![]() ![]() The Common Core math standards, adopted in 42 states and the District of Columbia and reflected in Common Core-aligned tests like the SBAC and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), take understanding to a whole new level. Perhaps he or she has simply memorized the method without understanding it and is performing the steps by “rote.” One distinction is between “knowing” and “doing.” One distinction popular with today’s math-reform advocates is between “knowing” and “doing.” A student, reformers argue, might be able to “do” a problem (i.e., solve it mathematically) without understanding the concepts behind the problem-solving procedure. What “understanding” in mathematics means, however, has long been a topic of debate. K-12 mathematics instruction involves equal parts procedural skills and understanding. The answer to her question comes down to what the education establishment believes “understanding” to be, and how to measure it. The girl threw her arms up in frustration and said, “Why can’t I just do the problem, enter the answer and be done with it?” ![]() A girl pointed to the problem on the computer screen and asked “What do I do?” The proctor read the instructions for the problem and told the student: “You need to explain how you got your answer.” At a middle school in California, the state testing in math was underway via the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) exam. ![]()
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