The document discusses the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in mathematics, highlighting the influence of state rights and federal programs on its adoption. It outlines key shifts in math education, including a focus on fewer topics, coherence across grades, and a balance of rigor in teaching. The author shares their experiences as a teacher adapting to these changes, emphasizing the importance of building conceptual understanding and using multiple methods for deep learning.

1. What’s this “new” math?
Quick
Facts (and Opinions) on
Common Core Math
by Kristen Rose
LVIS 4th Grade
Google Images

2. The real issue is a rights issue, not a
“math issue.”
• 10th Amendment gives the states the right to
control education
– Most states adopted CCSS in 2010
– Race to the Top was a federal money program that
highly influenced most states to adopt CCSS
• Backers of CCSS and backers of local standards
are paying big money to sling mud, which is
stirring uncertainty.

3. TIMSS Study
Trends in Mathematics and Sciences Study
• Happens every few years
– 2011 was the latest
• Tracks US 4th and 8th grade students in math
and science compared to 40+ other countries
• In 2011, 8 countries with scores higher than
US in 4th grade math, 11 in 8th grade
• Fact – US students have improved math scores
since 1995 and 2007 studies
• Opinion – We’re better than we look on paper.

4. TIMSS 2007
When things started to change
• TIMSS recorded thousands of teachers and
classrooms around the world to compare and
find strengths and weaknesses
• Things that stuck out to me:
– Teachers in other “top” countries put the
responsibility of problem solving on the students
instead of spoon feeding answers and using rote
methods.
– “Inch Deep, Mile Wide” vs. “Inch Wide, Mile
Deep” became a major philosophy changer
http://nces.ed.gov/timss/results11_math11.asp

5. Common Core Key Shifts in Math
1. Greater focus on fewer topics
– Fourth grade used to focus on over 5 different
math strands, each with many subtopics. Now, our
overarching focus is multiplication, division, and
fractions
2. Coherence: Linking topics and thinking across
grades
3. Rigor: Pursue conceptual understanding,
procedural skills and fluency, and application
with equal intensity

6. What CCSS has meant for me as a
teacher…
• Research to understand the change
• Self education to deliver the new standards
well and shift parent, student, and my thinking
as painlessly as possible
• Shifting myself from teaching students how to
get an answer to teaching students how to
think for themselves and apply what they
know to solve complex problems. Yes, it’s been
hard. It is getting a little easier.

7. CCSS for my Students
Multiplication Style 
A few years ago…

8. CCSS for my Students
Multiplication Style 
Today’s method of madness:
Building true understanding
1 – Number sense, number sense, number sense
2 – Modeling with manipulatives
3 – Using conceptual methods
(ways to solve problems)
4 – Traditional methods
5 – Application of skill

9. CCSS for my Students
Multiplication Style 
Manipulatives – Place Value Chips
Revisiting 27 x 3…
Insert Place Value Chips Image 1

10. CCSS for my Students
Multiplication Style 
Manipulatives – Place Value Chips
Regrouped
Insert Place Value Chips Image 2

11. CCSS for my Students
Multiplication Style 
After
understanding is
built
in the
“concrete” with
tools,
move to
conceptual
models

12. CCSS for my Students
Multiplication Style 
After the
concept is
understood…
To the
traditional! 

13. CCSS for my Students
Multiplication Style 
After the concept is understood… To the
traditional! 
Some students continue to use the
conceptual models, some use traditional
models. The key to success is ending up
at the same location, no matter the route
taken. In my classes, it’s been about
50/50.

14. CCSS for my Students
Multiplication Style 
The Lost Piece:
Application of Skill
Johnny Appleseed problem
http://www-tc.
pbs.org/teachers/mathline/lessonplans/pdf/esmp/apple
.pdf

15. CCSS is about multiple methods to
create deep understanding.

16. Strategies, strategies…