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I haven't read much but what I've read has me nervous. It reads like an integrated science curriculum. We all know how well that worked for math....
As someone who learned science to do science, as opposed to teach it, I can tell you that what you need is to go deep. Integrated curriculums are, inherently, shallow. You can't put the cart before the horse when trying to teach kids to think.
I teach chemistry and for more than half the year, I feel like I'm pulling my students through a keyhole....then, right about this time of the year, I start to see something fantastic....the start of real thinking. Usually in the form of wrong answers based on putting things together without realizing there's more to consider but I LOVE IT. Their brains are starting to work, however, this is only after learning a lot of material and dragging them, time and time again, deeper into the material through that keyhole. It is so wonderful to see kids who have sat there all year now taking part in discussions and taking chances. I don't get them all by any means but I get a few. This is the time of year I really love....
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 04-10-2013 at 06:45 PM..
Teachers, what are you thoughts about the new Common Core standards? Any praise or criticism at this point?
It's another bad idea hurtling headlong towards failure.
As happens so often in education, a flavor of the month, one size fits all approach is sold to legislators with no background in education, and it becomes law in state after state. This will end up on the scrap heap as did all that preceded it. As long as politicians presume to be more adept at schooling than teachers, we'll continue this descent into idiocy.
Here is an article about a group (BAT) of teachers whose voice is being heard about Common Core.
The 25,000 BATs, as they call themselves, are pushing back against the national standards with Twitter strikes, town hall meetings and snarky Internet memes.
If a parent is breaking the law (abuse, abandonment, etc), there are laws for that.
Parents are responsible for their own children. I'm responsible for mine and you are responsible for yours. If a parent is following an educational model that differs from yours, that is really none of your business.
And if the issues villiage brought up are present,and the parent(s) don't live up to their end of the bargain, what happens to the kid(s)? Bad parenting in a general sense is nearly impossible to legally, objectively prohibit. But, even if you did find them in violation of some law, then what? Foster homes for the kids? Something else? What?
It's always amusing when someone with a very limited view of the world tries to tell everybody how things should be.
CC may not be the Holy Grail but that is what States had to sign up for to get off the hook of the NCLB 2014 mandate.
School assessment won't be limited to other schools within your state.
You will be compared to schools in other states now for making progress.
The pressure of high stakes testing is going national.
You will have benchmark tests at the beginning of the year, a few in the middle and another one at the end.
The assessments will be computer based so all schools have to spend their own funds to upgrade their systems.
Multiple choice is going way and students will have to "defend their answers" via essay.
45 states have adopted common core. Why ? Well $4.35 billion dollars was dangled in front of them.
And common core will prepare all students for college. This statement is based on zero evidence though.
Common core will enhance national security. This statement based on zero evidence.
Common core will push more students into STEM. This statement based on zero evidence.
And states can't modify common core because they didn't originate them.
The Fed says they can't modify common core because they can't get involved in state education.
National standards that no one can change..how nice.
So it looks like common core is written in stone and can never be changed by anyone doesn't it ?
NY which implemented common core last year only had 31% of their students "pass".
And the sad thing about this is that very few know what is on the horizon.
Because CC does not really do what it's proponents say it will do, what I have seen is teachers cheating. Cheating will become more and more prevalent as teachers' entire careers are on the line. Teachers like me, who won't cheat, will be weeded out and the truly bad will bad teachers will remain and will be celebrated.
Teaching will not be about teaching anymore, but about figuring out how to pass a test.
Because CC does not really do what it's proponents say it will do, what I have seen is teachers cheating. Cheating will become more and more prevalent as teachers' entire careers are on the line. Teachers like me, who won't cheat, will be weeded out and the truly bad will bad teachers will remain and will be celebrated.
Teaching will not be about teaching anymore, but about figuring out how to pass a test.
I agree. It's pretty sad that the secretary of education has basically dismissed the pass scandals as isolated incidences that have no bearing on his education policies.
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