The students I have this year are students who have been taught the Common Core standards since kindergarten. This is the first group of students who will not have gaps in their instruction because they have had consistency for almost 2 and a half years. What I have seen from my students is a solid understanding of foundational math skills, and I think they are very well-prepared for the more advanced skills that they will learn in later grades.
Here are some examples that show that seven year olds CAN explain their thinking, and they CAN do what we are asking them to do. (Remember, though, that they are still children and their answers are not perfect...but why would we want them to be?!)
This says, "Both numbers have the same numbers in them except the numbers are not in the same place. James has more cars because in 150, the one represents 100 and the 5 represents 50 and the 0 represents 0. But in 105, the one represents 100 and the 0 represents 0 and the 5 represents 5 and I know that 150 is greater than 105."
The next one: "It's true because in standard form 2 hundreds, 6 tens, and 4 ones is 264 and 624 is more."
Yes, I think these kids are impressive, but that isn't the point. The point is that if you are a parent and find yourself feeling opposed to Common Core math, maybe your child's teacher or principal can help you understand its purpose. If you are an internet-user who opposed to Common Core, remember that you can't believe everything you read about it. And if you are a politician who is opposed to Common Core, visit a classroom to see how it is used and talk to teachers and students about its benefits before forming your final opinion.