Society's Child

Frustrated parent with engineering degree lashes out at Common Core

Kheir Casino
Opposing Views
Wed, 15 Oct 2014 23:16 UTC

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the Common Core Standards, and one parent's rant quickly made the Internet rounds after he expressed frustration over his child's math assignments.

Earlier this year, Jeff Severt's son was given a math problem to solve using a number line and strategies, which is the new Common Core approach used in schools, KSDK reports. The assignment instructs kids to help a boy named Jack subtract 316 from 427.

The answer of 111 can be found in seconds using the old fashioned math, but the new way was difficult for the father to figure out.

According to The Blaze, Severt wrote a sarcastic response on the math problem.

"I have a bachelor of science degree in electronics engineering which included extensive study in differential equations and other higher math applications," he wrote. "Even I cannot explain the Common Core mathematics approach, nor get the answer correct. In the real world, simplification is valued over complication," he added, signing the letter as a "frustrated parent."

Some parents and teachers are divided on the initiative, with one commenter writing on KSDK's Facebook page: "I can't help my third and fifth graders with their homework because they have to follow ten extra steps to come up with an answer that I was taught how to do in two steps."

One teacher wrote: "[I] think it is very good for students."

As the Independent Journal Review notes, the image above says everything about what Common Core's legacy has proven to be. Why fix something that isn't broken?

Sources: The Blaze, KSDK, Independent Journal Review

Comment: See also:

Who Controls Our Children ? (Public Education Dumb Down Kids)

Watch Common Core curriculum destroyed in four powerful minutes by Arkansas mom

Creating a generation of Authoritarian Followers: Interview with 5th grade teacher reveals ideology behind Common Core creators

The Untold History of Modern U.S. Education

Reader Comments

jowblow · 2014-10-18T01:51:51Z

Damn straight!

I'm no rocket scientist but am quite familiar with mathematics. I've experience the same frustration helping elementary school kids with the piss poor excuse of curriculum called Common Core. We were all confused. And yes, the kids knew the much faster and easier methods.

This CC garbage is meant dumb everything down and confuse. America is being effectively removed from any competitive status on the globe.

mumbo_jumbo · 2014-10-18T01:58:10Z

i always thought

that mathematics was the universal language, 1+1=2 is what it is no matter what. I'd like to see the common core version of that?

facepalm.

Divide By Zero · 2014-10-18T02:15:29Z

Common core is garbage but engineers like him lack common sense too.
I've met some engineers that have all the formulas but can't apply it to anything visual or real life... until the money is spent on the project and it doesn't work- then they come to us techs to fix it... sheesh!

It's dumb, but sometimes when having to do estimating in my head I use sort of a number line method there.

Jack subtracted the 100, 100, 100 (300 total) fine.
The problem is that he counted back 6, instead of 16.

But, I don't have a degree and I hated calculus past level 2 (where memorization of rules upon rules becomes key).

OhSoCuriouSo · 2014-10-18T07:04:15Z

So, here's a seemingly unrelated...

question. A little preface: as we all know, Google Search and some other web-search engines pepper displayed search listings with items you would likely be looking for (or would likely purchase) based upon past searches and commercial website visits. We can thank the "geniuses" at Google who fail to see unadulterated searches can, in themselves, be a goal as part of a quest in discovery. My question: does Scholar Google do the same thing, but in the realm of academic literature? I think yes, but can anyone lead me in the direction of confirmation. I am very interested in obtaining unadulterated access to searchable, online scholarly databases.

nedlud · 2014-10-18T13:44:23Z

the higher math

I see nothing wrong with the (a, any) government and its 'educational' institutions seeking and designing and strictly maintaining a completely uniform and obedient citizenry, according to its ideas of itself.

This is law and order in its highest and most technocratic and advanced form.

Aren't robots and fully trained and equipped soldiers just the best?

And when you kill or dismantle or lose one of them, you aren't really killing or losing anything because they're all the same, anyway.

ned

gdpetti · 2014-10-18T18:16:42Z

hmmm.

From the look of it, it seems that perhaps the 'core' idea is to confuse the kid's ability to do any pattern recognition... to see the obvious fact that each number is 1 less than what is being subtracted from when in a vertical formulaic display... another thing that perhaps 'Core' wants to discourage, such as any ability of any student to think and see for themselves... as such abilities in the NWO are dangerous in the extreme... to those in charge.

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I can see this coming soon to a country near you. Anyone who does not comply will be accused of violating someone else's rights.

ReRan

Society's Child

Frustrated parent with engineering degree lashes out at Common Core

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