Common Core- Math

I attended a workshop this week on the new Common Core math standards.  Very interesting how different the focus of teaching will be with these new standards.  I actually think it will be better for students in that they will diminish the number of objectives covered in a year's time and allow for more depth in each standard. Another change, according to the presenters, Randy and Sue Pippen, is the focus on what the students will be learning rather than what the teacher will be teaching.  Their emphasis is on student centered learning, the standards address what the students should be doing in the classroom.  There is also an emphasis on practical application.  Here is a site that answers that question heard so often, "When am I ever going to use algebra in real life?"  Check out Get the Math. 
from the site:  Get the Math is a multimedia project about algebra in the real world. See how professionals working in fashion, videogame design, and music production use algebraic thinking. Then take on interactive challenges related to those careers. 
This looks great for middle school algebra students.