If you’ve helped a child with math homework lately, you’ve probably found yourself staring at a worksheet wondering, “What is this? Why can’t they just carry the one?” You’re not alone. For many adults, Common Core math feels overly complicated, unfamiliar, and frankly… kind of annoying. But is it bad? Or just different?
Let’s break it down.
Why So Many Parents Are Frustrated with Common Core Math
The biggest frustration parents have with Common Core is that it doesn’t look like the math they learned in school. It can feel like students are being asked to take five extra steps to do something that used to be quick and simple.
Instead of the “stack and subtract” method or long division the way most adults remember it, Common Core encourages breaking numbers apart, drawing visual models, and explaining reasoning in words. This can leave parents feeling like they’re being asked to learn a new language just to help with homework.
The confusion isn’t just annoying—it can create a disconnect between students and their support systems at home. Parents want to help, but they don’t know how. It’s easy to throw up your hands and say that Common Core is bad, but don’t jump to conclusions just yet.
Traditional Math vs. Common Core Math: What’s the Difference?
At its core, the difference between traditional math and Common Core math comes down to process vs. understanding.
Traditional math emphasizes speed, efficiency, and getting the right answer using a set algorithm. Students are taught a standard method—often a shortcut or a memorized procedure—and are expected to repeat that method consistently. This approach prioritizes accuracy and fluency but often skips over the deeper understanding of why the method works.
Common Core math, on the other hand, emphasizes conceptual understanding. Instead of relying solely on memorized steps, students are encouraged to break numbers apart, explore relationships between quantities, and approach problems in multiple ways. The goal is to help students develop a flexible and intuitive grasp of numbers—what educators call number sense.
According to Forbes, “As [teachers] studied the new methods, they also discovered that these methods were more successful in teaching students how to understand the relationship between numbers.”
While traditional methods can be faster, Common Core aims to build a stronger foundation for higher-level math by fostering problem-solving skills, reasoning, and the ability to explain one’s thinking. Common core isn’t bad. It’s simply less about memorizing rules and more about understanding patterns, structure, and logic.
This shift in focus can feel frustrating or unfamiliar to adults, but it’s designed to prepare students for a world where thinking critically and adapting to new problems is more valuable than simply recalling procedures.
Why Switch to Common Core?
The switch to Common Core wasn’t about making math harder—it was about making it deeper and more meaningful. While traditional math instruction focused on teaching students how to arrive at the correct answer through a specific set of steps, Common Core math emphasizes why those steps work and encourages students to explore multiple pathways to a solution. This shift in approach reflects a broader educational goal: to cultivate thinkers, not just rule-followers.
Here’s a deeper look at why the change was made:
1. Real-World Application
In the real world, numbers don’t come perfectly organized in tidy columns. From budgeting to engineering to data analysis, real-life problem-solving requires people to estimate, reorganize, adapt, and strategize. Common Core math is designed to reflect that complexity by teaching students to approach math flexibly, using a variety of strategies depending on the situation. It’s about preparing students to solve problems that don’t come with a clear set of instructions.
2. Critical Thinking Over Memorization
Traditional math often relies on memorizing procedures without fully understanding the reasoning behind them. This can lead to gaps in comprehension that surface later in more complex subjects. Common Core shifts the emphasis from rote memorization to deep comprehension, encouraging students to break problems apart, analyze them, and articulate their reasoning. The result is a stronger capacity for logical thinking and analysis, not just repetition.
3. Building a Stronger Foundation for Higher Math
Algebra, geometry, and calculus all require more than just procedural fluency—they demand mathematical reasoning. Common Core introduces these skills early, using visual models, number relationships, and conceptual frameworks to create a base that can support more abstract thinking in the upper grades. It’s not just about passing a test today—it’s about being ready for complex problem-solving tomorrow.
4. Communication Skills in Math
Another key aspect of Common Core is the expectation that students explain their thinking. This isn’t busywork—it’s a skill that promotes clarity, precision, and confidence. Being able to articulate how you solved a problem is a powerful tool, both academically and professionally. It also allows teachers to better assess understanding and identify misconceptions early.
5. Equity in Learning
Common Core aims to create consistency across states and school districts, so all students— even in Colorado Springs —are held to the same high standards. It provides a unified set of expectations designed to level the playing field and give every child a fair shot at success.
In short, the move to Common Core reflects a more modern and holistic understanding of how students learn math. It may feel unfamiliar at first—especially to parents who were taught very differently—but the goal is to help students not just survive math class, but thrive in a math-driven world.
Examples of Common Core Math in Action
1. Subtraction with a Number Line
Problem: 52 – 29
Common Core Strategy:
Start at 29, jump to 30 (+1), then 30 to 50 (+20), then 50 to 52 (+2).
Add the jumps: 1 + 20 + 2 = 23
2. Multiplication with Area Models
Problem: 23 × 15
Break into tens and ones:
(20 + 3)(10 + 5)
Then multiply each part:
20×10 = 200
20×5 = 100
3×10 = 30
3×5 = 15
Add them all up: 200 + 100 + 30 + 15 = 345
Yes, it takes longer—but it helps students understand what multiplication really is.
Still Confused? We Can Help.
At Elevate STEM Tutoring in Colorado Springs, we meet students (and families) where they’re at. Whether your child is struggling with Common Core math or you’re just trying to keep up with the homework, our experienced math tutors in Colorado Springs can help make math click. We bridge the gap between how you learned math and how your child is learning it now.
Let’s make math less stressful—for everyone. Sign up today and give your child the support they need to succeed in today’s math classroom.
Contact Elevate STEM Tutoring in Colorado Springs to get started.
