I don't remember it being this hard when I was in 4th grade. Damn, I'm good with the science and history, vocabulary, and English, but the way they do math these days is crazy. It's almost like they are teaching them math the way I do math in my head, but on paper if that makes sense.
Click! Kids don't need to DO math anymore. They all carry powerful computers in their pockets that do the grunt work. They will need to understand math, so they can instruct their robotic servants. Its a brave new world, amigo. Go with the flow.
But to LaSalle's point, schoolwork is hard younger these days. Kids are doing algebra as early as third grade, etc. My 8th grade honors students are analyzing the characterization in a poem today that is the kind of work I was doing in college at LSU.
It is a natural evolution. In the 19th century high school graduates only knew the basics of arithmetic. In the 20th century they knew geometry and algebra. In the 21st century it will be calculus and programming. It IS harder compared to older peoples experience. I'm not sure it is harder for todays kids. If they are not challenged, school is boring.
Don't they teach kids anything anymore? My 22 year old nephew is majoring in mechanical engineering at Southeastern and has been on the honor roll more semesters than not. Monday he asked me whether the City of Washington D.C. was in the state of Washington. I was totally shocked.
Sadly, the answer is yes and no. If it can at all relate to a standardized test, they will learn plenty. However, some subjects (such as history) that are not tested as rigorously are ignored. My 8th grader was thrilled when she got to middle school and had an entire class each day devoted to history, which she enjoys. In elementary, it was math, science, reading, and writing--but history is never tested in elementary--so it isn't taught enough.
I find it odd that so many people are railing on common core but like I said earlier, it seems to me that the math part of it is teaching a kid how to do math on paper like I do it in my head today. I break things down into a common denominator or tenths or hundreds or thousands etc. Why are so many people against it? I mean sure we may have to spend more time with our kids but damn I don't see that as a bad thing. My daughter is almost 10. She was just 3 a week ago, at least that's what it feels like.
