Parent of high school senior comments on how math is taught

Re “The UCSD lesson: Math proficiency scandal shows need for standardized tests and folly of dumbing school down” (Nov. 30): Common Core Math was introduced in 2010. As a parent of a high school senior (and long ago UC grad who did quite well at college calculus courses), I have seen the curriculum up close over the past 12 years. Some aspects, particularly in the early grades, do help illustrate the basic concepts very well. However, in later grades, the curriculum jumps week to week between algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus. Perhaps we should make sure arithmetic is the purview of elementary school, algebra and geometry get tackled in middle and high school, and trigonometry and calculus are taught separately in high school to those students who are ready for advanced math.

Do all incoming freshmen at UC need trig and calculus? Or would they be better served by a solid understanding of the basics?

— Pamela Maloney, Poway