"Teacher of the Year" quits over Common Core tests

[Anonymous]

How is it giving kids opportunities when you spend more time on sight words than you do on phonics, leaving them with limited vocabulary and literacy?

What is the source of this statement. I taught first grade and I challenge this statement.

[Anonymous]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2014/10/23/the-science-of-the-common-core-experts-weigh-in-on-its-developmental-appropriateness/

Nice summary of problems with Common Core. Quotes from experts.

[Anonymous]

http://bobbraunsledger.com/science-park-teachers-parcc-is-30-days-of-destruction/

Pretty clear protest letter from 35 teachers about PARCC testing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

One set of standards is actually cheaper, more cost-effective and provides far greater ROI than the way it had been done prior with a thousand flowers blooming.

But a thousand flowers blooming is a beautiful field of color.

The diversity of experience and thought due to expansion of experiences through differing standards and curricula was positive. If tests are the same and textbooks are all made by the same 2 or 3 companies, well, BORING. It's like having McDonald's and Subway all over.

How much diversity of experience and thought due to expansion of experiences about fractions is necessary?

Also, the Common Core standards do not require textbooks to be all made by the same 2 or 3 companies. Nonetheless, the same 2 or 3 companies have long since been making all the textbooks -- long before the Common Core standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2014/10/23/the-science-of-the-common-core-experts-weigh-in-on-its-developmental-appropriateness/

Nice summary of problems with Common Core. Quotes from experts.

Major "problems" with the Common Core standards:

1. Children aged 4-7 should be playing. However, they weren't playing before the Common Core standards, and if the Common Core standards went away tomorrow, they still wouldn't be playing.
2. Testing. However, the requirement for testing comes from the No Child Left Behind Act, which predates the Common Core standards. If the Common Core standards went away tomorrow, there would still be a testing requirement.
3. Children aren't standardized. However, there were standards before the Common Core standards. The No Child Left Behind Act requires standards. If the Common Core standards went away tomorrow, there would still be a requirement for standards.

[Anonymous]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2014/10/2...developmental-appropriateness/

Nice summary of problems with Common Core. Quotes from experts.

Thanks. This is the best article I have read so far. The tests need to go right away. The standards can be made usable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2014/10/2...developmental-appropriateness/

Nice summary of problems with Common Core. Quotes from experts.

Thanks. This is the best article I have read so far. The tests need to go right away. The standards can be made usable.

Then you should work on changing the No Child Left Behind Act.

[Anonymous]

2. Testing. However, the requirement for testing comes from the No Child Left Behind Act, which predates the Common Core standards. If the Common Core standards went away tomorrow, there would still be a testing requirement.

Yes, we have to get rid of the testing requirement. NOW.

[Anonymous]

Then you should work on changing the No Child Left Behind Act.

NCLB has basically expired. Duncan is giving waivers for AYP. He might as well just waive the tests and make everybody happy. I have contacted my senators and representatives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Then you should work on changing the No Child Left Behind Act.

NCLB has basically expired. Duncan is giving waivers for AYP. He might as well just waive the tests and make everybody happy. I have contacted my senators and representatives.

What does "basically expired" mean, legally? As far as I know, the No Child Left Behind Act is still the law of the land.

[Anonymous]

Standards, curriculum, and tests are all connected. They are all based on Common Core now. Common Core is important in the discussion.

Yes, NCLB requires the testing and, at the very least, that needs to go.

[Anonymous]

What does "basically expired" mean, legally?

It has no legal bearing. I just said it because for all practical purposes parts of it are dead (because of the Duncan waivers).

[Anonymous]

NCLB was a flawed "law of the land".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How is it giving kids opportunities when you spend more time on sight words than you do on phonics, leaving them with limited vocabulary and literacy?

What is the source of this statement. I taught first grade and I challenge this statement.

It comes from the teachers in higher grades who are frustrated that kids are not able to decode or make effective use of phonics when trying to deal with new words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2014/10/23/the-science-of-the-common-core-experts-weigh-in-on-its-developmental-appropriateness/

Nice summary of problems with Common Core. Quotes from experts.

Major "problems" with the Common Core standards:

1. Children aged 4-7 should be playing. However, they weren't playing before the Common Core standards, and if the Common Core standards went away tomorrow, they still wouldn't be playing.
2. Testing. However, the requirement for testing comes from the No Child Left Behind Act, which predates the Common Core standards. If the Common Core standards went away tomorrow, there would still be a testing requirement.
3. Children aren't standardized. However, there were standards before the Common Core standards. The No Child Left Behind Act requires standards. If the Common Core standards went away tomorrow, there would still be a requirement for standards.

+100 The cluelessness demonstrated in the article is self-evident...