What can you do to help your child navigate the Common Core? Our education writer lists some ways to help you and your child work through the transition.
Photo: Weliton Slima
Everywhere you turn these days; there is another article about the controversial Common Core. Many parents seem confused and even misinformed about what this national education policy means for their children. Even more concerning, is that many parents are feeling helpless when it comes to homework.
Common Core is a national set of standards that most states have adopted in order to receive federal funding for education. These standards emphasize critical thinking and higher levels of understanding for students. The standards are universal for all states who are participating, so if you move from New York to New Jersey, your children will be learning the same material. Makes sense, right?
Photo: Anita Berghoef
What has become so controversial has been the implementation of the Common Core. It was rolled out very quickly, leaving teachers and school districts very little time to adapt. Many teachers and parents have felt that the kids didn’t have adequate time to adjust, causing some students to fall behind. Another controversial topic associated with Common Core is the mandated standardized testing and teacher evaluations.
So, what can you do to help your child navigate the Common Core? Below I have listed some ways to help you and your child ease into this transition.
ELA (English Language Arts Standards)
With the Common Core, brings a huge shift in the reading material your children will be using in the classroom. In the lower grades, students will mainly be reading for content through the use of non-fiction as opposed to fiction. To help your child choose books, find out what interests him. Ask your child about animals, sports, science or nature and find out what sparks her interest. Visit your local library or bookstore to find books and magazines on these topics.
Be sure to include non-fiction in your regular story time rotation. This doesn’t mean that you should throw all of your favorite fiction books out the window. Kids need to read books from all genres and with the shift; fiction is taking a backseat, so feel free to indulge in both.
Photo: Sanja Gjenero
Math Standards
To most parents, the shifts in math are the most obvious. Topics previously taught in the upper grades have been brought down a grade level or two. If you have a child in a grade higher than second, it is possible that he may have missed key instruction as the topics shifted. Ask your child’s teacher if there are any topics that your elementary school student may have missed due to the shift, and how she is addressing those topics. You can even request worksheets on these topics to complete over the summer to help her catch up.
Another issue involving math instruction is a shift towards critical thinking and written expression. Common Core focuses heavily on using multiple strategies to calculate basic problems. The difference in instruction can be extremely confusing for parents who learned these skills in a completely different way. Most districts on Long Island are using programs such as GO MATH! and Envisions. These programs usually offer interactive websites with support material for parents and students. Some even offer video presentations for parents to help explain how the lessons are being taught. Ask your child’s teacher for the password to use the site. If your district does not have an available website, ask your child’s teacher for copies of support materials so that you can see what was taught in the classroom. If all else fails, write a note letting your teacher know what is going on at home. I guarantee that you are not the only parent struggling with homework.
Photo: Tory Byrne
Educate Yourself
With all of the confusion and controversy, it is easy to become frustrated. Reach out to your PTA with questions and concerns. Many PTA’s on Long Island have organized training sessions for Common Core and math instruction for parents. They also can assist with answers about how your school district is handling the implementation of Common Core. Attending local school board meetings can help keep you informed about where your district stands and how its students are doing.
The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone in feeling frustrated. In this time of change, it is important to stay connected with your child’s school community.
Thanks for Reading,
Anne
Our daughter will start 2nd grade next year and honestly, I don’t thnk Common Core math is that difficult. Yes, it is advanced but it is good for them to be challenged. The only matter I mind it seems to be that teachers can no longer use much of their creativity in their own classroom because of these new “set of rules”, do you see that happen too?
This was actually a really helpful post as I wasn’t sure what all had changed with the shift to common core. I’d mostly heard a lot of complaining. 😉
I truly believe the complaining is because it was rolled out so poorly. Unfortunately, teachers are getting the brunt of it when they had very little do with it. They have to teach what they’re told to teach. But as parents, we need to be educated about changes in our children’s systems…
Actually we have been living it and its been pretty horrible. The teachers are lost, the students are lost, and I honestly hate it.
I was pretty frustrated too, but I turned to youtube and found really fantastic tutorials. I passed second grade math alongside my son this year – only I’m 37 years old! 🙂
My son is only three, so I haven’t really heard much about this. I’m nervous for a couple of years down the road though.
You will see the difference, but he won’t know anything else – which is really good! They switched before our little guys started school. I almost had a heart attack when my daughter brought home her Kindergarten math. 🙂
As a mom of a soon to be 5 year old, this all scares me. I want my son to do well and I fully expect to be highly involved in his schooling. I guess I am lucky he is going into the new programs fresh instead of being in the middle of it.
We are in the same boat which is lucky for us! Our kids are young and started off in this common core world. We as parents see the difference, but they don’t.
I am frustrated and my kids are in the lower grades. It is unnessary at best and to say you can’t get credit for correct answers but a general guess is sufficient? Grrr… I wonder if I used common core math on my taxes if the government would accept a ball park number. As an educated Mom, I am taking my kids out to teach them myself. My son is so bored in class where his sister struggles.
It is really hard. My sister and I watch videos on YouTube to learn the math ourselves! I would love to “ballpark” my taxes – common core says it’s right!
This is when I’m incredibly grateful not to have kids in school any longer. I can only imagine how impactful this change is for people who’ve been used to an entirely different system.
I can only imagine how this impacted the kids that were in school for the switch. I don’t know how hard it must be to reteach and relearn years worth of education.
I think it all depends on how it’s taught and who teaches it to finally decide if a child loves it or not.
I completely agree! So far our children have had a lot of success with it, as they haven’t been taught any other way.
i think each family needs to do their research to figure out how it works for them
Definitely, I realized I was the one stressed about it – not my daughter. I watched a few videos to educate myself and then stepped back and let her implement what she was learning!
I’m not a fan of Common Core and thankful that my baby graduates this year and that we never had to deal with it. I’ve seen my nieces and nephews really struggle- and they’re really bright kids. I feel terrible for the ones that were already struggling when this was implemented.
It has to be really hard for the kids stuck in the middle when this was all implemented. I can’t imagine being a kids and having to relearn so much information!
We have it here but luckily my kids are thriving and doing really well. I’ve asked our teachers about it and they actually stand behind it so I stand behind them.
That is great – the support of the teacher goes a long way!
I’ve spent more than two years dealing with the mess that is Common Core. The MAIN problem with CC is the fact that it was implemented with no forethought and no advance planning. None. It was nothing more than a organized money-grab by the states for Federal Funds from “Race to the Top.” AS a result of poor planning, states like mine, NY, are discovering just how detrimental it is to our students. Test scores and grades have tanked, statewide since it was implemented. It needs to be pulled, from all the states, and re-evaluated and re-tooled, with A LOT of teacher and educator input before they ever roll it out again!
It definitely seems like there was not a lot of planning in place. I don’t understand why they didn’t start it in Kindergarten and let the rest of the kids go on with the way things were originally taught?
Very good post. Have heard of this program but never really knew a lot about it. Thank you!!
Thank you for reading!
This is such a touchy subject. I do think people overreact because of the negative press about Common Core but I also think that there is so much conflict that it needs to be re-evaluated before being implemented.
Touchy is the nice word, eh? I think parents need to educate themselves as much as they can!!
It’s so frustrating. My son is in Kindergarten and sometimes his math baffles me. I’m sure teachers didn’t become teachers to teach this way. Luckily, Missouri is striking down Common Core.
I saw that Missouri was repealing CC and was pretty pleased.
Wow! Has it been repealed already?
Common core math really drives me insane. My son is just finishing up fourth grade and it was crazy how they were taught that they had to do things.
It is crazy! It is like learning a different language!
Oh Common Core … I agree that we (as parents) should research and learn so that we can help our kids but I don’t see why it’s necessary to change from what we are using now to Common Core.
I was just listening to this piece on NPR the other morning and they were saying that the publishers were the ones who caused a lot of the chaos because they sold textbooks that weren’t really in alignment with the new common core standards and this caused a lack of proper materials. I feel bad for the teachers because they always get blamed – but it’s not their fault. They’re just as frustrated as the parents…(many of them are parents too!). 🙂
I homeschool my children… but that doesn’t exempt me from still getting involved with what is being taught in the classroom (as we school through a public charter school).
I agree. If you as a parent don’t understand something or are concerned… we must speak up/out or nothing will change.
We are our children’s biggest advocates. If we don’t’ stand up for THEM… who will. 🙂
Absolutely! We have to be advocates for our children, it is one of the most important parts of being a parent.
I honestly wish education standards were the same across the nation. My son is no longer in school, but I imagine all the changes and inconsistencies would be terribly frustrating.
There definitely has to be consistency. I hope they can get it all figured out.
Wow, this is the first time I’ve heard of this. I’m going to do more research thanks for the info.
Your welcome 🙂
I am beyond frustrated, and we haven’t even begun doing it yet. We are moving from a non Common Core state to a Common Core state for 2 years, and I am EXHAUSTED just trying to figure out how badly this will derail my children, particularly my elementary schoolers. I have no idea how this affects high schoolers at all, but the elementary school kids? My soon-to-be 5th grader, who already struggles a little with math? And my soon-to-be second grader, who will begin learning this way only to go back to the non Common Core way when we return to Texas in 2 years? Sigh.
I struggled with it this year too. I never thought I would need to re-learn 2nd grade math, but I found a tremendous amount of online tutorials on youtube. I highly recommend them! Just go to youtube and enter in the book your child is learning from and videos will pop up. 🙂