Why are people so upset about Common Core?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The teachers will have to concentrate on those who can't pass the test. It will encourage all sorts of cheating. Teachers will only want to teach in "good" schools. They will only teach what will be tested/

There are ALREADY teacher evaluation systems based partly on student test scores, completely apart from Race to the Top. Are these things happening in those systems?

But Common Core will make it worse. Don't you get it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The teachers will have to concentrate on those who can't pass the test. It will encourage all sorts of cheating. Teachers will only want to teach in "good" schools. They will only teach what will be tested/

There are ALREADY teacher evaluation systems based partly on student test scores, completely apart from Race to the Top. Are these things happening in those systems?

But Common Core will make it worse. Don't you get it?

It is worse to have teacher evaluation systems based partly on student test scores for curricula aligned to the Common Core standards than for curricula not aligned to the Common Core standards? You're right, I don't get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If we don't want to have a national curriculum, with readings chosen for everyone, and the same topics assigned at each grade level, there are going to be questionable activities and assignments. This is what "local control over curriculum" means.

You will note that the locals complained and have put a stop to it. Lots harder if it were a national curriculum. That's why all of this needs to be kept at the local level.

But only after the media picked up on it. Not one parent complained, it seems

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Common Core now bringing Holocaust Denial to your local school, yaaay!

http://ktla.com/2014/05/05/rialto-assignment-asking-to-students-to-question-holocaust-to-be-revised/#axzz30sp8CKDK

The Rialto school district planned to revise an eighth-grade assignment that raised red flags by asking students to consider arguments about whether the Holocaust — the systematic killing by the Nazis of some 6 million Jews and millions of others — was not an “actual event” but instead a “propaganda tool that was used for political and monetary gain.”
...
The English/Language Arts assignment, first reported Sunday by the San Bernardino Sun and provided to KTLA by the newspaper, asked students to write an argumentative essay about the Holocaust describing “whether or not you believe this was an actual event in history, or merely a political scheme created to influence public emotion and gain wealth.”
rialto

The 18-page assignment instructions included three sources that students were told to use, including one that stated gassings in concentration camps were a “hoax” and that no evidence has shown Jews died in gas chambers.

Please cite the specific Common Core standard according to which 8th graders are supposed to write an essay about whether or not the Holocaust happened. Thanks.

This was more about the way the district interpreted the standards - their words, not mine

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Common Core now bringing Holocaust Denial to your local school, yaaay!

http://ktla.com/2014/05/05/rialto-assignment-asking-to-students-to-question-holocaust-to-be-revised/#axzz30sp8CKDK

The Rialto school district planned to revise an eighth-grade assignment that raised red flags by asking students to consider arguments about whether the Holocaust — the systematic killing by the Nazis of some 6 million Jews and millions of others — was not an “actual event” but instead a “propaganda tool that was used for political and monetary gain.”
...
The English/Language Arts assignment, first reported Sunday by the San Bernardino Sun and provided to KTLA by the newspaper, asked students to write an argumentative essay about the Holocaust describing “whether or not you believe this was an actual event in history, or merely a political scheme created to influence public emotion and gain wealth.”
rialto

The 18-page assignment instructions included three sources that students were told to use, including one that stated gassings in concentration camps were a “hoax” and that no evidence has shown Jews died in gas chambers.

Please cite the specific Common Core standard according to which 8th graders are supposed to write an essay about whether or not the Holocaust happened. Thanks.

This was more about the way the district interpreted the standards - their words, not mine

No it has nothing to do with "interpretation of the standards"

The standard was clear to all. Write an argumentative essay.

No one misinterpreted this standard.

When schools and teachers are given a standard, it is THEIR job to develop the curriculum: the materials and methods that will be used to teach to that standard. The school district, schools and teachers (depending on how top-down the district is) have the responsibility of deciding HOW they will teach their 8th grade students to write an argumentative essay. Their job is to either select the materials and design the lesson plans, or go to a publishing company or teacherspayteachers.org or some other place, and purchase a curriculum unit together with selected readings; or purchase a Writing the Argumentative Essay workbook ... or computer program.... there are lots of different curricula out there, and school districts, or teachers, get to choose what method and materials they wish to use.

This school district either chose the Holocaust readings, or individual teachers did -- whoever, it is not clear. But the fact is this had nothing to do with "implementation of the standards".

Unless by "implementation of the standards" you mean "selecting the curriculum"?

Wait -- are you saying that the problem with Common Core is in the implementation of the standards, i.e. "selecting the curriculum (readings, assignments, etc)"?

Teachers and school districts were given local control of selecting the curriculum, and they chose poorly; therefore that's a flaw in Common Core? Is that your argument?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Teachers and school districts were given local control of selecting the curriculum, and they chose poorly; therefore that's a flaw in Common Core? Is that your argument?

Silly PP. EVERYTHING is a flaw in the Common Core, didn't you know? Including that my basement flooded last week when it rained.

[Anonymous]

What is inappropriate about a writing standard for 8th grade that states:

Students will:
-write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence;
-support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

I cannot see how the Common Core State Standards for 8th grade writing are at all inappropriate, here.

The teachers, or school district, gave the students what many people believe to be inaccurate, not credible sources (the Holocaust deniers websites and articles, presumably) as sources on one side. I actually think this had the potential to be a pretty good exercise for older students, who had already studies WWII and the Holocaust in detail, perhaps a Jr or Sr social studies class, it would be more appropriate. The material made it not appropriate for 8th graders, sure.

But what should Common Core Standards state, to make certain that no one provides students with objectionable material in the implementation of these writing standards? Should they state an acceptable list of source material? (I don't think people would like that!) Should they state "using reference material that is deemed age appropriate and at on-grade reading level"?

[Anonymous]

Teachers and school districts were given local control of selecting the curriculum, and they chose poorly; therefore that's a flaw in Common Core? Is that your argument?

And, it has been addressed very quickly. If it were a national curriculum, it would have taken forever to fix it.

[Anonymous]

I don't like Common core, but this mess about the holocaust denial has nothing to do with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Teachers and school districts were given local control of selecting the curriculum, and they chose poorly; therefore that's a flaw in Common Core? Is that your argument?

And, it has been addressed very quickly. If it were a national curriculum, it would have taken forever to fix it.

If it were a national curriculum, it wouldn't have happened in the first place.

[Anonymous]

If it were a national curriculum, it wouldn't have happened in the first place.
[Report Post]

What makes you so sure? You think the federal government never makes mistakes? Have you ever heard of the VA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If it were a national curriculum, it wouldn't have happened in the first place.
[Report Post]

What makes you so sure? You think the federal government never makes mistakes? Have you ever heard of the VA?

You want to have it both ways. But no. Local government is local and nimble -- which is both why the problem was quick to fix and why the problem happened in the first place. The federal government is big and slow -- which is why the problem wouldn't have happened in the first place.

[Anonymous]

which is why the problem wouldn't have happened in the first place.

Really? Strongly disagree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If it were a national curriculum, it wouldn't have happened in the first place.

What makes you so sure? You think the federal government never makes mistakes? Have you ever heard of the VA?

You want to have it both ways. But no. Local government is local and nimble -- which is both why the problem was quick to fix and why the problem happened in the first place. The federal government is big and slow -- which is why the problem wouldn't have happened in the first place.

And the national curriculum is irrelevant anyway. There isn't a national curriculum. And nobody is seriously proposing one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

which is why the problem wouldn't have happened in the first place.

Really? Strongly disagree.

Yes, if you have a hammer, every problem is a nail. And for "hammer", read "the idea that the federal government messes up everything".