Common Core: too hard? solution: keep 'em dumb

[boutons_deux]

School Standards’ Debut Is Rocky, and Critics Pounce

The Common Core, a set of standards for kindergarten through high school that has been ardently supported by the Obama administration and many business leaders and state legislatures, is facing growing opposition from both the right and the left even before it has been properly introduced into classrooms.

At the same time, a group of parents and teachers argue that the standards — and particularly the tests aligned with them — are simply too difficult.

Those concerns were underscored last week when New York State, an early adopter of the new standards, released results from reading and math exams showing that less than a third of students passed.

The standards, which were written by a panel of experts convened by governors and state superintendents, focus on critical thinking and analysis rather than memorization and formulas.

One goal is to reduce high remediation rates at colleges and universities and help students compete for jobs that demand higher levels of skills than in previous generations.

According to some estimates, about 40 percent of students entering college must take remedial courses before they can enroll in credit-bearing classes. Nancy L. Zimpher, chancellor of the State University of New York, said the system spends about $70 million a year conducting catch-up courses for students.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has repeatedly emphasized that states, districts and teachers have broad flexibility to devise their own curriculums and lesson plans based on the standards.

Speaking about the Common Core to the American Society of News Editors in June, Mr. Duncan said: “The federal government didn’t write them, didn’t approve them, and doesn’t mandate them. And we never will. Anyone who says otherwise is either misinformed or willfully misleading.”

We’re using a very inappropriate standard that’s way too high,” said Diane Ravitch, an education historian who served as an official in President George W. Bush’s Education Department ( Repug education values! )

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/08/16...?from=homepage

[101A]

Teachers, in my experience, are NOT critical thinkers...They organize and memorize; nothing wrong with that, but that is who they are, and, frankly, that's how they judge the performance of their students. Students aren't going to learn that type of thinking in the American classroom; they will learn it at home (sometimes), in college and through life experience. OF course a test of that is going to produce crappy results.

They gave the first common core based test this past year at our school district here in Pa (Algebra). The district has not released the results, but they have completely restructured the match curriculum from pre-algebra through Calculus. Oh, and EVERY student enrolled in Algebra has to take it again.

I'm guessing the results aren't stellar.

[Nbadan]

Teachers, in my experience, are NOT critical thinkers...

I hate people who speak in absolutes....besides, I don't see how someone can get a degree from one of our fine Universities and not be a critical thinker....

Every thought of that?

[Nbadan]

The standards, which were written by a panel of experts convened by governors and state superintendents, focus on critical thinking and analysis rather than memorization and formulas.

One goal is to reduce high remediation rates at colleges and universities and help students compete for jobs that demand higher levels of skills than in previous generations.

Problem is the same as here in Texas......they raise the standards, but the kids who struggled with the old tests are still the same kids...I'm all for accountability but kids have to start at the elementary school level under new standards, otherwise they have tremendous holes in their learning...

[Nbadan]

districts and teachers have broad flexibility to devise their own curriculums and lesson plans based on the standards.

I wonder how many years teachers got to work with the kids to raise them to the level of the new standard before politicians and policy-makers raised, or completely changed, the standards...

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I have a hard time believing the gap between us and countries like India in terms of math education is THAT much because of teachers. It's not like math teachers in India have developed this riveting curriculum where students can learn calculus via a game of kickball which makes the students interested in math. It's a lot more to do with the culture parents, students and everyone else has developed in this country where math is an annoying subject you wanna get out of the way with the lowest amount of work possible.

People I know from India all seem to agree that the big difference stems from parenting here vs. there because all of their parents drilled it into them and stressed it. Parents in America don't do that, instead, they blame teachers for too much homework and not creating a more "interactive" curriculum.

[Leetonidas]

I hate people who speak in absolutes....besides, I don't see how someone can get a degree from one of our fine Universities and not be a critical thinker....

Every thought of that?

[pgardn]

Teachers, in my experience, are NOT critical thinkers...They organize and memorize; nothing wrong with that, but that is who they are, and, frankly, that's how they judge the performance of their students. Students aren't going to learn that type of thinking in the American classroom; they will learn it at home (sometimes), in college and through life experience. OF course a test of that is going to produce crappy results.

They gave the first common core based test this past year at our school district here in Pa (Algebra). The district has not released the results, but they have completely restructured the match curriculum from pre-algebra through Calculus. Oh, and EVERY student enrolled in Algebra has to take it again.

I'm guessing the results aren't stellar.

This is not my experience.

My experience is teachers dumbing down classes so they don't fail kids with parents who don't care. The teachers are not allowed to have high failing rates. The kids and parents who care take honors classes and do just as well on test scores in math and science as their counter parts in other countries.

We, as a country, have yet to decide the purpose of public schools. Warehousing kids to keep them off the streets most of the year, surrogate families, refuge, prep for college... It's not clear and highly variable.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

This is not my experience.

My experience is teachers dumbing down classes so they don't fail kids with parents who don't care. The teachers are not allowed to have high failing rates. The kids and parents who care take honors classes and do just as well on test scores in math and science as their counter parts in other countries.

We, as a country, have yet to decide the purpose of public schools. Warehousing kids to keep them off the streets most of the year, surrogate families, refuge, prep for college... It's not clear and highly variable.

Or they have parents who don't care the entire semester then decide to raise after their kid failed, which is even worse

[scroteface]

there's no reason to have 4 years of english whenever it's the native language and such an emphasis on writing/lib arts, that should already be mastered by junior high. high school should focus on strictly math, science, and a little bit of history and government that's IT

[pgardn]

Or they have parents who don't care the entire semester then decide to raise after their kid failed, which is even worse

The schools have automatic grade reporting so the parents and students can look up their grades as the grading period moves forward, but the above still happens. Some schools even have automatic calling.

My father would just beat the out of me. Had his own corporal punishment methods that were much worse than school. It paid off though for me. My Grandma was a HS principal. You did not soil the family name with poor results in school. We always came to school ready.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

there's no reason to have 4 years of english whenever it's the native language and such an emphasis on writing/lib arts, that should already be mastered by junior high. high school should focus on strictly math, science, and a little bit of history and government that's IT

IMO The best route is to incorporate critical writing skills into history classes like every gened history class at the college level does. Critical writing is the important part of English classes yet it's the one thing HS English classes don't teach , they're too focused on poetry and being able to identify figurative language.

[AntiChrist]

My wife and I taught our kids before they even started school. They are both WELL ahead of their peers, especially in math. There seems to be some pressure to teach to the lowest common denominator. Sad, tbh

[AntiChrist]

And if you're kids aren't excelling, they are going to get smoked by Indian immigrants.

[Th'Pusher]

My wife and I taught our kids before they even started school. They are both WELL ahead of their peers, especially in math. There seems to be some pressure to teach to the lowest common denominator. Sad, tbh

I bet your children use absolutely dreadful logic.

[101A]

I hate people who speak in absolutes....besides, I don't see how someone can get a degree from one of our fine Universities and not be a critical thinker....

Every thought of that?

My wife happens to be a Biochemistry prof. at the local university (where 90% of the local public school teachers received their degrees). Not only do plenty of students who can't really think at all receive degrees, the education department's products are among the least capable - actually they are THE least capable. Right now the education department is campaigning so that their students don't have to take Chemistry in the Chemistry department. They want there to be an education majors only Chemistry class taught in the Education department....

The vast majority of teachers produced here (don't want to speak in absolutes; MIGHT not be at all colleges) do not receive degrees in the subject they are going to teach; they don't get Math degrees, or Chemistry degrees, or even History degrees; they get "Math Education", "History Education", etc....these degrees don't include the upper level strenuous classes in the discipline the student is, allegedly, focusing on. THOSE are the classes where critical thinking is required and rewarded. Those education students take upper level education courses that they get great grades in....fail Chem 101 twice before passing with a D - but make straight A's in their education classes? What does your critically thinking brain make of that, Dan?

[boutons_deux]

poorly educated, poorly paid, DISRESPECTED/RIDICULED-by-the-VRWC/ALEC teachers are a big part of the US problem.

[TeyshaBlue]

Except, as I have proven over and over again, there is no disrespect nor ridicule from your imaginary VRWC.

lol simpleton.

[boutons_deux]

Except, as I have proven over and over again, there is no disrespect nor ridicule from your imaginary VRWC.

lol simpleton.

VRWC/ALEC are bent on destroying the teachers union as a source of Dem funding, and public education as source of govt providing service. for-profit charter schools pay even tier teacher wages/benefits, are non-unionized, and suck taxpayers dollars into corporate pockets. for-profit education: the tiest possible product for the highest possible price.

GFY, coward.

[TeyshaBlue]

lol...continue to runaway from facts like a little .

lol buzzwords.
lol talking points.

[pgardn]

My wife happens to be a Biochemistry prof. at the local university (where 90% of the local public school teachers received their degrees). Not only do plenty of students who can't really think at all receive degrees, the education department's products are among the least capable - actually they are THE least capable. Right now the education department is campaigning so that their students don't have to take Chemistry in the Chemistry department. They want there to be an education majors only Chemistry class taught in the Education department....

The vast majority of teachers produced here (don't want to speak in absolutes; MIGHT not be at all colleges) do not receive degrees in the subject they are going to teach; they don't get Math degrees, or Chemistry degrees, or even History degrees; they get "Math Education", "History Education", etc....these degrees don't include the upper level strenuous classes in the discipline the student is, allegedly, focusing on. THOSE are the classes where critical thinking is required and rewarded. Those education students take upper level education courses that they get great grades in....fail Chem 101 twice before passing with a D - but make straight A's in their education classes? What does your critically thinking brain make of that, Dan?

This is absolutely false in the 3 best school districts at the HS level in San Antonio. Those districts would be NISD, NEISD, Alamo Heights in no particular order.

4 separate HS in NISD have NO science teachers teaching full schedule science with education degrees. None. They are degreed in their subject area and many had no intention of becoming Science teachers. The 4 I am acquainted with are OConnor HS, Brandeis HS, Clark HS, Health Careers HS. They are in the higher socioeconomic areas in NISD.

In fact, Physics (the most difficult area to find teachers with this degree) have Physics/Enginnering Majors teaching those kids that want to major in Science/Physics/Engineering.

Like any venture, the most educated teachers tend to gravitate to schools with clientele that believe in education. This is why school districts like SAISD, Edgewood, South San, have a difficult time recruiting good administrators and teachers. Go to a PTA Parents night and look how full the parking lots are at any of the top 3 school districts v. The bottom 3. Then you will understand that the schools mimic the surrounding socioeconomic situations. It is not a surprise, even in a city with a smaller disparity between these socioeconomic groups like SA.

[101A]

This is absolutely false in the 3 best school districts at the HS level in San Antonio. Those districts would be NISD, NEISD, Alamo Heights in no particular order.

4 separate HS in NISD have NO science teachers teaching full schedule science with education degrees. None. They are degreed in their subject area and many had no intention of becoming Science teachers. The 4 I am acquainted with are OConnor HS, Brandeis HS, Clark HS, Health Careers HS. They are in the higher socioeconomic areas in NISD.

In fact, Physics (the most difficult area to find teachers with this degree) have Physics/Enginnering Majors teaching those kids that want to major in Science/Physics/Engineering.

Like any venture, the most educated teachers tend to gravitate to schools with clientele that believe in education. This is why school districts like SAISD, Edgewood, South San, have a difficult time recruiting good administrators and teachers. Go to a PTA Parents night and look how full the parking lots are at any of the top 3 school districts v. The bottom 3. Then you will understand that the schools mimic the surrounding socioeconomic situations. It is not a surprise, even in a city with a smaller disparity between these socioeconomic groups like SA.

Should have never left, Texas, I guess. I don't have nearly the experience (or apparently gripe) with that type of arrangement. However, where I am in Western Pa, the union completely dominates everything regarding the teachers' contracts. Starting salary for B.ed. is over 60K - includes generous, ac ulating sick/personal time (as well as a cushy arrangement with the university that has the district pay for the teachers to get advanced degrees through watered down evening and online courses) - and a very healthy retirement pension. Tenure is easy, and nearly bulletproof.

[101A]

This is absolutely false in the 3 best school districts at the HS level in San Antonio. Those districts would be NISD, NEISD, Alamo Heights in no particular order.

4 separate HS in NISD have NO science teachers teaching full schedule science with education degrees. None. They are degreed in their subject area and many had no intention of becoming Science teachers. The 4 I am acquainted with are OConnor HS, Brandeis HS, Clark HS, Health Careers HS. They are in the higher socioeconomic areas in NISD.

In fact, Physics (the most difficult area to find teachers with this degree) have Physics/Enginnering Majors teaching those kids that want to major in Science/Physics/Engineering.

Like any venture, the most educated teachers tend to gravitate to schools with clientele that believe in education. This is why school districts like SAISD, Edgewood, South San, have a difficult time recruiting good administrators and teachers. Go to a PTA Parents night and look how full the parking lots are at any of the top 3 school districts v. The bottom 3. Then you will understand that the schools mimic the surrounding socioeconomic situations. It is not a surprise, even in a city with a smaller disparity between these socioeconomic groups like SA.

From personal experience, my wife does have a teacher's certificate to teach in Texas (never took a job as one, however). Before deciding to move to a small town, she got the cert. Anyway she applied and visited Boerne ISD; spent a couple of days there with the faculty. KNEW she couldn't teach secondary due, in large part, to the fact that her peers (with more seniority) weren't really scientists at all; from her perspective. The department chair, in fact, had a science education degree herself...not even a B.S.

Maybe that's why Boerne, despite its reputation, isn't on your list of "top 3" (or because it's not technically in S.A.?

[Bill_Brasky]

VRWC/ALEC are bent on destroying the teachers union as a source of Dem funding, and public education as source of govt providing service. for-profit charter schools pay even tier teacher wages/benefits, are non-unionized, and suck taxpayers dollars into corporate pockets. for-profit education: the tiest possible product for the highest possible price.

GFY, coward.

Shut the up. You are a cancer.

[boutons_deux]

Shut the up. You are a cancer.

Your reaction proves I'm right on VRWC/ALEC.