What is Common Core Math? States used to be able to set academic standards for math, which varied greatly from state to state. With Common Core Standards public schools must follow guidelines, or standards. Common Core Math is based on concepts and skills that a student must apply in order to solve real-world math problems. These standards have been implemented from kindergarten through high school (K-12) in more than 42 states. They serve as benchmarks to determine how prepared students are for life in college and in the workforce. The ultimate goal is to make U.S. students more adept at solving real-world problems and be more competitive in the workforce. How is Common Core different from Traditional Math? Common Core Standards require students to use reasoning in real-life situations, whereas traditional math was equation and calculation based. With Common Core math, students must have a solid understanding of the concepts involved in reaching their answers. With traditional math, the student could simply remember tables and memorize answers. Traditional math is about getting the correct answer, whereas Common Core math requires students to demonstrate their deeper knowledge and ability on how they arrived to the correct answer. What is the best way to transition a student into Common Core when they are used to traditional math? Since students must demonstrate a greater and deeper understanding of math concepts used in real-world situations, there is more pressure on them to actually understand the concepts rather than memorizing the answer and coming up with the correct solution. They must now demonstrate their understanding of methods used in reaching the correct answer. This has become a challenge for students and teachers and puts more pressure on them. School books are aligned to these current standards but students still have difficulty applying what they have learned in the real-world problem sections. The best way to transition a student into Common Core math standards is by hiring a professional tutor who is educated in these standards. Contact Elite Home Tutoring for questions or information concerning Common Core Math: www.elitehometutoring.com
The SAT college exam will change to an all-new format in Spring 2016. Current 9th grade students will be the first cohort to take the redesigned SAT. David Coleman, president of the College Board, states that the new SAT would be more closely tied to high school and college curriculum. He also added that the old SAT is “too stressful for students, too filled with mystery and tricks.” The new redesigned SAT will consist of a math portion, evidence-based reading and writing portion, and an optional essay portion. One prominent change is that the SAT is returning to a 1600 scale from the previous 2400 scale. Other changes include removal of the horrendous vocab-in-context, replaced by more common words consistently seen in college and beyond. Above all, students will no longer be penalized for incorrect answers, so no need to leave unfamiliar questions blank! The math section will consist of fewer topics and be more closely related to what students will experience in college with focus on problem solving and data analysis, algebra, and passport to advanced math. In many ways, the redesigned SAT has many similarities with the ACT. For more information contact Elite Home Tutoring! (408) 791-1255