as I am quite daft, would like you to explain it to me.

Old math had it's problems, too. I got through 3 semesters of college calculus in the '60's and still had no idea of what it was used for. We were taught all theory and no practical use whatever. Years later I was considering going back to school and needed to bone up on math. A friend who taught at a local college gave me a 'business calculus' book a salesman had given him. It was full of practical examples of calculus in use. The light bulb switched on.

Didn't you have any concurrent physics or chemistry courses? I was well into using calculus by my second semester as an engineering undergraduate.

As long as 3 and 5 are still acceptable answers to 2+2, I'm good with it...

Btw, where's my participation trophy for posting in this thread?

I had 2 semesters of physics and 3 of chem. They didn't use it at that level. My major was agriculture so my sciences after that went toward biology.

In other news only incidentally related to this thread, clear and concise communication seems to be a lost art. As a programmer I deal in specifics, computers don’t know “what you meant by that”. I constantly get the fuzziest, non-informational emails possible, mostly from millennials (several with MBA’s) but also from older folks who should know better, and which take me 10 or 15 minutes just to determine what the sender is actually asking.

We have a pet name for that – Common Core communication.

I think CC and math ed in general has swung way too hard away from rote memorization of arithmetic. It's useful to teach why things are the way they are, but not at the expense of pure autopilot arithmetic speed.

Regarding reading - the excessive emphasis on reading comprehension in math is at best misguided, and at worst an abandonment of dyslexic but otherwise sharp kids who can "do" traditional math well. The same kids that end up excelling in skilled trades or other careers that are tremendously important/valuable/productive yet less tied to academia. One wonders if it's deliberate.

A lot of the common core math stuff is what I've been doing for 40 years.

Doing things in 10's is the way to roll. Most people I know can't add 5 numbers without writing it all out and carrying numbers.

Do sheit in 10's and you can rock it in your head in seconds.

I think the real trouble is not with the Common Core awesomeness, it is the fact that after all that GOVT education, you are qualified to flip a burger.

I agree with the concept "words mean things" and constantly run into people trying to "read between the lines" foolishness. In my field it was sort of like yours. It was either right or wrong. There was never "close enough" unless it was right.

Reminds me of the 'Fire. Lots of 5 paragraph responses to questions that are easily answered with a 'Yes or No'


I've asked many a people, what are the least amount of words you can use to get your point/question across.

Vek,



Rush has been saying for years the government is working on and succeeding at the dumbing down of America. Fifty-three years ago I helped my brother, who was terrible at academics, get into the plumbers union. He excelled to the point where he became a foreman for many years.

"...eats, shoots, and leaves..."

Quoting older posts...double yup.

I earned pretty OK grades in eng school - not by being a genius, but by drilling at length on homework, quizzes and earlier exams to where lots of things on big exams and finals became automatic (and VERY FAST), conserving precious time for figuring out the tricky BS. I got a lot of quizzical looks from profs and under-the-breath expletives from fellow students when I'd pack up a half hour early on a two hour final exam, having spent 15 minutes checking answers and another 15 re-checking answers. I wasn't doing anything particularly novel, I wasn't taking any genius shortcuts. Repetition brought speed and understanding.

This isn't horn tooting. This is proving the point - repetition brings about both speed and understanding.

A great cure for test anxiety is to know what you're doing.

Exactly.

I remember a few people in college asking me how I did so well on tests. I told them that I read the assignments, made sure I understood what I read and PAID attention in class.

Forget the note taking and spend the time comprehending what the teacher is teaching. I see SO many jotting away notes in a fury, but not listening/comprehending what is being said.

I almost NEVER took notes, sometimes a few bullet words etc, but that was it. I found it far better to UNDERSTAND what was being taught and you can't do that if you're too busy writing.

If you UNDERSTAND was is being taught, you don't need to worry about tests and studying.

This^

Had a Grandfather who delivered feed to farmers out of the back of a big truck until he was 70. Watched him routinely add columns of 4 & 5-digit numbers in his head.......quickly and accurately. He used to entertain us grandkids by adding columns of multi-digit numbers upside down.

His explanation (and training) were "common core". It's not a particularly new premise.

It was in a pastel bag with your juice box and cookie. Also you should know that your trophy will be gender neutral.

If a test is important, you should be at least a bit anxious.