Common Core math actually is pretty good/fine in concept, but the execution is where it’s terrible. A lot of “common core” math textbooks (if the school even bothers with textbooks anymore instead of digital problem banks) are a complete scam, for one thing, just repackaged versions of older books. And a lot of the teachers, especially in lower grades, themselves do not have strong enough of a math background to have a “big picture” view of math education and so have no idea how to bridge earlier concepts to later concepts. The fact that calculator usage is allowed way too early in a lot of places is one symptom of this – they do it so that students’ lack of basic arithmetic skills doesn’t get in the way of learning algebraic skills without realizing that it’s all one and the same. Or sometimes they do know but simply have no choice because the kids are already behind and they have to do “something.”
(and nowadays if the teachers don’t care the kids don’t care either and will skip the calculators entirely and ask ChatGPT for answers…)
Common Core math actually is pretty good/fine in concept, but the execution is where it’s terrible. A lot of “common core” math textbooks (if the school even bothers with textbooks anymore instead of digital problem banks) are a complete scam, for one thing, just repackaged versions of older books. And a lot of the teachers, especially in lower grades, themselves do not have strong enough of a math background to have a “big picture” view of math education and so have no idea how to bridge earlier concepts to later concepts. The fact that calculator usage is allowed way too early in a lot of places is one symptom of this – they do it so that students’ lack of basic arithmetic skills doesn’t get in the way of learning algebraic skills without realizing that it’s all one and the same. Or sometimes they do know but simply have no choice because the kids are already behind and they have to do “something.”
(and nowadays if the teachers don’t care the kids don’t care either and will skip the calculators entirely and ask ChatGPT for answers…)