Common core

What are you thoughts on the common core?  http://www.corestandards.org

 

I like the idea of it, but i hate the curriculum that the schools are using to put it into place.
Here is the math grade 3

 

I don't really know much about it except there's a huge backlash in my area about it. It's all over my FB all the time, anti-common core stuff.

 

With my two just starting school, I really have not heard too much about the Common Core Standards yet.  It looks like PA just adapted it for this school year.  Just looking over the English and Math part for PA, it looks like they were doing what is required for kindergarten.

 

I'll be honest in that I haven't read up on it that much. But I think people will complain no matter what. I'm sure there are pros and cons to it. I have teacher friends who like it and some who don't. 

 

I think it totally depends on how the local schools choose to implement it.
 
It is NOT a curriculum. It is a set of standards and expectations per grade level. Local districts/states have some flexibility to implement it how they would like as long as the materials they offer fullfil the CC, they are free to use what they want.
 
I think a lot of backlash is from areas that are using a prescribed program for ALL kids that fulfills CC- with no differentiation for various needs. Teachers are upset over the radical changes some districts are insisting on and/or some of the curriculum that is being mandated by individual districts. Some areas say " You will use _____ books, ______ program, etc for all students. End of story. period. Other areas are allowing some flexibility in materials that teachers chose, which is good and allows some freedom to adapt to group/grade/area dynamics and still cover the materials CC requests.
 
Worksheets or textbooks passed out as CC are really mostly districts or outside CC material (as in they fulfill CC standards but made by outside company). 
 
I think CC itself fine, it really makes our mobile society easier to move around in from PreK-12 educational standpoint. That way, if you move there should not be large gaps in knowledge or exposure. 
 
Sure, some tweaking to the reading lists  (some suggested reading lists are um....interesting) and specific wording readjustment is needed. But any new program will have to be 'debugged' and adapted as it becomes a working model vs a paper model. Remember that the backlash on book choices--- there has ALWAYS been drama around banned books, book material, etc. CC is no different.

 

 I am not a fan of common core, especailly for math, from what I have seen my kids do so far.  It reminds me of Investigations math (TERC) that our county tried a few years ago (which didn't do a lot of algorithms) and really messed the kids up in the math.  From what I have seen they want the kids to do too many steps to solve a simple problem.....not all kids need to do multple steps and need to break everything apart so much, some kids do better with straight and simple algorithms.  I know my 7th grader has had a lot of word problmes for math...even for things you wouldn't expect the need for word problems.   So far, I am not a fan. 
 
I will add that I taught for 10 years so I do have an eduacation background.

 

http://www.corestandards.org/resources/myths-vs-facts
 
Here are some Myth vs Fact explained.
 
 
Good clarification on some of the fear-mongering that is spreading from anti-CC groups.

 

But is that really common core, or is it the curriculum that the school/ school district has chosen to use?  
I have a child how is in tears at least once a week from math home work ( all though yesterday it was from the enrichment pages she earned by scoring 5 out of 5 on the quizzes for extra credit).  Looking over the standards that the common core expects in 3 rd grade, i'm a little surprised at some of the work they are given.

 

 
 
I wonder if it is the method that your district is using.   Our area uses Everyday Math--- which also breaks down steps into itty bitty details and is a spiral curriculum (which works for some kids and not so much for others!).
 
Our teachers have adapted by teaching the Everyday Math method and then ALSO showing kids a more traditional method. After both are taught, the kids are free to choose.
 
They also supplement as a district with straight forward math fact review (an area that EM is weak in).
 
I like it because the different way my DDs think- each picks a different way to solve the same problem. One breaks it all down and the other does it much more simply or mental math (she is really good at mental math!!)
 
 
I know districts nearby use a variety of programs-- Investigations, Go Math!, and/or Everyday Math. So lots of different curriculums and same CC  standards being met.
 
 
I cant wait to see later in the year how multiplication pans out....I dislike how EM teaches it (lattice method), but they also teach traditional method. I wonder if each DD will chose a different preference!
 
 
 
I like EM for MY kids- it works for them because they enjoy the heavy reading, story problem, and 'puzzle/game' theme. Spiraling also is something both of them do OK with.
 
Those are all the reasons I disliked it for the kids I worked with (Resource Room teacher). Many of my students struggled with the high reading, writing demands of EM. Also the spiral curriculum did not work well for mastery on kids that needed a lot of repetition.
 
For most of my students, we reverted to a more classic math program. Some of my students did OK with an adapted EM program.

 

It could very well be how it is taught in our county and a lot of it has to do with not enough teacher training....especially at the middle school level.  Middle school just implemented it this year and also changed their schedule to a 7 period day to accomodate common core and the new assessments that are coming with it, so there has been a lot of change this year at the middle school level.  I know many kids (and teacher) are having a hard time adjusting to it all this year in middle school.  Our first term just ended and I didn't hear of one kid that didn't struggle at some point in math (and none of them did last year...and it wasn't too easy last year they just understood it better and had more time for it the way it was ll being taught). 
 
I know there are several states that are trying to get out of doing it as well.  I think it's another one of those things in education that looks good, but we're going to find out it wasn't as good as it looked in a few years.  Just my opinion.
 
I am more of a classic math person and that is how my kids at least learn best in math. 

 

I like it and I think it's a good thing.
 
There isn't anything I can add that KCMichigan hasn't already said. I agree with all that she's already written!

 

 
 
I could see why people are unhappy if it led to changes in schedules, all the teachers trying to change up methods at once (vs piloting and teacher to teacher support) and a whole change in curriculum.
 
Our area is just adapting to CC. No major changes at the Elem. level, just tweaking of some grade level projects/expectations/etc. There is more angst at the HS level here. A few requirements of CC are messing up some AP classes/schedule and also a push back that the greater requirements are lessening the ability of HS to take electives. I can see the concerns.... hopefully, some of it can be fixed.
 
Some are also complaining that the CC standards are too high/low. That has not been a major impact here because the district standards were pretty high anyway. The one concession was a recent push back of the cut-off age for K to Sept. (was Dec 1)- it should help with the age spreads in the classroom in this area (a blend of  old for grade and young for grade- up to 18 month spread in classrooms. Which is HUGE in lower Elem.).
 
 The number and type of assessments here have not increased....which some states/districts have complained of an increase in assessments due to CC. But some of that may be even before CC, the increase for data-driven assessment has risen overall. I dont like the extra weight that assessments have now since there are so many factors that simply are hard to asess that can affect student success- but that is a different topic.
 
I know some states are trying to opt out. I think after the NCLB outcry (now THAT was a mess!!) that many places are legitimately leery of Federal mandates. I dont blame them!
 
 
I guess I experienced first hand the trouble that a lack set of framework for the county led to if you move a lot. We moved around in the 80s/90s and it was a mess. Each state/each district taught different topics at different grades so each time we moved- there was huge  gaps and  some repetition of core subjects for my siblings and I.  If a national set grade level expectations had been in place, that could have been avoided!
 
 
Like anything else, a blanket method is not ever the answer. Education is ever evolving and will always be changing. The tough part is that districts are trying to find a way to reach all the kids with a particular method or curricula. That is just not reasonable- not every child will learn the same information in the same way or with the same materials. So each time the curriculum is switched up-- you lose some ground in the transition and then again you pick up kids that were not learning through the old method and they learn. Likewise, some kids that were succeeding before will not learn well through a new curriculum.  Curriculum methods will always be shifting around.The actual curriculum  changes are  different than just teaching to the grade level CC standards.
 
 
Personally, I struggled with classic math & grammar based ELA instruction. I would have been a much better student under differentiated reading circles ELA & a math program like EM. But that was a curriculum & methods mismatch between myself and the educational system as it was set up then. I dont know if CC would have changed the fact that the curriculum used that the time was just a poor fit for my learning style.

 

I'm not very familiar with the Common Core and I haven't heard anything around here about it, good or bad.  My kids school might have implemented those math requirements.  Both of them are already doing multiplication in the 3rd grade this year.    Mine are in the "accelerated math" program so they work at their own paces ahead of the rest of the class.   Honestly I'm all for raising the standards a little bit, but with that we also have to raise the standards for teachers too.   More education for them, keeping up certifications, etc.

 

KC described much of what I have found with the common core.
 
Our school uses Envison Math (Pearson), and has since my boys were in 2nd grade--so, 4 years now.  They did switch to the Common Core last year, but the Math book is the same, just adds, extends concepts to meet the Core standards.  Breaking apart numbers was taught before the Common Core, and it is taught now--it is the text, not the CC.  I happen to like it, because that is how I think.  The math program actually introduces many methods, over a chapter, but by the end of the chapter, the student is left to solve how they understand best.  They cannot find what works for them, unless they do try multiple methods.  Honestly, I haven't seen any change in how things are taught since we went to the Common Core curriculum--content may have changed, but methods, and materials really haven't--other than to add concepts that are included in the Core.

 

I'm early in school with just Ks, but from what I've read I like it. A lot of the complaints seem to be of the curriculum, which districts can play with. I think our district does a good job of implementing CC. Honestly, I think people should spend more time to work toward making it work and less time complaining on FB.

 

 
I totally agree with you.  I have a friend (who was a teacher) and honestly the schools can never do anything right enough for her.  She complains to the principal all the time about this and that but thinks it's the school job to assign absolutely everything the kids might need to do at home. My attitude is that if you don't think your kids are being taught what's needed either homeschool or supplement at home.  I choose to supplement at home.  Our school uses Everyday Math and I'm not crazy about it, so I've had my kids work on just drilling their multiplication facts here at home.  Timothy had some writing issues last year due to some medical stuff and now I'm figuring out that he  totally has no concept of punctuation.   His teacher isn't dealing with it, so I'm dealing with it at home.  We're just using some fun Kindle apps to get the extra practice in.  
 
Looking at those standards, those are pretty close to what my kids did last year in 3rd grade.  I found that for them to be successful, we really did need the extra multiplication drilling at home that's not really included as part of homework.  It was "suggested" homework last year.  Honestly, being at the school, I can tell you that most kids didn't drill the problems and get the fluency needed and that has really slowed those kids down.
 
Marissa

 

My mom is a retired teacher but still subs and she hates the implentation of the common core in her school district.  It is truly horrid.  So bad in fact that if we lived in her district she would consider going back to work to pay for the boys to attend private school and she used to be against private school education. 
 
I think the idea of the common core is good but unfortunately the implementation is what will count at the end of the day. 
 
Both my teachers were educators and you could not pay me enough to put up with the crap they put up with all those years to teach America's future generations. 

 

This is my fourth year teaching common core math...I am on my third year of teaching 8th and have taught one of 7th.  Overall its an improvement, but as with any curriculum there are problems...that's what happens when you have people making decisions that aren't educators, or have forgotten what it is like to be in a classroom.  The fact that more curriculum has been included that emphasizes no calculator is terrific.  I'm tired of getting kids year after year that have no understanding of fractions, do not know their multiplication tables, have no clue how to set up division problems (nor do they even know what it means to divide), can't subtract, and decimals are a nightmare.  I've taught in two different schools and its been the same in both schools.  The non-calculator standards are forcing elementary teachers to put away the calculator (in my opinion there is no reason to even have a calculator in elementary school).  However, for some reason the "powers that be" think that if children aren't getting the content introducing it in earlier grades is the answer, and it absolutely is not.  Students are getting material that they are not mentally ready to handle.  In 8th grade I am right now teaching content that I didn't see until Alg I and Alg II.  Unless I have a student that is mathematically advanced, some of this content is just not being understood and pushing it into earlier grades isn't solving the problem.

 

 
My mother gathered up all calculators at the start of the school year.  Stored them in her closet and gave them back at the end of the year.  She taught 3rd grade.  She would do one or two lessons during the year using calculators since it was "required" material but that was it.  As the years went by my mother had less and less say over how she taught and had to conform more and more to the powers that be.  So for example if she was told she had to teach math this way or with a calculator or use Everyday Math she had no choice if she wanted a job.  Its why she went ahead and retired a year early.  She was tired of the powers that be telling her how to teach when she knew it was failing kids in the long run.  

 

Mama_Dragon, from your two posts, it sounds as if your mom's issues are with how the administration in that school is steering the curriculum--not the Common Core itself.  It seems that many are associating changes in methodology with the Common Core.  The CC does not give methods with which to teach, just the concepts that have to be covered.  Some districts are doing well with it, and others seem to be struggling. I also seem to hear more negative from people in states that tended to be "behind" others to begin with, in that they have a lot of catching up to do, and can't see that light.  I think it is actually easier for teachers in K and 1st right now, in that the kids don't know any different, and they are teaching them from the beginning--the middle grades get caught if they are already behind because they have that much more to cover to catch up.

 

I like the idea behind common core.  I think the tough part will be the coming years where all the schools catch up to the standards they need to.  Some classes will be behind and some will be ahead and I think it will be a difficult transition while districts figure out the best way to implement the CC standards.  

 

This is what I said previously.  I like the idea of the Common Core but HOW it is implemented it what will become the problem.  And to be honest I do not know that I like THIS Common Core.  I have listened to several NPR shows and done a bit of research since I am a concerned parent.  I've read some of the standards and all of the K and 1st grade standards.   My questions and issues are listed below.  I don't know the complete accuracy of some of what I read since it is hard to sift information on the internet and get the facts... 
 
It will also require funds to implement new text books, computers, software etc.  Something some school districts are desperately short on.  Class sizes are up and there are already less resources for classrooms and fewer support staff.  There are also no science standards (I am a scientist and already feel schools do too little in this area).  More testing to see if kids are meeting benchmarks.  Acadamics will start at younger ages and some of the requirements at those younger ages do not match what is known about child brain structure and how kids think or learn at those ages.  I've read that pre-school will become even more important so kids are ready for K.  Where is the funding for all kids to attend preschool?  And where is the research that says this will be beneficial to kids to move from play based preschool years to more hard core academics?  Where is the research to say that kids will not get stressed from learning what they are not ready to learn developmentally?  One successful country in the world does not start kids into hard core academics until age 7.   In addition some experts question the Common Core for introducing concepts and material at inappropriate developmental ages not just early childhood.  You cannot change how a young brain develops and pushing a child beyond their natural ability will result in a child who will not learn at all.  I worry about special education students from those with learn disabilities to those with low or high IQ making sure they are not left behind and the curriculum for them challenges them appropriately.  I see little room for creativity, imagination, creative writing (at least from what I read of the standards).  I do not like the over emphasis on non fiction vs fiction.  I also feel that for most parents they will never read the common core standards because they are so technical. They should have been written for the end user the parent and the student.  
 
The Common Core was written to supposedly allow states/school districts room to decide how to implement/specifics and there is supposed to be a freedom to teach other things but I am afraid that this simply will not happen.  For example in my mom's school district every single 3rd grade class in the school district will be teaching X on Monday at X time for X number of minutes.  This is their idea of teaching the Common Core.  It matters not at all if the kids failed to get the lesson on Friday or if they are not ready for the lesson.  They are required to teach the lesson on x date and x time for x number of minutes.  And if the administrator walks into the classroom and they are not doing so it counts against them.  Their school district is not the only one implenting the Common Core in this fashion.  In fact if a state adopts the Common Core and the Common Core testing that will follow... it is actually not very flexible therefore districts are implementing extremely inflexible teaching methods.  Also keep in mind that some supporters of the CC (finacial and those who helped underwrite it) and even one on the copyright... write the very methods and materials that are being bought and used by school districts to implement the Common Core.  There is no conflict of intertest there.
 
In addition there is room for misinterpretation of the Common Core standards because of the language and how they are written.  And of course where is the reseach and testing?  Where is the evidence of its value and that it will work? It is stated that these standards are "rigorous academic standards".  Proof?   Will this really prepare kids for careers and college? Will our children become higher achievers in 10 years?   What about kids who are not college bound?  Will this just be another No Child Left Behind failure? 
 
In New York the Common Core tests only 31 percent passed.  Only 3.2 percent of English as a Second language learners passed, 5 percent of students with disabilities and 17 percent of black students.  Many students gave up. The tests took place over 6 days and 9 hours (18 hours for special needs students).  I am sure some will say that this just shows how poorly schools are doing over all or its too soon for real results.  It will cause schools to further cut out extras and narrow the curriculam.  There was one thing that did show...  school districts in NY that were underfunded did worse on the tests then school districts that were well funded.   Keep in mind for my next paragraph that Pearson constructed the tests for NY and Pearson's subsidiary is Penguin Group (see copyright below).  My skeptical side wonders about the connection between the Common Core creators and the money made from selling the tests.  And part of me thinks oh joy more testing.
 
And who actually wrote the Common Core.  I did finally find out that the workgroup did not have a single in the classroom educator listed and not one single expert on child development was listed.  There is a feedback group that is non decision making with a few educators but no one from elementary school background.  I also read that the "company" wanted to keep the membership of who did the actual work on the Common Core a secret as well as their qualifications.  Finally after a lot of pressure they did reveal the core group names and the vast majority of these individuals worked for testing companies (companies that write tests).  I do know states are getting 4 billion dollars if they adopt the Common Core.   If the Common Core push fails or they need revision who will be making the revisions?  The federal governement does not actually "own" these standards since the federal government is actually forbidden by law from interferring with curriculum and instruction.  And guess what the Common Core is copyrighted so only those people who wrote it can make revisions including Penguin group which is a subsidiary of Pearson (they are on the copyright) which is offering Core lesson plans and materials.   
 
So yeah... I like the idea of our country having Common core standards.  Just a little skepical that these Common Core standards will actually live up to their promise or are what our kids need to succeed.  Sorry this is a bit rough but its been awhile since I researched the Common core and I don't have the time to do it again so a lot was from what I remembered (except NY numbers).  I keep hoping the current ones will implode before my kids are in public school (they are in private right now). 

 

And sorry for the book.  You can blame 40+ years of listening to my parents (educators) at the dinner table.

 

 "I worry about special education students from those with learn disabilities to those with low or high IQ making sure they are not left behind and the curriculum for them challenges them appropriately. "
 
As someone who works in special ed. and has spent part of their time over the last couple of weeks typing out the grade level special ed standards, I can absolutely assure you that special ed. is being challenged.  Our jaws were dropping at some of the things that will be asked of some of our kids.  (I work in a room with low IQ students.  Several Down Syndrome kids and other disabilities.)
 
Our concerns are that there is either the regular ed. standards and 1 set of special ed standards.  There is no allowance for the difference between someone who might be in an academic program like ours that is high functioning Down Syndrome vs. a child that is in a functional program where the main goal is life skills.  They have the same standards.  Our other concerns (and I don't know if this is state related or common core) is that all of our children have to take the tests on computer. We haven't been told what computer skills our kids need to have.  We've just been told that they have to be able to take a test on the computer independently.  We're not even sure if we can read the directions to them or how much we can assist them with the commands on the computer.  Those rules also been told to the teachers as applicable to kids that have cerebal palsy (or other motor issues) or use communication devices.  We're honestly not sure how testing is going to go and nobody is telling us.
 
Overall, I do think that raising the standards is a good thing.  Overall, I think my kids are getting a bettermore balanced education in public schools than I could give them in a homeschool setting.  We're in a wonderful district that is trying hard to implement Common Core with grace and understanding.  The teachers are bending over backwards to help the kids understand what is being asked of them.  In just 2 units of Common Core, I've watched my kids do projects on heritage and traditions.  They've been asked to figure out where traditions come from instead of just accepting them. My son researched the history of break dancing in his group.  My daughter researched how children entertained themselves in the 1700's with other kids in her group having other time periods. The 5th graders had to look at communities and figure out what factors strengthen communities from social organizations to activities and volunteerism. Now they are doing units on conservation and preserving natural resources.  I went with 5th grade on a field trip (with all district 5th graders) on water conservation/usage/pollution with interactive exhibits.  If we lived in a different district, I might have more concerns.  We've been told that this year is considered a pilot year here so the test scores will not count and they will getting feedback from teachers on how to get things better for next year.
 
Marissa

 

I should specify special education should be challenged appropriately which means at their ability level.  This applies to low IQ and high IQ.  My father taught middle school special ed students and was eventually head of special education.  He spent his last years fighting No Child Left Behind.  He would get so frustrated with the expections that were unrealistic for students who he wanted to succeed but needed to succeed on their own level.  I can only imagine your frustration on behalf of your studends not knowing how this will play out or how it will benefit them.  Unfortunately from what I've read the Common Core is not flexible in its requirements at this time.  I am sure it will change in the future. 
 
As for the computer testing...  Kindergarteners will be taking tests on computers.  My mom actually taught technology in the elementary school her last year and most of the students in K didn't know what to do with a mouse and could barely point and click.  They were always hitting a wrong button etc. 
 
Schools have so many problems to deal with and for underfunded schools and school districts this is just adding another layer.
 
We are lucky to live in a good school district.  From what I have read today they allowed the teachers to develop the curriculum and choose the books to be used.  I also know that parents here will still expect AP classes in high school especially in math so I am not worried about the dumbing down on high school math due to the Common Core standards.

 

I don't like how the government gets all in your business. As in how they ask so many personal questions of your kids. I know if my two go back to public school. I will be writing notes that they will not be taking the common core tests. There are several letters that are already written you can print up and use.

 

I like the idea and how my girls are learning math this year in 1st grade. They are excelling and really understand the concepts covered. I also really like that children are encouraged to read both fiction and non-fiction.

In our district though, i feel bad for the teachers because they get the state-mandated cc materials just days before they have to implement them in class. And this was after spending last year and all summer going to training. This may be a ny state-specific issue, but the districts don't have much wiggle room to modify the implementation of the lessons if they are receiving grants from the state for common core. Also ny state decided to go all in all at once. Since my girls are younger it doesn't affect us much, but the older grades are learning their current material, the material that would have been covered last year had they started common core, along side a refresher of last year's material to show how they learned it and how it relates to the new skills.

There is a learning curve when you implement any new system and this is no different. But I think in the long run our kids will benefit from these more rigorous standards.

 

This is why teachers shouldn't have merit pay.  People all the time argue that that is how it "works in MY job".  But have no clue that there are more factors to good teaching and achievement than a test score shows.  When I worked in Georgia, just before No Child Left Behind was instituted, we would "Code 99" all special ed kids.  That meant, while they did take the standardized tests, their scored didn't count for or against the school--the kids had no idea that we did this, so they did try their best.  NCLB, created many problems especially among special ed students.  I do know for a fact, that if a child is incapable of being tested on grade level in the Common Core, they can have alternative testing, which is based on their achievement throughout the year.  How do I know this?  I substituted for the Special Education teacher last week while she was given the day to write the evaluation tools that will be used for the student--and I will probably be in there again for the same reason, as it takes her months to compile the evaluation.  If you district doesn't allow for this, it is probably the district, not the CC to blame.  Once again, the issues being brought up sound like they are local, and not the CC itself.  Like any new idea or concept in education, there are always growing pains, as people figure out what is practical, and what isn't.  4 years ago "Word Our Way" was treated as the Holy Grail for spelling programs.  This year, that entire program has been scrapped in favor of "Fundations", which is a much better program, and in our district was used by the Special Ed kids for the past 4 years--the entire school switched to it when they realized that the Special Ed kids were becoming better spellers than the "Regular Ed" kids

 

 
 
I agree completely with Sharon.
 
I , too, worked in Spec.Ed. and recall the gnashing of teeth with NCLB and standardized testing. Many kids opted out then when the 3% rule (only 3% of students could take alternative testing or opt out) took effect-- we simply put A LOT of accommodations for state testing (reading test, extra time, etc) for my kiddos that had learning disabilities. Surprisingly, they did OK and held their own. The last few years of NCLB,the kiddos in a self-contained setting and/or a primarily non-academic grade level setting (in Resource for all academics) took the Brigance and then the MI-Access as an alternative test-- it covered life skills and was used for all kiddos that were below grade level across the board and/or in a life skills program. It could show progress, but was not grade based.
 
 
Any teacher that TOLD students that their pay was linked to testing is not being ethical. My state does not have merit pay and I dont agree with it since each cohort of students will have different dynamics and also constant changes in curriculum, etc will always make merit pay incredibly in a state of flux as well as subjective.
 
Interesting that your district is scrapping WTW. It is what our area uses and I am less than impressed.
 
 
ETA:
 
I think CC itself is fine. The implementation and interpretation of CC is completely off-base in some areas and is causing angst. No singular curriculum is going to work for all kiddos--districts requiring lock-step teaching will lose teachers and students in a variety of ways (to private schools, to moves, to homeschool, to charters, to neighboring districts etc). Hopefully, they find a better way to make sure the CC are covered while still finding materials that also fit their teachers and students.

 

 
 
I agree with this.  I like the idea of CC.  I think that there are kinks that need to be worked out and I am glad that at least for us, this is a pilot year and they will be taking feed-back from this year to go forward.  We're not doing lock-step teaching.
 
Unfortunately, I think a lot of parents are not giving the teachers time to figure out the new curriculum and are blaming teachers/schools for things that are out of their control.  I know of one family that just pulled 2 kids out of our school for private school because they didn't like the new report card and wanted more spelling.  They had a 4th and 5th grader.  At the middle school level (6th), they would have gone back to the traditional report card.  I know other parents that want more spelling and are just doing extra at home with their kids.  I know another family that's pulled out.  They were home-schooling, put their kids in school for the last 6 weeks of last school year and then pulled them out after 1st 9 weeks this year.  It's just feeling like there are a lot of knee-jerk reactions to the change to CC.
 
I take my cue from my kids.  Sarah said that school is actually more interesting this year.  Timothy is talking about what he's learning and tell me what he read about that day instead of "school is boring".  I'm still supplementing at home with drilling math facts and punctuation practice.  We'll probably do some spelling at some point also. The school is getting ready to teach cursive so I'll see if we need to work at home on that also.   Overall, I'm pleased.  
 
Marissa 

 

I'm going to try to reply to your post mama_dragon....I can't see it all from my iPad so I will probably post several times in response. First, I want to address where you said no science standards. I'm not sure where you got your info from, but it's wrong. Those standards haven't been implemented yet but we are very close in seeing those released. They are still being fine tuned and are the next set to be released. We actually have heard that they will be released in Feb, but most likely will see those in August or later, but they are there. Social studies is actually in the works as well. (I could have those backwards...maybe social studies is next, but they are there regardless)

Your comment on teachers not having flexibility in teaching the standards are not accurate either, at least not in my district. As others have said, it's really depends upon the district. There is a certain order that each district chooses, but that is up to the district. It makes perfect sense to me having taught in a district where there were five middle schools and we often had students transferring in and out of the schools within the district several times a year...yes, that happened. Before common core, students within the district missed vital content because each middle school taught the same content at different times! Now, thanks to common core and implementations, all middle schools now teach the same ORDER and have common ASSESSMENTS so that students transferring schools do not miss content, and so teachers can come together and compare how students from different schools are doing. We are NOT required to teach the exact same way, and if your mom is, that is a district policy, not common core.

Also, yes, there is more testing, but I can't contribute that to Common Core. That is just the nature of the beast and I really think that would happen regardless. Hopefully kids won't be tested to death one of these days, but with more and more students entering college having to take remedial classes, that is to be expected. And that is the premises behind Core Content, to address the increase in remediation required in college....it's out of hand. As far as textbook costs...again district policy....I teach math and my school no longer purchases textbooks, so that is not across the board, I haven't used a textbook in two years.

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that no set of standards are made by classroom teachers....hence the reason for continual revision...Common Core is certainly no exception. So the fact you couldn't find that....not surprising. Doesn't make it right, but it is what it is.

Like I said....and from someone who has taught both common core and the previous standards....it's a big improvement, but there are lots of things that need to be changed. I doubt there will ever be the ideal standards, but the idea is to move more toward finding something to improve the education of children all over the country, and I honestly believe it is a step in the right direction.

 

And the Common Core standards are hard to implement for some districts, especially math. For example, the first year we implemented the Common Core for 8th grade, not only did we have to teach the new Common Core, but also the old standards. This was because some standards had been pushed up grade, or back grades, and our incoming eight graders would have missed important content had we not doubled up. It was a very difficult first two years with common core, but we did it. We projected that it would take a good 5 years to really see the positive effects from the Common Core, and that was four years ago, and we were a pilot school. So it will take a few years for the positive effects to be seen, and unfortunately, some people aren't patient. They think that if we don't see immediate results it's not good, but that isn't true.

 

My biggest issue with common core is the amount of time during the year my county is assessing the students.- I am also against the parcc exam that goes with common core. The idea of national standards in itself is a good idea, but as we can see from reading all the previous post it all depends on how a state/county implements the standards. Scripted lessons takes the art of teaching out of the classroom. Tying teacher pay to test scores sets up our poorest schools (with many awesome teachers) for failure. I believe the education "reformer" are truly out to destroy public education as we know it.