6th Grade Common Core Math
Common core math probably isn't the way you learned math. And that's a good thing! Common core math is about depth of understanding versus rote memorization.Take a simple problem such as 28 x 5. You were likely taught to align the numbers vertically, multiply the 5 by the 8, carry the 4 and put down the 0, then multiply the 5 and 2 and add the carried 4. How would you do this problem in real life? Would you multiply 25 x 5 to get 125 then add the 15 from 3 times 5? Or, would you round the 28 to 30, mentally multiply 30 x 5 to get 150, then subtract the extra two groups of five? There are numerous ways to go about this simple problem. Common core emphasizes understanding over one method enabling students to work flexibly with numbers. We are teaching thinking skills needed for jobs that don't exist yet.