5 ways parents can help children with the ‘new’ math | K-12 Schools - Study International News

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In his March 2021 Netflix special, comedian Nate Bargatze complains about having to teach his kids a confusing “new math” based on standards known as the Common Core.

Many parents have had to play the role of a substitute math teacher during the pandemic. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images North America/Getty Images via AFP

“The goal of Common Core is to use one sheet of paper for every problem,” Bargatze jokes. He observes that this new math requires people to “keep breaking the problem down.”...

‘New math’ worries

Bargatze is by no means alone in his frustration. Since many schools went largely remote during the COVID-19 pandemic, countless parents, me included, are becoming burnt out as we find ourselves thrust into the role of substitute math teacher.

Why does this so-called new math – which has actually been around for over a decade – draw so much scorn from parents?

This new math is based on a list of standards that students should master within each grade. It’s different from “old math” in that the standards focus not only on the step-by-step procedures to solve math problems, but also on why those procedures work in the first place. The idea is to teach the procedures in such a way that children can apply this knowledge to future math problems that they encounter – both at school and in real-life contexts.

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Source: Study International News