Why are people so upset about Common Core?

[Anonymous]

You should not be teaching if you feel this is a good assignment in any way, shape or form. You would not DARE to write an assignment asking if slavery was a hoax.
[Report Post]

Did anyone else notice that the acting superintendent of that county had a Muslim name?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't get it. I thought that the whole point of schools was to be a major influence on education.

That is why it needs to be at the local level where parents can control it.

Exactly. There is recent footage of a man in NH being ARRESTED for going over the 2 minute talk rule at a school board meeting at a library. They did not want him to talk about the book his 9th grade daughter was reading, which was on the list of advanced reading for Common Core. The book was Jody Picoult's "Nineteen Minutes. Want to read the passage he was objecting to? It's detailed here, along with the story and video: http://eagnews.org/new-hampshire-father-opposes-required-reading-of-pornographic-novel-in-9th-grade-english/

If you watch, you can see the policeman seemed hesitant and reluctant. He apparently told the man "He didn't want to do this".

It is INSANE a man can be ARRESTED at a meeting like this. Why does a school board need an officer there? Why are they feeling that parents will revolt against them?

Here's the of 9th grade fiction texts that Common Core provides. These are described as examples, to give teachers and districts a sense of the kinds of texts to select, and are not required, but you'll notice that there is no Jodi Picoult on the list. It's a pretty traditional list. Please excuse the page numbers, they direct you as to where, in appendix B, you can find sample texts from the books listed below.

The Actual Common Core Standards wrote:
Homer. The Odyssey ..........................................................................................................101
Ovid. Metamorphoses .......................................................................................................101
Gogol, Nikolai. “The Nose.” .............................................................................................102
De Voltaire, F. A. M. Candide, Or The Optimist ......................................................103
Turgenev, Ivan. Fathers and Sons ................................................................................104
Henry, O. “The Gift of the Magi.” ..................................................................................104
Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis ...............................................................................105
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath ......................................................................105
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451 ......................................................................................106
Olsen, Tillie. “I Stand Here Ironing.” ............................................................................106
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart ...............................................................................107
Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird ...............................................................................107
Shaara, Michael. The Killer Angels...............................................................................108
Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club ........................................................................................108
Álvarez, Julia. In the Time of the Butterflies ...........................................................108
Zusak, Marcus. The Book Thief .....................................................................................109

As far as enforcing time limits, most public forums have rules about doing so. Were the police in this case overzealous in enforcing this issue (that is unrelated to CCSS)? Possibly, but the question of how one enforces rules of order in public forums is totally separate from Common Core.

The book is on an advanced reading list and is said to meet Common Core standards, according to the district. They did not deny this. Again, if the districts are 'making errors', why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You should not be teaching if you feel this is a good assignment in any way, shape or form. You would not DARE to write an assignment asking if slavery was a hoax.
[Report Post]

Did anyone else notice that the acting superintendent of that county had a Muslim name?

Yes. That is the real story. As I said, Common Core allows for this kind of interpretation. By design

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Agreed. I don't believe that these were additional resources. I believe they were restricted to those resources, which makes it all the more heinous.

You know, one thing I hope kids learn with this new Common Core is to actually go and read the facts before they make comments like this on discussion boards.

Read the actual assignment which is posted here, before you make such pronouncements.


http://www.scribd.com/doc/222266515/Rialto-Unified-Holocaust-Essay-Assignment

I say we all believe the writings of the district who assigned this project.

They weren't restricted -- they were told they could use additional sources.

http://htmlimg4.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/1-8854e10468.jpg

source 1 -- 3 pages of Holocaust facts
http://htmlimg3.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/2-1736cdf93a.jpg
http://htmlimg4.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/3-9e3ee01d2a.jpg
http://htmlimg2.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/4-98c506b2f3.jpg

Source 2- two pages of holocaust Hoax drivel
http://htmlimg1.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/6-e62dfb16d1.jpg
http://htmlimg1.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/7-38da202a92.jpg

Source #3 Information on the history of antiSemitism and horrendousness of concentration camps
http://htmlimg1.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/7-38da202a92.jpg
http://htmlimg2.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/9-c837e61d8f.jpg
http://htmlimg2.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/10-058ee8d736.jpg
http://htmlimg4.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/11-ef14f78883.jpg
http://htmlimg3.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/12-df8ee8d914.jpg
http://htmlimg3.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/12-df8ee8d914.jpg

Any child who read those three sources, only, and was able to support a conclusion that concentration camps were a hoax, would be reading impaired, in my view.

However, there was space for addition research of the chil's chosing here
http://htmlimg3.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/13-d06d48357d.jpg

Space for 4 additional source.

Based on textural evidence and citing your sources and reasons for believing it... students are asked to back up their opinion here:

http://htmlimg3.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/14-28e337713a.jpg

Based on text evidence, now think of a possible counterclaim to your argument
http://htmlimg2.scribdassets.com/4ipp8lsi803qwq4r/images/15-4a0a3c59bf.jpg

[Anonymous]

I have lots of problems with Common Core. However, this assignment needs to be credited to someone who appears to have an "agenda". That can happen anytime, anywhere-with or without CC,

[Anonymous]

http://blogs.wsj.com/peggynoonan/2014/05/07/the-trouble-with-common-core/

Peggy Noonan simplifies the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://blogs.wsj.com/peggynoonan/2014/05/07/the-trouble-with-common-core/

Peggy Noonan simplifies the issue.

Her very first link opens up to a bunch of workbook and test sheets that are NOT related to Common Core. They are from a workbook or published tests made by a publishing company or by EngageNY. Many of them have errors. These errors are not due to Common Core State Standards.

I don't feel the need to open her other links as she clearly isn't interested in doing research.

[Anonymous]

I don't feel the need to open her other links as she clearly isn't interested in doing research.

What makes you think the other companies will do a better job?

[Anonymous]

Here's the answer:

http://www.engageny.org/resource/publishers-criteria-for-elaliteracy-and-math

same authors as Common Core

[Anonymous]

What a relief. Pearson developed the NY tests.

http://ny.chalkbeat.org/2013/02/28/newly-hatched-common-core-curriculums-get-city-endorsement/#.U2v90nHD-M8

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I don't feel the need to open her other links as she clearly isn't interested in doing research.

What makes you think the other companies will do a better job?

Because my kids' schools don't have crappy worksheets.

McGraw Hill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the answer:

http://www.engageny.org/resource/publishers-criteria-for-elaliteracy-and-math

same authors as Common Core

That doesn't say what you think it says.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a relief. Pearson developed the NY tests.

http://ny.chalkbeat.org/2013/02/28/newly-hatched-common-core-curriculums-get-city-endorsement/#.U2v90nHD-M8

FYI -- from YOUR link:

The city is also encouraging schools to consider adopting literacy curriculums that the state hired two nonprofit organizations, Core Knowledge and Expeditionary Learning, to produce.

Schools don’t have to take the department’s advice. They can use other curriculum programs, including the ones that they have already been using, or create their own materials. Currently, about 70 percent of schools opt to use the city’s recommended curriculums, which for most schools were originally required a decade ago in one of former chancellor Joel Klein’s earliest initiatives.

Just FYI -- the Core Knowledge curriculum is the one that has all those long modules that are driving everyone crazy.

ANd do note that these curriculua have been around in NY for at least 10 years therefore predate Common Core.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about a teacher who teaches in a school where truancy is a problem? Is there an exemption there?

An exemption from being held accountable for test scores?

If you're teaching kids who come from a background of chaos and try and escape it through truancy, then their test scores from last year will likely reflect this struggle, and their growth scores will compare them to other kids who also struggle. On the other hand, if high performing kids come to your school and suddenly stop showing up in droves, then you're doing something wrong and you need to be held accountable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't get it. I thought that the whole point of schools was to be a major influence on education.

That is why it needs to be at the local level where parents can control it.

Exactly. There is recent footage of a man in NH being ARRESTED for going over the 2 minute talk rule at a school board meeting at a library. They did not want him to talk about the book his 9th grade daughter was reading, which was on the list of advanced reading for Common Core. The book was Jody Picoult's "Nineteen Minutes. Want to read the passage he was objecting to? It's detailed here, along with the story and video: http://eagnews.org/new-hampshire-father-opposes-required-reading-of-pornographic-novel-in-9th-grade-english/

If you watch, you can see the policeman seemed hesitant and reluctant. He apparently told the man "He didn't want to do this".

It is INSANE a man can be ARRESTED at a meeting like this. Why does a school board need an officer there? Why are they feeling that parents will revolt against them?

Here's the of 9th grade fiction texts that Common Core provides. These are described as examples, to give teachers and districts a sense of the kinds of texts to select, and are not required, but you'll notice that there is no Jodi Picoult on the list. It's a pretty traditional list. Please excuse the page numbers, they direct you as to where, in appendix B, you can find sample texts from the books listed below.

The Actual Common Core Standards wrote:
Homer. The Odyssey ..........................................................................................................101
Ovid. Metamorphoses .......................................................................................................101
Gogol, Nikolai. “The Nose.” .............................................................................................102
De Voltaire, F. A. M. Candide, Or The Optimist ......................................................103
Turgenev, Ivan. Fathers and Sons ................................................................................104
Henry, O. “The Gift of the Magi.” ..................................................................................104
Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis ...............................................................................105
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath ......................................................................105
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451 ......................................................................................106
Olsen, Tillie. “I Stand Here Ironing.” ............................................................................106
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart ...............................................................................107
Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird ...............................................................................107
Shaara, Michael. The Killer Angels...............................................................................108
Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club ........................................................................................108
Álvarez, Julia. In the Time of the Butterflies ...........................................................108
Zusak, Marcus. The Book Thief .....................................................................................109

As far as enforcing time limits, most public forums have rules about doing so. Were the police in this case overzealous in enforcing this issue (that is unrelated to CCSS)? Possibly, but the question of how one enforces rules of order in public forums is totally separate from Common Core.

The book is on an advanced reading list and is said to meet Common Core standards, according to the district. They did not deny this. Again, if the districts are 'making errors', why?

One high school, out of the 4 high schools they found that were teaching this title, out of the thousands of high schools in all the states adopting CCSS, published a list of books for students independent reading and titled the list "Advanced Common Core

Yes, this book probably meets CCSS in the sense that it has a suitable level of text complexity, that is grammar and vocabulary and literary elements, for high school students. A student who needs practice on CCSS goals that address things like fluency and understanding complex text could practice those goals in the context of this book or any one of a thousand other books. That isn't to say that the topic or content is or isn't appropriate, just that it's got the right kinds of structures to stretch 9th graders' skills.

However, this is not a book suggested by, or required by CCSS. The only 9th grade fiction texts suggested by CCSS are the ones listed above. The only texts required by CCSS in any grade are the 3 texts named in the following standard for 11th and 12th graders.

The Actual Common Core State Standards wrote:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.9
Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address) for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.

As a teacher, I've made similar lists all the time of "other books your kid can read". I teach little kids so my lists have things like Henry and Mudge rather than Jodi Picoult, but it's still a judgement call. If I were to put something inappropriate on the list, it is my responsibility. Similarly the teacher who put this book on this list is the one responsible for the choice.