Have you ever looked at a math worksheet and wondered why the answers were marked as “incorrect”? A recent image of such a worksheet has gone viral, racking up over three million views in just a week, with the overwhelming reaction being pure confusion.
Take the first question: 5×3 equals 15, right? So, why is there a problem? My untrained, non-Common Core brain reads it as five, three times, but apparently, I’m supposed to be thinking five times three. Three… five times. Honestly, as a parent who isn’t a fan of math, I can’t fathom why it matters whether it’s five, three times or three, five times. The answer remains unchanged! What’s going on with math these days?
Common Core is making me feel like I’m out of touch – and I’ll admit it’s why I’m hesitant about it. If this approach somehow makes my child excel in math, I’ll gladly keep quiet. But it’s not just math that’s tripping me up. I never imagined I’d struggle with explaining basic shapes to a kindergartener. Yet, when my son brought home shape recognition homework, I was utterly baffled. Yes, I was momentarily stumped by a kindergartener’s assignment, and let me tell you, it wasn’t my finest hour.
In the first two rows of the worksheet, everything was straightforward: triangles and cylinders—easy peasy! But then I hit the third row. One shape had a face, which made it stand out, but another wasn’t a complete circle. Which one should I focus on? It’s a shape exercise, so perhaps I should teach my kid to ignore the face?
Moving to the fourth row, I noticed two squares and thought maybe the rectangle was the odd one out. After all, it’s three-dimensional. But wait, the last square doesn’t have hard edges… OH, for crying out loud! By the fifth row, I was ready to pour myself a drink.
I fully acknowledge that I’ve been out of school for quite some time, hoping to impart the straightforward lessons I learned: if it looks like a square, it’s a square. Memorize multiplication tables. Nobody warned me that parenting would involve this much math! My mother, a Greek immigrant, learned English alongside my older sister—there was no way she was expected to help me with math. And honestly, maybe the lesson here is that we should allow our kids to learn in their own way? Ugh, don’t quote me on that. I’m still grappling with whether the Common Core approach is beneficial or just bewildering. All I want is to confidently help my kindergartener with homework!
If you’re in the same boat, you might want to check out this helpful resource on pregnancy and home insemination or consider purchasing an at-home insemination kit from a reputable retailer. And if you’re looking for more insights, take a peek at one of our other blog posts here to keep the conversation going.
In summary, navigating Common Core is no small feat, especially when it leaves parents like us feeling clueless. Whether it’s math or shapes, we’re all just trying to keep up with our kids’ education. Here’s to hoping we find our footing!
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