Assignment: Education – Common Core Math

Educators teach students multiple ways to solve math equations

LA CROSSE, Wis. — In this Assignment: Education report, we take a look at Common Core standards for math.

Many people are questioning why math is being taught differently.

It’s important to know the traditional way of teaching the vertical math problem that you use to solve math equations is still be taught in math class.

However, new strategies to solve math problems are being introduced.

In second grade, for example, if you have seen some of the new strategies for solving a basic two-digit plus one-digit number the equation may look different.

Instead of writing the problem vertically a ‘math mountain’ might be used.

Students learn how to add partners… along the bottom of a triangle shape… to get to a total which is written at the peak of the mountain.

“When people of our generation look at what the students are bringing home, it looks much different from when we went through school,” said Wally Gnewikow, La Crosse School District math supervisor. “When we went through school, it was very traditional with the mathematical practices that were in place. Now we’re trying to incorporate higher level learning skills. We’re trying to incorporate solving problems and being able to solve tasks. Some of those take thinking from many different angles.”

In the Assignment: Education report, we’ll hear why some educators today believe teaching additional ways to solve a math equation will help improve critical thinking skills and better prepare students for life after high school.