Math in the Common Core Classroom Transcript

Ms. Morey : We used to prepare our students for a factory world where they could take one job and really stick to that job their whole careers. Now, our students are able to take much grander risk. In order to take this risk, they've got to be really flexible thinkers of mathematics. I think at the heart of Common Core is a flexible thought about mathematics [created 00:00:37] in place value and number sense. I don't know how you can't transition your classroom to Common Core if this is going to be about the students.

Which one of those could it be, and which one of those could it not be? Take a minute and a half.

Student : Because it can be that one because ...

Ms. Morey : I used to think that my role was to put on a really good show, and so I would use things like really creative songs and mnemonic devices and different ways that the kids could memorize mathematics, but at the end of the day, kids were forgetting math all the time. They never understand why and how it made sense to them. Before I never thought about misconceptions, when an incorrect idea was presented, all I did was tell them how to believe what I believed. Now when a misconception is presented, I never actually tell them what I believe. I ask them questions to hopefully get them to brush up against their own misconceptions and in doing so let them have the Aha moment.

Speaker 3: I like how it translates into the real world. In science, we're doing like chemicals right now and the different mixtures that you need. We learn about that kind of stuff in math so it really helps with other subjects.

Speaker 4: What I like about math is that there is a lot of things that you can use math for.

Ms. Morey : We do not celebrate right answers over wrong answers. In fact, the goal of my class is not to get to a right answer, the goal of my class is to talk about mathematics and talking about mathematics means bringing up equally incorrect and correct answers. There's really a thought to not just be like the selfish math student but to really try to be well-rounded and to gather other people's opinions. Even if that doesn't mean you change your own thought, you're better able to defend your own position when you've considered all the other thoughts in the classroom.

Why are you thinking that one?

Student : Because it's ...

Speaker 5: She just walks around helping people, not necessarily give them the answers, but strategies is what she gives out.

Ms. Morey : I think what the public would see if they're watching my classroom was that the answer is not the prime focus, the focus is on the process. If a student can't suggest what the process that they use to get that is and defend why that process was important, then perhaps we're not really understanding mathematics to its full level. I think with everything in this world not just related to mathematics, you have to know that there's another strategy or another line of belief, another thought that backs you up. If it was only one science experiment that you got it right, that would be worrisome. We've got to back this up with other strategies just like the real world.