The FB exchange below left me laughing and also a bit worried. I have been skeptical about the whole Common Core thing being taught in our schools these days! I worry that the techniques are non-intuitive for kids and are going to leave most kids (including mine - UGH) crying and losing-their-minds over
homework, classwork and tests. And I worry that they are going to walk away from the whole school experience feeling like they are getting dumber, not smarter.
Plus, after reading the conversation below, I was left thinking that if these parents
couldn't figure this crap out, how are our kiddos going to do so?
Enjoy, what I thought was a funny conversation by some pretty confused and frustrated adults. I hope it makes you laugh (not cry).
Cathy
FACEBOOK POST #1: Funny exchange between one very confused mom
and many of her well-educated and helpful Facebook friends about a Common Core
based Math assignment. The group proceeds
(for several hours no less) to try to figure out how to do 1st grade
math… Prepare to laugh!...or Cry!
Seriously, does anyone know what a 5-group card is in common
core math? I can't even find the explanation on Google.
Like · · Share
-Elisa: That one has Andrew stumped
16 hours ago via
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Matthew: I think it's just 5 squares connected one after
another.
16 hours ago via
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Matthew: A couple of my sons work with tens which is
two of those one on top of the other, so I'm just guessing.
16 hours ago via
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Tricia: What two numbers add to five example
2+3 =5 they use dots to represent number
16 hours ago via
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Sheri: we do ten blocks but this is just weird.
16 hours ago · Like ·
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Martin: Kathy, and they expect little ones to
get it. just teach them basics.
16 hours ago · Like ·
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Marissa: What grade? More than likely it's a 5-frame
which is just a way of getting kids to recognize a group of 5... Call me if
you're still stuck
16 hours ago · Like
Sheri: First grade. Does "doubles plus
one" make any sense?
16 hours ago · Like ·
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Marissa: Lol yes... we use doubles + 1 to help
kids develop addition strategies... 5+4 is the same as 4+4 and one more because
5 is one more than 4
16 hours ago · Like
Sheri: That's it!...for one section of the page. Ugh.
16 hours ago · Like
Marissa: Lol... I always hated teaching doubles + 1 and
doubles + 2... I think it confuses a lot of kids more than it helps them
16 hours ago · Like ·
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Martin: WOW what happened to 4 plus 1 = 5
16 hours ago · Like ·
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Marissa: Now we give kids 100 strategies on how
to add so they NEVER master any of them and struggle with math forever! Thank
you No Child Left Behind and Common Core
16 hours ago · Like ·
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Ali: I
could never teach doubles+1 last year because I don't think that way at all! I
feel your pain...
15 hours ago via
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Matt: Half of the 10 group...seriously
14 hours ago via
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Sheri: I get that part matt...just not what
exactly they're supposed to do with that info.
14 hours ago via
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Matt: When you group things in tens it makes
it easier when there is on three or four or even two left over after starting
with thirteen or fourteen or even twelve, follow?
14 hours ago via
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Matt: ~only~
14 hours ago via
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Sheri: Yeah I get the grouping part. We were
able to use it with the other problems on the homework. Like double plus one
helps solve 3+4 = 7 by using 3+3= 6. F@*K this.... I'm pouring wine!
14 hours ago via
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Matt:
Want me to send R. over and do some schooling? Hey wait a minute, isn't
Jeffrey D. a F@*Kin’ math teacher??
14 hours ago via
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Sheri: Ha! Yes!
14 hours ago via
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Jeffrey: Yes I am. And I don't understand why
they teach the elementary school math the way they do. By the time they get to
the 7th grade, they don't know how to multiply or divide because they never
learned their facts. I spend way too much time teaching the basic skills they
need to do the higher level math. The state of this nations education system is
sickening.
14 hours ago via
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Jeffrey: What ever happened to using your
fingers.
14 hours ago via
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Martin: Lmao ! Jeff can put em down! Binary numbers
that is! Lol
14 hours ago via
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Matt: That's why they group in tens.
14 hours ago via
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Matt: My daughter has a number line from 0-100 so she doesn't need her
fingers anymore
14 hours ago via
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Matt: It's actually a large cube... 0-100 would be really long
14 hours ago via
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Angel: i hate
common core! there is nothing common
about it
13 hours ago via
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Kimberly: Sheri ~ I go along with the common
core because that's the way they are teaching it at school; but at home while
doing homework with them, I also teach the boys how we were taught - it helps
them out later, and they even think it makes more sense!!! M. is in first grade
too...he does math in his head better than he does the common core.
12 hours ago · Like ·
1
FACEBOOK POST #2 …Sheri continues to look for guidance on another
section of the math homework. She even
shares a visual with hopes that someone will definitely know how to do it if
they can see what she is talking about…
Sheri: 16 hours ago via mobile
2 people like this.
Matthew: Remember when math was just math?
15 hours ago via mobile
· Like · 2
Elisa: 4+1=5.
2+2=4
15 hours ago via
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Lori: Just a guess but like Elisa wrote....Put the 1 in the square and
then have D. write out 4+1=5. I'm going by the example in the corner. Good Luck
15 hours ago · Edited
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Brad: It looks like 5,7,9 are the answers?
15 hours ago via
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Sheri: But if they are all supposed to equal 5, why is there a 5 and 4
together?
15 hours ago · Like
Brad: Never mind. Oh man I dislike math...
15 hours ago via
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Elisa: Then the second one would be 5-1=4
15 hours ago via
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Lori: I thought that was so he would know that was the answer. Again,
I was going by the example that the teacher wrote in the top corner. Maybe R.
or B. could help you....again GOOD LUCK
15 hours ago · Like
Elisa: I give maybe it is 5,7,9
15 hours ago via
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Sheri: but what would the number sentence be? It needs to show a
double. So I'm thinking 4 and 4 is eight. but the 5 and 4 is baffling me
15 hours ago · Like
Honey: I'm glad I only have a cat. LOL!
15 hours ago · Like ·
2
Brad: This is so scarry that we are all 30+ adults who can not figure
out this wonderful childish math problem... Haha....
15 hours ago via
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Brad: I believe that Honey voted to bring wine by
when the spirits were doing their thing. Maybe she should do so now to open up
those mathematical thought processes...
15 hours ago via
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Elisa: Andrew is in calculus and he has no clue. Sorry
15 hours ago via
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Kasey: All I know is that under the 5 and 4 you
gotta right the number sentence '5+4=9" hahah
15 hours ago via
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Jane: Omg... I was never good at math in school. I
was in slow rate with all the pot heads. This is not good. What ever happened
to the simple math at D.’s age.
15 hours ago via
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Lori: Did you
finally figure it out? I sitting here waiting...lol
15 hours ago · Like
Janine: I keep reading it over and over and I don't understand what they
want you to do....this is pathetic!!!
14 hours ago · Like ·
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Sheri: I get the concept of part of the home work. Makes them think in
groupings of five...but still don't get part of it.
14 hours ago via
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Heather: I'm baffled...
14 hours ago via
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Brad: Nothing on previous page of the workbook that
gives you clues?
13 hours ago via
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Sheri: Nope, that's the first problem.
13 hours ago via
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Brad: Dang it...
13 hours ago via
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Janine: So if you can't figure this out do you send
the teacher a note that D.'s parents and their parent's friends couldn't figure
out how to do first grade math!!!
13 hours ago · Like ·
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Beth: Is it 4+1=5 go left to right
Then 5-1=4
13 hours ago via mobile
· Like
Sheri: No idea Beth .
13 hours ago via
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Martin: I think he should write s 5 under the four and then make a robot
out if the two boxes in the middle
13 hours ago via
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Sheri: That is the best answer hun.
13 hours ago via
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Beth: The example is in top on right by the date!
13 hours ago via
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Beth: I think
13 hours ago via
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Chanda: i thought the thought process behind 5 group card was along the
lines of how to thinks of number groups to equal 5, so 4=
13 hours ago · Like
Beth: So put in first group put another 4 under the
other 4 and the number sentence underneath
4+4=8
13 hours ago via
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Chanda: sorry 4+1=5, 3+2=5, 5+0=5 but i'm completely lost like you guys.
why does the last one have 5 and 4. lol
13 hours ago · Like ·
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Sheri: 5 and 4 is what is throwing me off.
13 hours ago via
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Chanda: they should at least have a better example at the top for
parents to follow
13 hours ago · Like
Chanda: and at least throw you a bone and stick a number somewhere in
the middle so you have something to work with...lol
13 hours ago · Like
Matt: I think Beth hit it, 4+1=5, 5-1=4
13 hours ago via
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Beth: They are asking you to do the number sentence
5+4=9
13 hours ago via
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Chanda: but what is the whole "double" thing about
13 hours ago · Like
Chanda: you have to fill us all in tomorrow on what the correct answers
were...can't wait...lol
13 hours ago · Like
Janine: is it 4+0=4 & 5-1=4 there is your double
but what is 5 & 4 at the end
13 hours ago · Like ·
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Kara: This is craziness and I was an accounting
major in college! Wow. I'm thinking like Beth and Janine but still doesn't make
total sense to me.
12 hours ago via
mobile · Like · 1
Kara: Would it be across top: 4+1=5, across bottom
4+0=4. Making the left column 4+4=8, right column 1+0=1. Concluding to across
totals of 8+1=9? I only have one double of numbers though.
12 hours ago via
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Sheri: This is going to drive you crazy Kara.
12 hours ago via
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Janine: Can you go to the teacher tomorrow and ask for
the answer! Also please make her show her work!
12 hours ago · Like ·
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Kara: This will drive me crazy until I know what the answer is! Tell
D. to bring home his homework all marked up in red so we can see the answer!
LOL Poor kid.
12 hours ago via
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Sheri: They don't use red anymore...its too negative. I can't wait to
see the answers on this one
12 hours ago via
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Stacy: 4 +1=
5,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,1-4=5.. top 4 bottom 1 =5.......top 1 bottom
4 =5 top 5 bottom =1 ....fives being your doubles
12 hours ago · Like
Stacy: let me know if I was right ..I always hated
math
12 hours ago · Like
Melissa: Wtf... I don't remember that
4 hours ago via mobile
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Elisa: Rob asked why you didn't ask Barry C. he used to teach math.
4 hours ago via mobile
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Jane: No red?? Geez.. everything is changing.
4 hours ago via mobile
· Like
Kara: That's ridiculous.
2 hours ago via mobile
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