Common Core

[Arkady]

I like issues that break up the usual tribal left/right divide, so I'm curious what people here think about Common Core. At least traditionally, lots of conservatives supported the idea of having firm educational standards and standardized testing. Until Obama came out in favor of Common Core, the concepts behind it were widely supported on the right. Now that it is seen as "Obamacore," though, there's widespread opposition from conservatives, who treat the voluntary standards as federal over-reach on state perogatives. Meanwhile, liberals were traditionally very suspicious about attempt to quantify and standardize learning, and especially about standardized testing and anything that tied the hands of classroom teachers. But now that it's identified with Obama, many more are supportive.

How about those here? I'm not very familiar with the exact details of the guidelines, so I can't comment on those, in terms of what they're calling to be taught and what methods they recommend. However, I do agree with the idea that there should be consistent national guidance on what is to be taught in each grade, and best practices for methods, all building towards an expectation of readiness for college or the workforce, and with the use of standardized testing for quality control. That was my view before Obama signed on and remains my view now. How about you?

 

[as seen on tv]

like you, if i was given a multiple choice quiz on "common core" educational elements, i'd probably be unable to tell what ones were included.

that said, without having encountered common core, my "lean" is favorable. as a secular person i'm in favor of teaching science based evolution, not creationism.

as literature major in college, i'd like to see more actual literature taught at the high school level, not short stories written by the staff of textbook publishers designed to check all the blocks for environmentalism, diversity, etc.

history is likely to be controversial. was japan justified in attacking pearl harbor because it feared that america might someday threaten its transpacific oil sources? are russia's current actions towards the ukraine justified because it used to be part of the soviet union? how about if you consider that it "ukraine" was considered part of poland before 1939?

not sure what languages should be part of "common core". i'd hate to see only spanish make the list. my daughter selected french at her school, but was put into spanish class because they have LOTS of spanish teachers, but very few french or latin. this is called "supply driven" education, rather than demand driven (customer demand or market demand).

if you find a good website that tells what will be in our out of common core, please post it in PJ.

 

[PhilFish]

my exposure to common core thus far is via guiding my son through his assignments (2nd grade..).. I find the approaches to mathematic ciphering idiotic and confusing. the reading requirement...limiting.

 

[Dawg]

it's for brainwashing kids into liberalism............

 

[as seen on tv]

my exposure to common core thus far is via guiding my son through his assignments (2nd grade..).. I find the approaches to mathematic ciphering idiotic and confusing. the reading requirement...limiting.

good point - maybe common core should come with some sort attached studies showing which instructional methods have the greatest success. i'm old school - phonics based reading, rather than sight reading.

 

[PhilFish]

good point - maybe common core should come with some sort attached studies showing which instructional methods have the greatest success. i'm old school - phonics based reading, rather than sight reading.

ugh. i think the whole thing is baloney. in this video...it seems to me it's more about blaming inconsistencies, and gaps of the past, and missing or deficient curriculum..
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/L/2/

 

[Figjam]

Until Obama came out in favor of Common Core, the concepts behind it were widely supported on the right. Now that it is seen as "Obamacore," though, there's widespread conservative opposition, who treat the voluntary standards as federal over-reach on state perogatives.

...absolute GOLD -

 

[Figjam]

it's for brainwashing kids into liberalism............

...whoever is holding that book needs to learn some personal hygiene and clean those fingernails - gross...

 

[Dawg]

...absolute GOLD -

Had never heard of Common Core until recently............had no idea it was connected to 'O'="ObamaCore"............so the above is false in general......IMO

 

[Dawg]

...whoever is holding that book needs to learn some personal hygiene and clean those fingernails - gross...

the finger is not the topic...........hadn't actually paid any attention to the finger until you tried to change topic.

 

[PhilFish]

the finger is not the topic...........hadn't actually paid any attention to the finger until you tried to change topic.

good point.

it is an offensive passage.

 

[connieb]

my exposure to common core thus far is via guiding my son through his assignments (2nd grade..).. I find the approaches to mathematic ciphering idiotic and confusing. the reading requirement...limiting.

As you know, Phil, we agree heartily on this topic. While common core means raising the standards for many - for the to performing schools - the "core" standard is a decrease in the existing standards.

 

[PhilFish]

As you know, Phil, we agree heartily on this topic. While common core means raising the standards for many - for the to performing schools - the "core" standard is a decrease in the existing standards.

to the second grade level...at least.. it is an imbecillic and needless dumbing down. perhaps beneficial some places.. My opinion is that it is a detriment..and have voiced same.

 

[Charcat]

Kids did fine and the country was at the top in learning until they stopped phonics and began new math. After finding "new math" was somewhat of a failure, instead of reverting back to the basics, they began throwing money at the problem....continuing to this day. My advice: Go back to basics and teach.

 

[connieb]

to the second grade level...at least.. it is an imbecillic and needless dumbing down. perhaps beneficial some places.. My opinion is that it is a detriment..and have voiced same.

My sister in law, a brilliant engineer in her own right, felt the same. And, actually pulled her daughter from public school in the third grade to home school her because she felt the new standards were horrendous. Her other children went to public school and had a more traditional school using the more traditional standards and methods, and all three of them have received full ride scholarships to College and won countless math and science awards, and one even graduated valedictorian. So, I must say that I respect her opinion that the current elementary school math curriculum is crap.

 

[Boltlady]

I like issues that break up the usual tribal left/right divide, so I'm curious what people here think about Common Core. At least traditionally, lots of conservatives supported the idea of having firm educational standards and standardized testing. Until Obama came out in favor of Common Core, the concepts behind it were widely supported on the right. Now that it is seen as "Obamacore," though, there's widespread conservative opposition, who treat the voluntary standards as federal over-reach on state perogatives. Meanwhile, liberals were traditionally very suspicious about attempt to quantify and standardize learning, and especially about standardized testing and anything that tied the hands of classroom teachers. But now that it's identified with Obama, many more are supportive.

How about those here? I'm not very familiar with the exact details of the guidelines, so I can't comment on those, in terms of what they're calling to be taught and what methods they recommend. However, I do agree with the idea that there should be consistent national guidance on what is to be taught in each grade, and best practices for methods, all building towards an expectation of readiness for college or the workforce, and with the use of standardized testing for quality control. That was my view before Obama signed on and remains my view now. How about you?

The following link shows an actual worksheet from a 2nd grader who had the correct answer but didn't do it according to Common Core.

This Common Core math problem asks kids to write the ‘friendly’ answer, instead of the correct one! | The Daily Sheeple

 

[Caroljo]

my exposure to common core thus far is via guiding my son through his assignments (2nd grade..).. I find the approaches to mathematic ciphering idiotic and confusing. the reading requirement...limiting.

My DIL homeschools the kids and I was helping my grandson (also 2nd grade) with his math....I thought WTH????

 

[Arkady]

The following link shows an actual worksheet from a 2nd grader who had the correct answer but didn't do it according to Common Core.

This Common Core math problem asks kids to write the ‘friendly’ answer, instead of the correct one! | The Daily Sheeple

The standards are publicly available here:

http://www.corestandards.org/Math/

I did a word search through the guide and through all the second-grade math materials and the word "friendly" doesn't show up even once. I'd say this was a teacher freelancing, not a matter of Common Core guidance.

 

[PhilFish]

My DIL homeschools the kids and I was helping my grandson (also 2nd grade) with his math....I thought WTH????

it's wierd... take 72 + 42. rather than the classic columnar adding and carrying over and so forth.. it's this hodge podge of arcs and groupings..and...yeaaaargh....

 

[connieb]

The following link shows an actual worksheet from a 2nd grader who had the correct answer but didn't do it according to Common Core.

This Common Core math problem asks kids to write the ‘friendly’ answer, instead of the correct one! | The Daily Sheeple

That highlights my major issue with common core. I am all for teaching the higher order thinking skills. But, I do think think that it practical to do so until the kids have a very strong foundation and base.