Written by: Robyn Shulman

School has started and for most parents, that means homework has started for them as well. For those who haven’t noticed, math looks quite different this year, especially for those who grew up using the traditional method (carry, borrow, etc.). In Illinois, for most schools, the Common Core Math program has replaced the Chicago Everyday Math Program (which was a bit intimidating as well).

The problems are long and detailed, require students to think step by step, and may leave parents a bit in shock (at least for a short time).

For example, here is an image of a division problem that looks more like a script out of a play rather than a basic math worksheet:

This image is courtesy of Pinterest via teacherblogspot.com.

Common core math may be fairly scary to the average parent. When your child comes home stating he/she doesn’t understand it, here are some tips on how to handle the situation:

1. Don’t panic.
2. Ask them to slowly explain the method to you if you do not understand it.
3. Don’t talk negatively about the math or say things such as: “This is not how I learned this growing up!” or “What is this?”
4. Remember that teachers are still learning these methods as well and may not have the best strategies put into place yet.
5. Look on your child’s school website for math resources.
6. Explain to your child that you may be learning this new method together (you probably will).
7. Use the amazing resources that are available online, especially Pinterest. Teachers are on Pinterest all of the time sharing resources. Simply type in the words “common core math” and resources will be at your fingertips.
8. Use Youtube or Khan Academy for videos explaining the processes.
9. Remember to laugh with your child.
10. Stay positive and don’t give up, education trends come and go and students need to know their parents are there along the way.

There are many common core math resources online.

Here is a great link I found for resources on Pinterest for parents to use. Parents can also narrow it down by typing in grade level.

Don’t forget to thank the teachers for working hard to learn these methods so quickly, as they are teaching these new strategies on a very short notice. There are thousands of teachers who share their work on Pinterest and Twitter. If you look for a bit of help online, you will find it.

Thoughts, ideas and resources are welcome. Do you have any ideas to share in regard to common core math? Please share! We need them!