In 2008, the Hunt Institute for Educational Leadership and the National Governors Association organized a meeting to discuss new education standards for the United States (Common Core Timeline). From that conference came the idea of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, often shortened to “Common Core.” About one year later, the United States officially adopted the education guidelines (Common Core Timeline). After the Common Core’s implementation, American parents and educators realized how problematic the standards could become, particularly the mathematics. Common Core math standards set a developmentally complex curriculum, lack college-preparatory mathematics, and can eventually hinder U.S. competition with the rest of the world.
…show more content…
Core Standards omit curriculum guidelines for the key elements of mathematics required for a college-preparatory math track, such as Algebra II, pre-calculus, and calculus. “With the exception of a few standards in trigonometry, the math standards end after Algebra II” (quoted Lowering the Bar). Also, the guidelines replace conventional geometry with a new kind of geometry. Rather than using the accepted Euclidean geometry curriculum, “[the standards use] an experimental approach to…geometry that has neither been widely used…nor considered effective where it has been tried” (Don’t Make the Grade). Using this “experimental approach” to geometry, rather than Euclid’s geometry, can ultimately affect students’ performance in college level geometry (Don’t Make the Grade). Unfortunately, “Common Core [prepares] students ‘for the colleges most kids go to, but not for the colleges most…aspire to [attend]…[they are] ‘not for selective colleges” (quoted Math Fails to …show more content…
While most of America’s international competitors encourage their students to reach Algebra I before high school, Common Core “[aims] to teach Algebra I only in high school” (Don’t Make the Grade). In 2010, William McCallum, one of the writers of the Common Core math guidelines, warned that “the overall standards [are not] too high, certainly not in comparison to…East Asia, where math education excels” (Math Fails to Prepare). Milgram makes a similar assessment, writing that “the [developmental] difference [between Common Core math and other high achieving nations] is…two years” (quoted Wurman and Wilson). Clearly, the Core mathematics guidelines cannot equal America’s major academic
Core Standards omit curriculum guidelines for the key elements of mathematics required for a college-preparatory math track, such as Algebra II, pre-calculus, and calculus. “With the exception of a few standards in trigonometry, the math standards end after Algebra II” (quoted Lowering the Bar). Also, the guidelines replace conventional geometry with a new kind of geometry. Rather than using the accepted Euclidean geometry curriculum, “[the standards use] an experimental approach to…geometry that has neither been widely used…nor considered effective where it has been tried” (Don’t Make the Grade). Using this “experimental approach” to geometry, rather than Euclid’s geometry, can ultimately affect students’ performance in college level geometry (Don’t Make the Grade). Unfortunately, “Common Core [prepares] students ‘for the colleges most kids go to, but not for the colleges most…aspire to [attend]…[they are] ‘not for selective colleges” (quoted Math Fails to …show more content…
While most of America’s international competitors encourage their students to reach Algebra I before high school, Common Core “[aims] to teach Algebra I only in high school” (Don’t Make the Grade). In 2010, William McCallum, one of the writers of the Common Core math guidelines, warned that “the overall standards [are not] too high, certainly not in comparison to…East Asia, where math education excels” (Math Fails to Prepare). Milgram makes a similar assessment, writing that “the [developmental] difference [between Common Core math and other high achieving nations] is…two years” (quoted Wurman and Wilson). Clearly, the Core mathematics guidelines cannot equal America’s major academic