While the implementation of the Common Core has left much to be desired (understatement of the day), I do endorse — whether it’s done through Common Core or not — the fostering of deeper conceptual understanding when teaching mathematics to elementary school students. I have plenty of opinions on teaching for conceptual understanding, Common Core mathematics, and (where the Common Core has utterly failed) assessing for conceptual understanding:

Division 1: A discussion about the usefulness of unorthodox ways of teaching long division.

Division 2: A continuation of the above discussion.

Subtraction 1: Introducing a viral picture about the Common Core, and its easy solution.

Subtraction 2: The pedagogical rationale for using an open number line (even though I personally do not endorse this technique as superior to other ways of teaching subtraction).

Subtraction 3: The abject failure of current developmentally inappropriate ways of assessing the depth of a student’s mathematical knowledge.

Subtraction 4: The importance of engaging parents when unorthodox methods are used to teach mathematics to children.