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Post by freecharlie on Jul 27, 2014 16:24:25 GMT
This is the post I am referring to. Common core doesn't dictate whether there are textbooks or not, that is up to the state, district, school, and teachers (in that order, obviously if the district chooses not to have textbooks, the teacher isn't going to go buy them). Students and teachers are not making it up as they go (hopefully). There are standards that each student should be reaching in each grade level. The teacher/school/district should be planning toward those standards. Example of a 9th grade standard: SL.p Oral presentations require effective preparation strategies. then it is broken down furtherStudents can: Develop a well-organized presentation to defend a position make strategies use of digital medial in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence to add interest There are 6 of the Student Can: for this one standardHow the teacher teaches the students to these standards and assesses them are up to the teacher (district...) *** I am not completely for or against Common Core, but I think a lot of people don't actually understand what Common Core is and what it isn't. I think districts and states should have town hall type meetings or whatever to explain Common Core. I'd love to help clarify if I can if anybody has questions and you can find the standards by subject and by grade level here , keep in mind only ELA (English Language Arts) and Math have Common Core standards. All other standards are at the state levels if you state has them. |
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Post by myshelly on Jul 27, 2014 16:27:29 GMT
It drives me crazy that people insult and argue against common core without bothering to understand what it is.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Jul 27, 2014 16:43:20 GMT
It drives me crazy that people insult and argue against common core without bothering to understand what it is. I don't think its that they don't bother to understand it.... there is just so much misinformation out there about the common core that it is hard to get through the B.S> Here in NC I keep hearing the federal government is making schools use the common core. Completely incorrect, in the US we have state not national standards. I like the Common Core Standards, but they have not been rolled out correctly here in NC, and from best I can tell in most States teachers have not been given adequate time or training on how to implement them in their classrooms, thus giving them a bad name. freecharlie I think you did an excellent job of explaining them! |
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Post by myshelly on Jul 27, 2014 16:45:41 GMT
It drives me crazy that people insult and argue against common core without bothering to understand what it is. I don't think its that they don't bother to understand it.... there is just so much misinformation out there about the common core that it is hard to get through the B.S> Here in NC I keep hearing the federal government is making schools use the common core. Completely incorrect, in the US we have state not national standards. I like the Common Core Standards, but they have not been rolled out correctly here in NC, and from best I can tell in most States teachers have not been given adequate time or training on how to implement them in their classrooms, thus giving them a bad name. freecharlie I think you did an excellent job of explaining them! To me, not doing actual research and relying on what you hear out there via Facebook and alarmist blogs qualifies as not bothering to try to understand it. If you do a little actual research from reputable sources it's not very difficult to understand. |
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Jul 27, 2014 16:54:15 GMT
I don't think its that they don't bother to understand it.... there is just so much misinformation out there about the common core that it is hard to get through the B.S> Here in NC I keep hearing the federal government is making schools use the common core. Completely incorrect, in the US we have state not national standards. I like the Common Core Standards, but they have not been rolled out correctly here in NC, and from best I can tell in most States teachers have not been given adequate time or training on how to implement them in their classrooms, thus giving them a bad name. freecharlie I think you did an excellent job of explaining them! To me, not doing actual research and relying on what you hear out there via Facebook and alarmist blogs qualifies as not bothering to try to understand it. If you do a little actual research from reputable sources it's not very difficult to understand. What I see is people quoting and responding to reputable news sources who have the information wrong. Or even their local school districts!! Yes a little research can help you understand it. But when you trust your sources and they get the information wrong its tough. That being said before I would share anything on FB or other social media sites.. I would always check my source... unfortunately that is the exception not the rule! |
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Post by anxiousmom on Jul 27, 2014 17:01:14 GMT
It drives me crazy that people insult and argue against common core without bothering to understand what it is. I don't think its that they don't bother to understand it.... there is just so much misinformation out there about the common core that it is hard to get through the B.S> Here in NC I keep hearing the federal government is making schools use the common core. Completely incorrect, in the US we have state not national standards. I like the Common Core Standards, but they have not been rolled out correctly here in NC, and from best I can tell in most States teachers have not been given adequate time or training on how to implement them in their classrooms, thus giving them a bad name. freecharlie I think you did an excellent job of explaining them! OMG, trying to get information about common core is downright baffling. In Florida, one day they are changing to common core-then the next week we aren't. It is giving me whiplash trying to keep up. At this point, as sad as this sounds, I am completely relying on both the teachers and the school to make sure that my kids are properly educated and prepared for college. So far, on nationwide testing scales (e.g. the SAT) they are scoring appropriately which leads me to believe whatever they are doing, they are doing just fine. |
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Post by magentapea on Jul 27, 2014 17:05:34 GMT
Thank you! I am tired of explaining to people that Common Core is just a set of standards and not a prescribed curriculum. One of my FB friends posted a video of a conference against CCSS where the speaker said that on any given day in every school across the country, students in the same grade would all be doing the exact same thing at the exact same time. I can't believe the garbage that uninformed people are spouting.
FTR, I am neither for nor against CCSS. I just don't like to hear such misinformation being spouted as fact.
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Post by peasful1 on Jul 27, 2014 22:15:34 GMT
I agree. Many people do not understand nor do they try to before spreading incorrect information themselves.
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Post by lilacgal on Jul 27, 2014 23:01:19 GMT
You did an excellent job of explaining things. I'm a NC teacher as well. I do not teach for the public system though my school district has adopted CCSS. I like it. I don't like how they have been rolled out though. I think more explanations to parents and more training for teachers is needed.
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Post by 950nancy on Jul 27, 2014 23:15:23 GMT
I agree, there is a lot of bashing without really knowing and that it makes it so much more difficult to get parents on board with what is really being taught. Sometimes the comments of "back in my day" are frustrating because we are no longer raising/teaching kids in that society.
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Post by tidegirl on Jul 28, 2014 5:00:45 GMT
I will start this post upfront saying that I am a classroom teacher, and I am not for OR against the CCSS. The state I teach in adopted then un-adopted the CCSS. The state reverted back to the old standards from prior to the CCSS adoption. The district I teach in has their own standards which we follow. We are able to integrate the state and CCSS with our district standards where we deem appropriate.
I believe the biggest issue with CCSS is how fast they were rolled out, and then adopted. I read a lot of teacher blogs and even on the blogs there are many/huge differences in how they are being implemented. There has been little or no education about what the CCSS are for administration, teachers and parents. Throw in non-educators who see a conspiracy and I would be surprised if the CCSS will be around the next 10 (really I think 5 or less) years.
I like the common standards. I do believe that having a common goal is beneficial to all. I like the fact it is up to the state, districts and schools to best reach these goals. I do not like some of the standards at the k-2 level. I do feel like there are areas/standards that are not developmentally appropriate for k-2 students. If this isn't tweaked then we will see even more kids failing/falling behind imo.
Free charlie you always do a great job sharing about the CCSS. Thank you.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 28, 2014 5:13:38 GMT
Aw, thank you
I wish that there was room for stuff that isn't common core. I believe that fiction is often overlooked and that they forget that the ELA and Math standards can be taught and assessed in Science and Social Studies, Music, Art, PE... I do not like that the untested subjects take a back burner to ELA and Math.
I don't like that in the district I just left, the students are in a literacy class for over 90 minutes. The way it is taught in that district is too scripted and IS every 3rd grader in the district should be on Week 2, Day 4 on the same day or very close.
I want the standards to work, but they need to work because the professionals (teachers) who know their students and their subjects are making them work. It can't be canned curriculum that is one size fits all and the arguments against common core are often based on the idea that it is exactly that.
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Post by craftygamer on Jul 28, 2014 5:25:04 GMT
The quote in the original post was from me. I'm not trying to bad-mouth common core or anything but, here in NC, they don't seem to be adjusting well to it. I will admit that, after seeing some of the common core practices that some of the teachers have to use (while I was volunteering in the classroom), I find some of the individual methods in math to be a bit asinine. However, in regards to my issues with the textbooks, I was blatantly told by the principal of my son's middle school that there were no books because of common core. He said that, since every state uses common core in their own way, there were no textbooks available to accommodate the curriculum. I find that answer to be BS, but what do I know? Lol. My only concern is that, because there are no textbooks, these kids have only their notes and handouts to refer back to. My son has always been an excellent student, so maybe it's just my own anxiety about him going into middle school, but I do worry that if he doesn't take good enough notes that he might fall because there's no book fire me to help him study. So, my concern was textbooks, and not common core.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 28, 2014 5:37:36 GMT
I am with you on referring back to the book. Sometimes my notes were lacking as there was a distraction or something.
I find much of the primary math to be a little asinine and I am glad that CC has put emphasis on math facts and the rote memorization of them. I hated pre-CC, but after the experimental math showed up, kids in 5th grade and higher using their fingers to add basic facts.
Common Core rolled out in a half-assed manner and states didn't have time to get all the kinks out. Administrators and teachers didn't get trained in the way they should have. Many of the states that agreed to CC were persuaded by the money in the Reach to the Top grants. The textbooks many of the districts have/had do not completely align to CC, if at all, but they could maybe be used.
Textbooks are expensive and change often. I'm not sure how many there are that are aligned to CC and you can bet that Pearson and the other textbook companies are working hard to figure out how to sell more textbooks. IF a district could get buy without the expense of purchasing new textbooks, I am sure they would.
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Post by 950nancy on Jul 28, 2014 18:34:09 GMT
We are starting to look for a new math curriculum this year. I am on that adoption team. Our old textbook, Everyday Math, was out of control. The students were supposed to learn a new math concept every day and the curriculum spiraled year after year with very little mastery in the older grades. They did not know their facts, but were supposed to be able to tell you how many degrees were in a ninety-sided shape. Ridiculous. With CC, there are about 26 math standards and they are not easy, by any means. The kids are supposed to go deep instead of wide. I created a fifth grade math curriculum to use this year for CC while we are waiting to find a textbook that matches the standards. It matches the standards and expectations. I have done this every year with math, reading, and language. The textbooks aren't great, but I get that a parent needs something to see.
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