"Teacher of the Year" quits over Common Core tests

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So you'd rather spend your limited time and energy fighting against something that is unrelated to the real problem, instead of fighting in favor of something that would fix the real problem. Well, ok.

You just admitted that CC is unrelated to the real problem.

No, I am arguing your argument on your own terms. Whatever is causing the real problem, in your opinion -- that's what it makes sense to fight. In my opinion. Of course you are free to fight for or against anything you want to fight for or against.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So you'd rather spend your limited time and energy fighting against something that is unrelated to the real problem, instead of fighting in favor of something that would fix the real problem. Well, ok.

You don't understand. We are fighting against something that is going to make schools WORSE. The real problems we deal with in whatever ways we can every day. We have all bought kids food or brought clothes for them or called social services (I know I have). Have you ever had to look at a kid whose teeth were knocked out by her mother? I doubt you have. I have.

The standards are not what we need. We need more teachers, lower class sizes, and people who care about kids. We DO NOT NEED another test attached to different standards.

Thank you for listening.

How will fighting the Common Core standards get more teachers, lower class sizes, and people who care about kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think it's pretty clear that there are big problems with education in the US.

It's not "education" that's the problem. It's the lack of social/family supports for children. The teachers are working harder than ever, but can't compensate for things beyond their control.

You don't get it.

+1

You're either an educator, or the rare person who does understand.

We can no longer just teach. We are now parents and therapists - or in my case, cops, too!

[Anonymous]

How will fighting the Common Core standards get more teachers, lower class sizes, and people who care about kids?

The purpose of fighting Common Core is to get rid of Common Core.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I think it's pretty clear that there are big problems with education in the US.

It's not "education" that's the problem. It's the lack of social/family supports for children. The teachers are working harder than ever, but can't compensate for things beyond their control.

You don't get it.

+1

You're either an educator, or the rare person who does understand.

We can no longer just teach. We are now parents and therapists - or in my case, cops, too!

Everybody agrees that teachers have to deal with the effects of social and economic problems that are out of the teachers' control. Nobody is denying this, except maybe some odd fool here or there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How will fighting the Common Core standards get more teachers, lower class sizes, and people who care about kids?

The purpose of fighting Common Core is to get rid of Common Core.

Why is getting rid of the Common Core standards more important than getting more teachers, lower class sizes, and people who care about kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
How will fighting the Common Core standards get more teachers, lower class sizes, and people who care about kids?


The purpose of fighting Common Core is to get rid of Common Core.


Why is getting rid of the Common Core standards more important than getting more teachers, lower class sizes, and people who care about kids?

I don't get why you are connecting these two issues in this way.

The Common Core standards are not important at all. That's why we need to get rid of them. They don't matter and they cost a lot of money. Both getting rid of CC and getting more teachers can be worked on at the same time. Just because someone is working toward getting more teachers does not mean that the same person cannot work toward getting rid of CC. It's called multi-tasking. I think people in Washington DC should learn how to do it too. Apparently this would be a problem for you---doing both?

[Anonymous]

^ Can you walk and chew gum at the same time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
^ Can you walk and chew gum at the same time?

People have limited resources -- limited time, limited energy, limited money. The time/energy/money you spend fighting for [something -- for example, getting rid of the Common Core standards] is time/energy/money you can't spend fighting for [something else -- for example, getting more teachers].

[Anonymous]

People have limited resources -- limited time, limited energy, limited money. The time/energy/money you spend fighting for [something -- for example, getting rid of the Common Core standards] is time/energy/money you can't spend fighting for [something else -- for example, getting more teachers].

Yes, people have limited resources. Limited time being one. The amount of time (which is money) and money used preparing for standardized tests and taking them takes away from time that can be used for instruction.

I do see how these things are related now. If we get rid of the time and money energy used on CC, we will have the equivalent of more teachers for instruction. Okay, I go with fighting against CC if I cannot multi-task.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

People have limited resources -- limited time, limited energy, limited money. The time/energy/money you spend fighting for [something -- for example, getting rid of the Common Core standards] is time/energy/money you can't spend fighting for [something else -- for example, getting more teachers].

Yes, people have limited resources. Limited time being one. The amount of time (which is money) and money used preparing for standardized tests and taking them takes away from time that can be used for instruction.

I do see how these things are related now. If we get rid of the time and money energy used on CC, we will have the equivalent of more teachers for instruction. Okay, I go with fighting against CC if I cannot multi-task.

If you think that the Common Core standards are the biggest problem, then you should definitely use your limited resources to fight the Common Core standards.

I don't think that getting rid of the Common Core standards will lead to more teachers for instruction, though.

[Anonymous]

^^^I apologize -- I didn't mean to imply that your resources in particular were limited. Everybody's resources are limited.

[Anonymous]

How will fighting the Common Core standards get more teachers, lower class sizes, and people who care about kids?

Some teachers are quitting because of the Common Core standards and the NCLB testing. K teachers are especially upset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How will fighting the Common Core standards get more teachers, lower class sizes, and people who care about kids?

Some teachers are quitting because of the Common Core standards and the NCLB testing. K teachers are especially upset.

"Some" teachers? In any case, fighting the Common Core standards won't get rid of the NCLB testing requirements. Also, kindergarteners don't take NCLB tests.

[Anonymous]

Also, kindergarteners don't take NCLB tests

No. They have other tests now for K. Ones that go along with Common Core.