Federal takeover of school curriculum- "Common Core"
Common Core State Standards Initiative, the federal program imposing a new standard curriculum for schools. Thoughts, opinions, concerns? Michelle Malkin (conservative syndicated columnist) has written extensively about this.
Gardenfish This is interesting to me because I just completed my alternate route program to become a teacher and they push a common core heavily. I do understand it and can see how it would benefit children. The research shows that when kids are moved around a lot for whatever reason (i.e. military kids) the kids get screwed because there is no common curriculum for them to learn. This also happens inside the same school from grade level to grade level.
There is a VERY broad and interpretable set of standards that schools and teachers must adhere to, but they are totally free to interpret them how they wish (either by district set initiatives or with some items left up to the teachers).
Here is a simplified example...lets say you have a first grader who reads Charlotte's Web in class. But the second grade teacher uses that book too. And so does the third grade teacher. (This is NOT a crazy example - this stuff happens very commonly). The kid is going to be totally tuned out and not care about this book by 3rd grade. Same with any other lesson - what if a kid learns about predicates in their 3rd grade class in Hackettstown, but if their parents move across town to mansfield and they now have to go to Mansfield elementary where they teach predicates in 2nd grade, the kid is screwed.
This common core is structured so that teachers have freedom to use the books (and teaching methods) they think are culturally best and so fourth - it is not a handbook that tells the teachers verbatim what they need to teach. So from where I sit, it provides structure and guidelines without overstepping into the classroom. I see it as a good thing for students, teachers, and parents.
Natalie 
Metsman Do we really want to go with a "Federal Takeover" ? Federal government handling anything is never a good thing, just saying...
Diane629Common Core State Standards are just that...state standards. Each state had the choice whether or not to adopt and implement them, in fact, several did not. This is not a federal takeover.
As noted above, the beauty of the standards is that when children move from district to district or state to state, what they are learning and when they are learning it is going to be more aligned.
These new standards are very rigorous and have been designed to ensure that students are more prepared for the rigors of college and the demands of whatever career path they choose. Since they are new (and in NJ, have just begun to be implemented this year), they are yet to really be proven, but the research that went into the development of these standards was extensive.
Hope this info is helpful! :)
Jersey Girl A good introduction to Common Core Curriculum - worth a listen!
http://podbay.fm/show/387601688/e/1347903000?autostart=1
Kurt Federal takeover of school curriculum yes good that will be come a standard of curriculum bur a long with that there needs to be a standard for teachers that is shared with it to and that the teachers be up to it weather they are in Newark or troy hills with equal advantage for poor towns over rich towns equal education for all with was the reason was why the public school system was started
Caged Animal 
iJay This, like Communism, is good in theory. The problem is that you're expecting a student in Newark to have the same level of learning as someone in Oklahoma and one in Miami and one in Madison, WI. And you're expecting all teachers in these areas to have the same approach to teaching concepts.
That's just simply not the case.
And don't get me wrong, I'll be the first one to cite the issues in our educational system. However, the change needs to start at the university level in how teachers are prepared. From there, the change needs to spread into the educational system.
There is an issue with many teachers who go to college, go through the classes and then by the time they graduate, everything has changed. The "buzzword" in education changes every 5 years. So what will the new thing be in the next 5 years?
And of course, we're always focusing on schools to be the factor of change. What are we doing to improve the focus at home? If the parents view education as a glorified daycare, then what chance is there that what is learned will stick?
btownguy 
Greg btownguy,
Not really. Teachers have the freedom to use whatever approach is best for the region or culture.
"Federal takeover" is really not an applicable description of what is happening at all - it is a defined set of standards that every kid should know based on grade level - that is it. People see the title that the Feds are taking over (not really) and freak out.
So yeah - first graders in Newark and the Bronx should be taught the same reading and math skills as children in Ohio and Texas. If the kids are capable, they should be taught and given the same opportunities. There needs to be a set of standards so that children do not get left out due to mobility OR ineffective district-defined criteria that allows teachers too much freedom and subject matter gets duplicated.
Like everything else, things do change - but you have to keep in mind things change because new studies and research are being done all the time and the objective to change in education is to make better students, better teachers, and create a better learning experience. So the change is all made to better the situation.
Sadly, there is not much we can do about home life. It is sort of like being in a bad situation and realizing that you cannot change the other person, all you can change is yourself - so educators do that to try to make the best of it for the students.
Natalie, yes really.
Again, you're making the expectation that everyone in every part of the country has the same ideas of what needs to be taught when or agree that things should be taught in a specific order. Just look at the states that fight the evolution vs creationism debate. While you're correct that teachers SHOULD have freedom, it's a question of will they still? How much longer until firms get involved with curriculum design just as they are in standardized testing?
The federal government stepped in with NCLB and pushed for increased testing, specifically based on the model of Texas. What's Texas doing now? Looking to reduce their number of tests! And how's NCLB holding up? Not at all. Continually modified and requirements reduced.
You missed my point regarding the home life. If the home doesn't value education, no emphasis will be placed on completing work. You can study the heck out of a student, but if there's no push at home for success in school, it won't matter. The student won't care and won't try and will probably be a distraction.
As I said, this is a great idea in theory. However, if we have learned one thing, it's that what's best for NJ isn't the same as NY or TX or MI or CO. If we all fund and approach education differently, why are we now being asked to fit into a mold?
Btownguy, I agree with you that a students' home life has a tremendous impact on his/her education. It is difficult to motivate students without support from home. However, this is something that isn't going to change. Like Natalie said, teachers can only make the best of it with their students.
As to the Common Core standards, they are only for English Language Arts and math. Representatives from around the country looked at not only what was working in states around the country but also what works in other countries as well (like Singapore Math). While there are different resources and different approaches in different parts of the country, at the end of the day if a student applies for a job at a company, it's not like the company is going to say, "Oh, you went to school in Newark? It's okay if you can't perform the duties of this job...we'll give it to you anyway." The company wants to know...can the prospective employee meet the rigors of the job? One of the goals of the Common Core for both ELA and math is to help students meet this criteria.
Implementing these standards will not happen overnight, and, like anything large scale, success may not be seen overnight. However, these standards will help ensure that whether a student grows up in New Jersey, Colorado, or Mississippi, he or she will be held to the same standard and will be ready for college and for career.
btownguy, yes, like Jersey Girl said, the common core is limited to language and math. So a student in California will still learn about the California Missions in 4th grade where students in Texas will learn about Texan history.
For the students' sake, yes, every student in every part of the country should be (and can be) held to the same academic standards in these two core subject areas. It is in the students' best interest, and that is what educators are set out to do - advocate on behalf of the students and their best interest.
As someone who is about to begin the teaching profession, yes, I believe teachers will still have the freedom to teach in the manner that they feel is most effective. Again, this is not some "federal take over", it is a defined set of skills for each grade level.
Sorry, I do not understand your point at all on home life. What do you suggest the feds/districts/teachers do about student home life? The reach is very limited. Are you suggesting that since home life is bad for some students we should give up? I dont understand what this has to do with the common core.
Math and the study of Language are universal themes. It is not as if kids in NJ should be taught math in different increments than kids in CA. I still think that this is in the students' and teachers (and parents) best interest and will be a good thing.
As in "No Child Left Behind", its another attempt to remove critical thinking from school. Any program that requires higher scores if you do not enter the program is an attempt at creating "No Child can be Smarter". America is lost if we keep dumbing down our children and education. IKE said to watch our rights in two areas: the Military and Education.
What the heck is an alternate route to becoming a teacher? My family members (2),who are degreed teachers with BS/MS+8 haven't heard this one.
@One-Eyed poacher- Alternate route is a fairly well-known program, so I am surprised that an educator has never heard of this. It is a different way of going about getting your teaching certification. The candidate for this did not go through the typical teaching preparation program at a college. You, the student, must pay the school district willing to "hire" and train you a fair amount of money as well. Unfortunately a lot of school districts, even though they are the ones getting paid, do not like to take in a person who is going through the alternate route approach. I have a friend who has their Bachelor's and Master's in English who went the alternate route, but could not find a school district willing to take her in. It is a pretty tough route to go, but in the end if they complete all of the requirements, they are a certified teacher, although I am not sure if they are highly certified or not.
sunshinenj According to the NJ State Dept. of Education, in 2009, a third of new teachers entering New Jersey classrooms came through alternate route certification, (2,295 of the 7,169 hired in 2009). Most of the educators were in the field of math, science and foreign languages. If you aren't an educator in any one of these fields or you aren't willing to teach in an urban area you will have a very hard time finding a job as there isn't a teacher shortage in this state.
@One-Eyed Poacher: I encourage you to take a look at the CCSS. You can find them at www.corestandards.org. You mention above that it's another attempt to remove critical thinking from schools, when the CCSS actually are very much about higher-order thinking skills.
Here's a sample, from the 4th Grade reading standards for informational text:
"Compare and contrast a firsthand and
secondhand account of the same event or
topic; describe the differences in focus and the
information provided."
Consider what this is helping our students to learn: the difference between a firsthand and secondhard account, knowing that both can be important, knowing that there may be different accounts of the same event or issue, and being able to identify the differences between them.
Once students finish 8th grade, they should be able to (same standard, now at an 8th grade level):
"Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a
text and analyze how the author acknowledges and
responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints."
Finally, in 11-12th grade, students should be able to (again, same standard, now at an 11-12 grade level):
"Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is
particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power,
persuasiveness, or beauty of the text."
This is just one standard, but it helps develop in students an ability to sift through the vast amount on information available to them on every topic under the sun, and determine the point of view of the author, devices the author uses to convey that point of view, and in the end, make decisions for themselves about the content of a given text. This is critical thinking.
Higher order I think not. When you have another crazy billionaire deciding what's best for America, only America will suffer. Are you such a bunch of followers as to let the Bill Gates Foundation throw 100's of million's of dollars at our children so Microsoft can data mine our children's future?
CC for example allows the reading of classic literature in decreasing amounts through high school. By 11th and 12th grade Moby Dick type reading will be an optional 20-30% of the reading. The remainder will be government handbooks mostly produced by the USEPA. This will not teach the joy of reading.
After 25 years of reading and complying with the EPA, I can tell you that reading 2-3 books a week of the classics and non-fictional history were the only thing that allowed me to enjoy my job.
Reading will set you free, but it won't if its a government indoctrination tool. Please use some critical thinking while researching Common Core. It's not for the good of our children, but for the good of Microsoft. After all, they wouldn't put in money that wouldn't be good for their initial return on investment.
Poach: if Bill Gates, Mayor Bloomberg or any other gazillionaire wants to spend their money for either causes, education, poverty, etc. ---- thank you. I have seen some amazing programs coming out of the Gates Foundation.
What real evidence do you have about his using foundation dollars to data mine?
And why not source the 70% - 80% of government handbook reading metric that you allude to .
Methinks you are seeing things.
mistergoogle 
The Common Core does call for an increasing level of instruction in informational text as students progress through the grade levels, so that by the time students graduate, 70% of their instruction is in informational text and 30% is in literature. The informational text is supposed to be from many sources, and there is no mandated list of texts that must be taught. Please note, though, that part of the informational text instruction is happening in the science and social studies classrooms. These areas of study have their own literacy standards as well. So when we see that 70/30 split, we are actually talking about a 50/50 split in the English classroom. The CCSS recognizes the importance of literature, but it also recognizes the value of informational text, since after graduation, no one ever has to read literature again--but everyone will have to read informational text in some form or another.
The CCSS list as types of informational text, "Includes the subgenres of exposition, argument, and functional text in
the form of personal essays, speeches, opinion pieces, essays about
art or literature, biographies, memoirs, journalism, and historical,
scientific, technical, or economic accounts (including digital sources)
written for a broad audience."
I posted a picture that lists some of the suggested texts, hopefully it is clear to read. But these are just suggestions--the note at the bottom of the page reads, "Given space limitations, the illustrative texts listed above are meant only to show individual titles that are representative of a range of topics and genres.
(See Appendix B for excerpts of these and other texts illustrative of grades 6–12 text complexity, quality, and range.) At a curricular or instructional level,
within and across grade levels, texts need to be selected around topics or themes that generate knowledge and allow students to study those topics or themes in depth." This means that distritcs and teachers still have the ability to choose the texts they want to use in the classroom.
I just looked at the list from the picture I posted again. I don't see anything about Microsoft or the EPA. Not sure where you got that info from.
I don't list links because I believe that if you're on this site you have good enough skills to find it. Here's a hint: B&M(?) Gates Foundation and CC. This should lead you to the USEPA informational reading. In critical thinking, one would ask why would a private foundation do this and what can they gain. It would seam that good amount risk management training should be included in the schools. Oops! That may cause independent thinking.
Here's another clue as to what they're up to: Melissa Francis (?) MSNBC/Comcast host has a public service announcement about this subject. This should scare any parent, but maybe not. Apparently I should direct any phone calls for advice to the BOE or their old teachers.
CC or "No child smarter than the other" fits right in to creating a two class society. Those that send their kids to private school (the employers) and those that go to public school (the employees).
Good luck to you.
Well, Jersey Girl provided information, Poach gave us ineuendo and an admonition.
And why Bill Gates would be in charge of assignments is weird.
one eyed: (and others)
here is the video with the suggestion that parents want to own their own children too much, that they (parents) need to give up ownership of their children to the village.
Melissa Harris-Perry thinks that, after they're born, children fundamentally belong to the state.
Narrating a new MSNBC "Lean Forward" spot, the Tulane professor laments that we in America "haven't had a very collective notion that these are our children." "[W]e have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents or kids belong to their families, and recognize that kids belong to their communities," Harris-Perry argued.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=N3qtpdSQox0
BrotherDog CCSS is a set of standards designed to prepare kids for college and/or career. There is no left wing plot, no corporate underwriting. It comes out of NCLB, the waivers for NCLB, observations of colleges and university, and private enterprise in terms of the skills students need to excel in school and business. Schools design curricula around these standards so their graduates can function well in college and career. Please, stop the hype, conspiracies and fear mongering. These states willingly joined this. I speak from authority: I'm a certified teacher with two masters degrees.
I know this post won't change one thing, but I just want to point out that the OP is not entitled to his/her own facts, and the OP and others are citing sources that aren't education authorities.
A Voice of Reason Mistergoogle...scary thing is that some people do care what she thinks.
Has anyone checked out Michelle Malkin's site?????
Ms. Perry's ideas are dangerous, period. It was a public service ad from MSNBC/Comcast. Although they can just deny they knew about it and never approved of it. Just like the US Army listing Catholics with Hamas' and the Ku Klux Klan as domestic threats, "we never approved of the training slides". The insidious way in which they are changing our whole society so quickly and without public oversight is tragic. Why would the Dept of Education keep removing and replacing in harder to find spots the handbook for CC or "No child smarter than the next", explaining the use of FMRI's and biometric wristbands for data-mining? It took me three days to find it again yesterday and today using my favorites, it is gone again. As per usual, lobbyists & lawyers draw up almost ALL laws and regulations. The BM Gates Foundation has donated a few hundred million to the main consulting groups who drew up CC or "No child smarter than the next", as well as 5 million to the survey group who glorified it. Who stands to make the most money out of the biometric measurement of pupil dilation and oxygen levels in students?
It is amazing how some of the greatest minds of our time came out of one-room school houses and in less than a century they've destroyed our schools by making them a money making scheme for the few at the expense of us all. Not to mention the tax increases specified by Ms. Perry, how about the traveling family-student coaches (15 per grade, more depending on school/class size). They're laughing all the way to the bank after dropping their kids at a private school.
I doubt that they've taught Brave New World, 1984, Animal Farm, or Fahrenheit 451 in high school since the 1980's. It's pretty plain to see it hasn't. What ever happened to "Keep the Government out of my bedroom!"? They're getting into everywhere now.
Good luck to you, O-E P
"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink" American traditional phrase
“Those who control the present, control the past and those who control the past control the future.” George Orwell
I can't wait to see results after schools dive into and dissect the Constitution of the United State of America. Now there's some incredible text...
Poach: I can not find any evil doing by the Gates Foundation in regards to Common Core beyond funding. And a number of rich individuals and corporations have funded.
Lots of talk about the "badness" of funding, but little or no definition of what that badness is beyond funding.
Of course after researching this I felt compelled to buy Office 2017....:>)
I believe there was something in the gates foundation educational initiative about tracking all kids school records across all public schools over their entire school career.
now there may be some benefit to having all of that information
there may also be personal privacy concerns for underage students and their families.
read an article several months ago about this and it included a big database buildout that the Gates Foundation was funding for public school kids. the issue is the 'tag and bag' approach to public school education that compromises individual privacy, liberty and decision making. not sure where it stands right now
the pushback is that those who can't afford private school will be tracked and categorized while the 1 percenters (which includes Bill Gates children and grandchildren) get a free pass..
this rubs some people the wrong way
But again, funding and mining are two very different things. I thought it funny when someone said: "hey I thought they already knew all this about me anyway......"
I think the private school aspect would be wrong if this thing ever goes national, for sure.
But like the health system, tracking this stuff on a standardized database seems prudent to me. Just want to put proper protections in place.
I'm just going to add to this issue from time to time as I feel it is very important to the future of our kids and our country. Say what you will, but I'm not making up any of this. First it's to difficult to follow and I believe that it is that way for a reason, "We have to vote on it to find out whats in it.". There's a lot of money involved in this and I'm afraid that alone will trump the best interests of our children. Also, why would anyone looking out for the kids be anything but forthcoming? Why wouldn't they want people to watch Congressional hearings, read and understand any bill so important to the future of this country?
- You can now add Exxon to the list of corporate supporters. They had a TV ad on during the Master's golf tourney. An oil company promoting CC? What would be the best for education other than supporting political issues to gain oil leases? I couldn't find Googles ad, but they were on the list of corporate sponsors.
- CC was engineered largely by a woman named Darling-Hammond at Stanford. When passed over for Education Secretary, self-described terrorist Bill Ayer's wrote an angry Op-Ed piece praising her commitment to the cause and to education. Mostly mad that his letters of reference to Bam-Bam were ignored.
- Most will quote or cite Eisenhower's military-industrial complex speech, but few will teach his other warning: The Educational-Industrial Complex and the threat to our children's education if we allowed corporate America to continue to influence our schools. Well we're more than half way to having corporate schools.
- The CC Handbook at the US Dept of Ed disappeared again, if you can find it, read it. Their future goals are to evaluate our kids MRI, O2 levels and bio-metrics, they'll be better able to steer a kid towards an education better fitting the needs of the child and future job choice. This starts in pre-K! Think of the money they'll save on educating late-blooming students and the surplus of bilge cleaners that Exxon will have. Plus you won't be able to attend college-level education without CC certifications in your file, as colleges won't receive federal $$$ if they accept non-CC students.
- Eugenics didn't die with Margaret Sanger, she'd be proud to know that the Dept of Ed is expanding on her idea. Except now it's to be known as social determinism. Every future parent will be praying for an Alpha or Beta child, but God forbid they get a Gamma, what will they do?
"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined." Patrick Henry
You certainly deserve your name One-Eye, because you don't seem to bother to keep both open. Lots of innuendo, very little, I mean no, facts. None. And ending with a meaningless off-subject quote.
For example, Linda-Darling-Hammond whom you seem to castigate because Bill Ayers wrote an op ed praising her, an angry-praise piece I believe you called it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Darling-Hammond --- hmmm, no controversy here.
hmmmm, Temple, Yale ---- yup seedbed of the second wave. Let's see, public school teacher, worked for RAND corporation --- wait, RAND --- MAD theory, winnable nuclear war ---- damn liberal scum...... and lots of work as a professor ---- yup pretty dangerous stuff here, almost as dangerous as an PHD in the land........
Let's hear from the woman herself in 2011: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/darling-hammond-the-mess-we-are-in/2011/07/31/gIQAXWSIoI_blog.html
OK, then you have the Bill Ayers - Darling-Hammond - Bam-Bam (I suppose that's your love-tug to Obama) conspiracy connection. Again, no facts, no links, nothing. And worse yet, you left out the Kevin Bacon connection!
Why do you not list links, citations, news stories, etc. for the Ayers connection. Maybe because when you do, you get TRASH like this: http://www.aim.org/special-report/terrorist-professor-bill-ayers-and-obamas-federal-school-curriculum/ That is the level of the "factual" basis of your thoughts. It's laughable. If this is an example of your version of public education and Bill Ayers is the only other choice ----- where's my hammer and sickle?
List the Bill Ayers op ed citation please. I would like to read it.
Then you have the corporation conspiracy aimed at some Matrix-like jobs program complete with medical job casting elements. Might it be as simple as 1, 2, 3. 1) Corps give donations, it's tax deductible, good PR, and therefore good brand awareness advertising 2) Education is good PR so why not donate there 3). 1 & 2 are profitable and corps exist for profit. Nah, there has got to be more ---- where's Eisenhower???????
Fact less garbage leading me to believe that you want your children to have the same fine education that made you the finely educated specimen that you are today.
I would believe you but I just saw where you wrote an angry praise opinion piece that included Obama, Bill Ayers and Darling-Hammond which is difficult to follow for a reason. At least, that's what I heard.
"Say what you will, but I'm not making up any of this."
Yes, you are.
Ah MG, I had so much faith in your research skills. But you cite so much of the low hanging fruit, any-wing blogs, and Wikipedia, I bet you haven't even skimmed the DOE CC handbook at all? Then searched for some real citations from your skimming. Keep in mind that a piece of paper will stand still for anything. Ignore the despicable blogging community, I do. As I've said before, I rarely post links and only do when I feel the crowd is impaired or skylarking. This is a learning experience and I wouldn't want anyone to sit back and believe anything, in any media form. Dig I say! Dig! I realize that some may not have the time, but certain issues are important to know. The future freedom of our kids to choose their way in life is one of them. After reading EPA, DEP, DOE (energy), & OSHA for 30 years, I know how they slip things in. I don't trust them. Will they limit the education to those they deem not capable? They keep bringing in bio-metrics, like in the Immigration bill. Will this lead to a "Fast Track" to an 8th grade diploma for the worker drones? It would certainly seem so.
Wikipedia, really? Their citations aren't even allowed in the schools.
Once again One-Eye, you ramble on without facts just meandering through some thoughts; the pain of everything written being one-sided, and admonishment for not reading DOE like you have (and therefore you are wise....).
Where's that Bill Ayers op ed citation piece that you based most of your argument on. Seems you read it but can't find it.........or did you?
Sure, you can take WIKI with a grain of salt but even if it's 70% right then you are 80% wrong. Plus, hard to spin a birthdate, degree, or job experience which most of that article is.
Of course you can't use an anonymous secondary source like Wiki for writing papers. Only primary sources would be allowed. However, any Sources listed in Wiki are probably fair game as primary. But this is not school is it now and I think a secondary source like I listed is most certainly preferred over no listing of linkages or sources that you seem to prefer to use. Matter of fact, the only time you list a source is when there is no fact associated with it (but you do go out of your way to tell us you read it and therefore your conclusions are valid).
The Washington Post blog that you blather blast, if you had bothered to look, is a verbatim speech by the woman herself stating her views of education. It's verbatim genius. Where's the spin in that? It's what she said.......verbatim.
The third link, I agree, is total trash, lies, innuendo, and fact less garbage. Of course, it's the citation that supports your argument surrounding Bill Ayers.
"Say what you will, but I'm not making up any of this."
Yes, you continue to fabricate ideas without facts. And what glimmer of facts they might have can not be supported. Nice fact less opinion though. It's not that I disagree with your concepts, it's just that there is no underlying foundation to agree to. You might even be right, who knows?
@One Eyed Poacher-I was going to address some of these things but I see that you're doing a good job. I see that someone posted a list of what students are taught and while it includes an essay by Orwell that you can read in 5 minutes it doesn't include 1984 or Animal Farm.
And while it may be interesting to read about Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railway was primarily run by White men, Quakers etc
We also don't see any of the writings from Western Civilization like the Illiad,or various Roman writers, Greeks etc and there's nothing about ancient Caucasian Egypt which is always included in any study of Western Civilization.
Homer No, it does not. The literature is up to the teachers. If you check the website, you can see that if you click on literature it is a broad set of competencies that the student must be able to do. No list of books.
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy
So, in other words, Common Core reading materials are a local decision.
OH, the horror of it all.
I agree with the person that posted that we are dumming down our kids. Our teachers are already forced to teach a curriculum that is based on testing. Now we are going to implement more curriculum standards! It sounds great when you are pushing schools that are below standards. What about the schools in which the students could be ahead? Do we really want to hold kids back from learning so that they can be on the same level as the rest of the country? Think about it.
jc Why do standards dumb (dumming is not a word) down our kids? If they speed past the standard, do we make them stop learning, do not pass go, do not collect your diploma?
All curriculums are based on testing. Is Common Core actually more standards or just standards? And if they are a cumbersome mess that are dumbing down our kids and they are optional, why have 46 out of 50 states adopted them? Only Alaska, Why are they endorsed by the National Governors Association?
Without you providing an actual connection to the Common Core initiative, I am missing how this one is dumbing down our kids JC. Again, I don't really have an answer, just asking a question.
Here is a link to "Founded on Truth"
Digging a little deeper, to find out what "Common Core" is REALLY about
http://foundedontruth.com/index.php/common-core-info
Isn't it interesting how NYC schools did with their test results due to Common Core? So well in fact that even more States are jumping into "No Child Smarter than the Next". Used to be that school work during the Summer meant you got to stay with you class in September. A couple of years ago, you had to read a book off the list, or get one approved for Summer reading. Now the politicians can control the what books and content they want our kids to absorb during their Summer off, so their donors can sell a few million books of questionable content at a time. Books that wouldn't have a chance of making the NYT Best seller list top ten for a week. If they have to develop the ability to read tedious material, it should be well written so they can absorb proper grammar. Not poorly written tripe about a fifth rate metaphoric World tour on how people are destroying the World with rubber ducks. The politicians and school board aren't able to, but the teachers should feel ashamed to present this as literature.
That's not all the ways to make money off of our kids. There's a new program that requires parents to register with the State and/or Federal Government, contact information for each kid playing school sports. The same information that parents fill out on paper for the school and the coaches use in case of an injury at an away game. In this age of identity theft, who wants this? Why do they want this? Where does it go? How safe is it? Yet very few parents question this request. Have we become that feeble minded as to just send personal information out on the web? What politicians relative owns this company and all these families personal information now? You can bet the information is being sold as "100 Sales Leads for Free". Or if they start the draft again, guess who makes infantry, physically active kids or overweight vidiots? Hopefully they approve all these kids for credit cards that they can close before they turn 18 year olds, kinda like the old Columbia Record Club entering contracts with minors, sending out a couple a million records for free and losing their shirts on it. I learned that in Business Law at HHS and still have the records, as did most of my class mates.
By the way, that class was an elective which I had every day for the quarter. We had English and Math every day through 12th grade. We were a Group II school, meaning we had 1,500 students and teachers eat "In" the cafeteria, not on the floor in the hallways. If you couldn't keep up in class, you were moved down to one you could keep up in. That was the rubric, not one kid holding up an entire class for days or weeks on end. Plus the USA was in the top 10 for student ratings the World over, time and again. That's why the US can't manufacture anything but widgits in this day and coming age. Most teachers want to teach, not be a regulatory overseer, infomercial schill, and political correctness attorney. Let them teach. It's time for these administrative and political vultures to stop selling our children's future.
"The ruling class has the schools and the press under its thumb. This enables it to sway the emotions of the masses." Albert Einstein
I came across this video tonight and thought it conveyed pretty well some of the issues some people have about the push for "common core":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGph7QHzmo8
There is a link to another video right at the end of the one above that continues the theme.
To summarize, the examples discussed deal with teaching student emotional decision making versus how to think logically about problems. I think everyone here knows my perspective on this lol...
(the "emotional" word in the video title didn't escape my notice!)
justintime "I doubt that they've taught Brave New World, 1984, Animal Farm, or Fahrenheit 451 in high school since the 1980's. It's pretty plain to see it hasn't. "
not sure where you get your info one eyed - these are commonly taught in most schools - I work with kids from a wide range of schools, all have read these...
ready Salman Khan, inventor of the Khan institute, noted that the heart of the American educational system grading metric dooms us all to failure at the get go. Rather than making sure kids get it and are measured on concept completion, instead we let even the good ones fail at least a little bit and then move them along without making sure they have completed each step in learning a subject.
The result is that even good students ultimately don't have enough of certain skills to go on and hit the educational wall in many subjects.
Think about it. You are a pretty good student, getting a B+ in math. While that's pretty good, that also means that you are missing the concepts on close to 10% of the subject each year. Many of these concepts are actually building blocks for concepts learned later in the coursework. Each year you do well and each year you miss another 10% of the building blocks. Sooner or later, those 10-percents are going to add up, you are going to hit the educational wall, and undoubtedly drop math at your earliest convenience in preference to subjects where you aren't missing concepts from years past.
So until we fix the grading metric, even our good students will be bound to fail, one building block after another over the years. Rather than "moving em to a class to keep up," Khan recommends individualized teaching allowing each student to progress by proving a comprehensive command of the course material before moving on; not just passing them on with a passing grade. And he has shown how, by using technology, this can be done cost effectively.
One-Eyed Poacher's rubric of the old days of schooling dooms us to failure or at least failing many students to only pursuing subjects that they are highly proficient in naturally. Many pretty darned good students fall behind just because they missed a bit of the topic for a number of years. Khan's recommendations seem to break that rubric and focus on each student comprehending the entire subject, well, before achieving the benchmark and moving to the next section of learning.
Don't challenge Common Core, apparently they arrest you (altho charges were later dropped, the man WAS arrested, for being perfectly polite, at a public meeting)
http://michellemalkin.com/2013/09/20/parents-you-need-to-question-these-people-shock-video-of-dad-arrested-at-school-meeting-after-challenging-common-core/
And yes, we know Michelle Malkin is a right-wing pundit; but please you libs- stop trying to poison the message by poisoning the messenger. The link above contains a VIDEO of the incident and explanation of what happened. Michelle had nothing to do with it, the information was sent to her by a concerned citizen and she posted it.
So I guess public "meetings" aren't really meetings at all- they are for the people to sit down, shut up, and be TOLD what is going to happen to their children. Things are getting ugly, people.
JeffersonRepub "common core" are code words for "coastal liberal elitist doctrine"
don't buy the hype, get up at public meetings and make your voices heard
if it was me at that meeting I would not have walked out of there, if the jack-booted thug rent-a-cop knocked me down, i would get right back up and keep asking my questions, if he knocked me down again, i would stand up dust myself off and start asking my question again. Gandhi style, no violence, no retaliation. they would have to pick me up and carry me out of there. and at the very next public meeting i would go back there and do the same thing again and bring like minded people with me.
just unbelievable the lengths these socially progressive elitists will go to in order to deny individuals their individual rights,
we are under siege, and it's wrong. way wrong . . . . .
I have a child just starting Kindergarten. At Back To School Night, the Principal downplayed the importance of standardized testing and instead told us why the Core Standards are a good thing. Then I read this article. I am somewhere in the middle on this topic, but I do know this country cranks out a lot of students. Many of which will go to college. It sounds like that is the *ultimate* goal of the standards - to get a child into college.
http://truthinamericaneducation.com/common-core-state-standards/early-childhood-standards-of-common-core-are-developmentally-inappropriate/
Anyone else read this?
3wbdwnj There is some truth in what the speaker above presented.
More and more is being dumped into the lower grades curriculum, hoping it will strengthen all the grade levels as they progress. The problem is, just as she stated, those " intellectuals" pontificating what needs to be done in schools, have no idea what is needed at the lower grade levels and what techniques and materials work best with younger children. They have based much of their rationalization on what works best in high school and college levels. These are the ones writing the books and giving the seminars to our pressnt teachers and future teachers. These are the ones influencing the changes we now see taking place In Kindergarten through college at the state and federal levels...
Spring Fever "It sounds like that is the *ultimate* goal of the standards - to get a child into college."
I happen to disagree and don't think that should be the goal at all. The goal should be graduating kids who are able to think, problem solve and have the ability to teach themselves what they need as they go through life. The rest will come naturally.
JIT, maybe I should have stated it differently. It sounds like that is the *unwritten* goal to me.
I everyone went to college, who would do your building, your plumbing, your electrical, your landscaping? I could go on & on, but I think I've illustrated the point.
Exactly, JR. It seems the only thing the Core Standards teach is how to be a student. Don't get me wrong. I, and others, do see the value of some standardization of information, but isn't that what school curriculae are meant to do in the first place?
In my district, and apparently in scores of others, by 2014-2015 a third grader (8yo) should be able to create and type on the computer a three paragraph essay in 30 minutes. Really?
Another question that begs to be answered. What are private schools doing?
Sorry 3wbdwnj, I didn't think that was your view - I thought it came from the article that I didn't read ;-)
But I think you are right that the goal for most educators is to get kids into college (I've heard that viewpoint many times).
I have 3 children in school, 3rd grade, 6th grade and a sophmore in high school. I was at BTS night for my 3rd grader and was told they were going to start to implement algebra., based on the Common Core guidelines. I was also told that they were no longer going to teach spelling, have weekly spelling words or spelling tests. So my eight year old will be able to DO algebra but not be able to spell it.
Another thing has been bothering me. Schools are no longer teaching penmanship.and cursive. My 11 year old has no idea how to sign his name!! I think that's nuts
Colleen26 That is because so many new subjects are being dropped down into the younger grades, there is no time to spend on penmanship and spelling and most basic areas...
They are doing away with cursive because our historical documents were written in cursive like the Constitution & Declaration of Independence and they want people to forget about those rights. Is there a better way so in 50 years nobody can read our history?
There is an agenda behind it.
RU Common Core has some good points, however it's worse feature caters to the philosophy of some of those in the lime light of educational reform at this time...
someone tell Donaldson's to change their ads touting how their field trips are aligned with the NJ Core Content Standards....not even in use anymore....
Gen3Townie JR and JIT, I agree with you both. We have too many college students now working as receptionists. Receptionists with college loans to pay off...something's not right there.
RU, that's a scary thought but in reality my younger children will not be able to read cursive since they spent about one month on it in third or fourth grade..
They dropped the charges against that Father, he was facing over 10 years in the clink. I'm against law suits most of the time as it only makes lawyers richer and creates ill-will, but I think he should sue them for violating his right to free speech. It was sickening to see the board members smiling as he was silenced. Just as sickening to watch the people in the crowd allow it to happen. People don't fight hard for something unless there is something personal at stake, i.e. your child, your house, or extra money in an off-shore bank account.
From what I read, he should be seeing for false arrest. Also, the format of that public meeting is crazy.
Gadfly I agree RU!!!!
Check this out: http://fightcommoncore.com/why-teach-cursive/
My 16 yr old has transitioned to using print rather than cursive. Now, when did this happen??? Right before my eyes. I will encourage that he writes more in cursive from now on. We, as parents are also educators and we can make sure that our children retain this valuable skill. They may need to pass it on to their own children.
"We, as parents are also educators and we can make sure that our children retain this valuable skill."
Why am I surprised to see someone else say that? Seems like common sense to me...
JIT, readin, writin, rithmatic was all school used to be. My mother didn't teach me how to write. My teachers did. My mother taught me The Golden Rule, my manners, and be kind to animals.
Just wanted to make sure people who were interested saw the documentary that was put out yesterday. Very informative stuff.
www.commoncoremovie.com
Jane doe It would appear that the social lines are drawn, wealthy elitists vs. the rest of us. Democrats, Independents, Republicans, union members, and so on have lined up into these two camps. Either you stand to make money on Common Core and allow our youth to become drones, or we allow teachers to teach in a way that encourages critical, independent thought and deprive this large, privately owned corporation their profits and future one-mind workers . Common Core is a copy righted program and cannot be altered in anyway by the school district or even home-schoolers. Take a look at who the main investors are and see that it is an off-shore company. This is why most of it's proponents send their children to private schools. Follow the money.
Talk to anyone you know who came here from a socialist or communist country. They will tell you straight off what this is about, that it is the last step in creating and elitist and worker class system. Ask them if they prefer "the common good" or "individual freedom".
Please know where your local, state and federal politicians stand before you vote this year. More importantly, let them know why they will or will not get your vote.
Think and act independently for the good of the Country. Thanks for thinking.
My mother went to 8th grade and she could write and spell very well. She blamed my bad spelling on a new system of spelling tried on me. I was taught to sound out words not to memorize them. Five years later when my brother went through,it went back to memorizing. You all know the results. I did get a certificate for outstanding Cursive writing in sixth grade. It may have been spelled wrong though.
In my days there was no such thing as remedial three R's the first year of Collage.
You parents better get involved for your children s sake.
Old Gent This is under the guise of "just asking" and bear in mind that I don't think either Common Core or "let my teachers be" is the answer to an improved education system. But......
"Either you stand to make money on Common Core and allow our youth to become drones, or we allow teachers to teach in a way that encourages critical, independent thought and deprive this large, privately owned corporation their profits and future one-mind workers." Speaking as one who is neither either or, how can this be true?
"Take a look at who the main investors are and see that it is an off-shore company." Who is it?
"This is why most of its proponents send their kids to private schools" Is there a list for this?
Sorry, I was just thinking......
What I do know is that we all spend a HUGE amount of our tax dollar on education. Public education is a $550B company. Yet we rank 36th in results: http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=978874
Clearly our past and current education systems failed. Perhaps Common Core will fail too, it certainly does not seem to have full support.
Professional teachers in a professional career path is one of China's hallmarks, teaching in America is not rewarded nor prized in the same way. So to say the answer is to "allow teachers to teach in a way that encourages critical, independent thought" is nice but either that alone does not cut it or we have not done that in a very, very, very long time.
To me it's obvious that a set of benchmark goals must be established and achieved if we are funding this to a tune of $550B a year. If we invest, we should get measureable results. Sure, we want critical, independent, thinkers and problem solvers as well. Not to mention small children able to tackle tomorrow's challenges in a wink. And clean and courteous too.......
But the hard fact remains that certain standards must be met for our $550B investment. That's not communism, that's not socialism, that's plain ole American Capitalism ----- I want my money's worth........and more if I can get it. If Common Core is not it, then find it because the old system did not cut it.
The one school I am familiar with is Elizabeth. They are State supported like Newark.
The Mayor has not been able to get his people on the school board for years and called for a state audit. The Audit came back clean. The first clip is just the general main High School that rated so high. The second clip explains the Academy's that are part of the high School system. One is the Sam Aboff Academy for troubled kids. How they get away with that past ACLU, I don't know. I think you are getting your moneys worth there.
The city has over 6,000 school children and about 75% are Hispanic.
Elizabeth is 221 out of 19,400 nation wide. Notice that not all took the test but they did 100%
. http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/national-rankings/page+9
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_High_School_(New_Jersey)
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