For many parents and community members, the mention of modern high school mathematics still conjures images of the controversial Common Core. However, in North Carolina, the math classroom has evolved far beyond those initial standards. Today’s students are learning under the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, a curriculum designed by state educators, which is proving to be a stronger, more flexible, and technologically rich approach. Central to this transformation is the integration of dynamic tools, most notably the advanced graphing calculator platform, Desmos North Carolina.
The Evolution of Math Standards in the Tar Heel State
To appreciate the current strength of North Carolina’s math education, one must look at its recent history. The state, like many others, adopted the national Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for mathematics sometime around 2010. This year also opened a heavy debate about the adoption of an integrated math sequence (Math I, II, III), thus dropping the traditional sequence of Algebra-Geometry. Thus, integrating these two processes was not in the interest of state leaders; this divergence from development or adoption confused most teachers or even sent some into agitation.
This led to a very confusing era in which the disparate agendas came under scrutiny. It became apparent that changes to the standards would be necessary to bring the CCSS for high school mathematics intervention to bear on the state system; Therefore, in 2014, the North Carolina General Assembly created the Academic Standards Review Commission. Following an intense period of review and analysis, the general consensus was: high school math standards need to be rewritten.
Creating the New NC Standard Course of Study
Under the auspices of a group made up of North Carolina classroom teachers, district instructional leaders, and university faculty, that revision was an effort at creating-from-scratch. The whole process was public, giving parents and educators avenues for input to ensure that the new curriculum would mirror the specific educational requirements tied by state statute and the work-force demands in its territory.
Thus did North Carolina bring forth the State Standard Course of Study within the 2016-2017 school season. Those standards remained as they were, beneficially integrated structure (the name changed to N.C. Math 1, 2, 3) and pure North Carolina standards. They were designed specifically not only to prepare the students with postsecondary opportunities but also to prepare students for careers that represent the high-technology and information-rich world of the 21st century. The philosophy also moved from simply memorization into rather creating a mathematical mindset, where making mistakes becomes an opportunity to learn and conceptual understanding comes before procedures.
Desmos: The Engine of Modern Math Education
This modern style of teaching called for modern instruments, and it is here that Desmos North Carolina became an enabler in classroom implementation.
Desmos is an easy-to-use yet immensely powerful online graphing calculator and activity generator that allows students to see and work with sophisticated mathematical functions visually and interactively. In a current N.C. Math class, for example, students are not just memorizing formulas for quadratic or rational functions; instead, they are exerting some control with Desmos and changing parameters to see how that effect the graphs represented in real time. This effective experimentation transforms abstract ideas into real and tangible, visible discoveries.
These tools help students tackle higher-level geometry concepts, enabling the visual exploration of ideas like geometric cross-sections via iPads and other technological tools. This type of technological integration fits right into the vision of the N.C. Standard Course of Study: preparing kids who use technology to solve problems and analyze data – skills needed for the economy today.
With the incorporation of cutting-edge resources like Desmos, the educators of North Carolina have skillfully broken through barriers and controversies surrounding the original implementation of Common Core. The present curriculum stands as a testimony to what local talent can create, establishing standards that offer academic rigor while remaining exciting and relevant for all students getting ready for the future.
