Have you all read this editorial about Common Core testing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Why not go to algebra directly? I learned to solve equations in first grade. Our test would be find x, if x+3=11, what is y if 10-y=1 etc. there were about 10 questions like that. I am not speaking from memory, I just looked at the test a few months ago (my parents kept it). It's not easier, yet it's more useful and not at all confusing. I don't understand this dancing around math concepts. This was not in the US, btw.

Because if there's one thing that 5-6-year-olds are not known for, it's their ability to do abstract thinking. Even typical kids in 5th and 6th grade do better with concrete thinking than abstract thinking.

And why is "find x, if x+3=11" more useful and less confusing for first-graders than "Isabella has 8 rubber band bracelets. She wants to have 11 rubber band bracelets. How many more does she need to make? Draw a model to show your answer."

Right. Except that, as I told you, I had algebra in the first grade and it worked. When i went to college in thE US i as years ahead of even compiter science grad. students. And the relevant comparison is not between word problems and equations but between equations and "subtraction sentences" and such. I have never heard of the latter.

[Anonymous]

Other than the one with the pennies and the cup, I don't see the problem with this test. Do I know what a subtraction sentence is? No. But do I think that that is a term that has probably been taught to the kids taking this test? Yes. And this absolutely looks like a useful way to do math.
This critique from the article is particularly bad: "Notice that the first Finnish math objective incorporates the importance of students deriving satisfaction and pleasure from problem solving. In contrast, the Common Core does not speak of enjoyment but rather “a habitual inclination to see mathematics as sensible, useful, and worthwhile, coupled with a belief in diligence and one’s own efficacy.”

The American version is basically a description of how math (or any subject) becomes a source of satisfaction and pleasure to a kid. What does she think the Finns are doing to make math enjoyable for their kids? Bribing them with candy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Right. Except that, as I told you, I had algebra in the first grade and it worked. When i went to college in thE US i as years ahead of even compiter science grad. students. And the relevant comparison is not between word problems and equations but between equations and "subtraction sentences" and such. I have never heard of the latter.

Then you are evidently an amazing, exceptional person. Probably all of your classmates were also amazing, exceptional people. Congratulations!

A subtraction sentence is an equation that uses subtraction. An addition sentence is an equation that uses addition. You can probably figure out what multiplication sentences and division sentences are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Right. Except that, as I told you, I had algebra in the first grade and it worked. When i went to college in thE US i as years ahead of even compiter science grad. students. And the relevant comparison is not between word problems and equations but between equations and "subtraction sentences" and such. I have never heard of the latter.

Then you are evidently an amazing, exceptional person. Probably all of your classmates were also amazing, exceptional people. Congratulations!

A subtraction sentence is an equation that uses subtraction. An addition sentence is an equation that uses addition. You can probably figure out what multiplication sentences and division sentences are.

I am quite exceptional, actually, but that was not my point. The point was, it is possible to introduce equations in the first grade. Thesee things in the test, whatever they are, are not equations (not at the formal level), so what you said is not true. I went to a top 20 is college and was shocked at the math level of otherwise excellent students. But keep doing whatever you are doing, I am sure this time it will work. Luckily I have the option of schooling my kids in Europe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I am quite exceptional, actually, but that was not my point. The point was, it is possible to introduce equations in the first grade. Thesee things in the test, whatever they are, are not equations (not at the formal level), so what you said is not true. I went to a top 20 is college and was shocked at the math level of otherwise excellent students. But keep doing whatever you are doing, I am sure this time it will work. Luckily I have the option of schooling my kids in Europe.

Of course it's possible to introduce equations in the first grade. But is it useful? Which do you think a typical six-year-old will get more out of, the idea of writing a subtraction sentence, or the idea of writing an equation? I assure you that few six-year-olds even really understand what the equals sign means. (In fact, that's one of the first-grade standards in the Common Core: "Understand the meaning of the equal sign, and determine if equations involving addition and subtraction are true or false. For example, which of the following equations are true and which are false? 6 = 6, 7 = 8 – 1, 5 + 2 = 2 + 5, 4 + 1 = 5 + 2")

As for school in Europe, I don't know. I do know, though, that subtraction sentences is how Singapore Math does it. Here are some typical problems in Singapore Math 1A:

Complete the addition sentences: 9+1=[blank], 9+8=[blank]

Complete the subtraction sentences: 10-6=[blank], 10-7=[blank]

There are 12 ducks. 4 are swimming. How many ducks are not swimming? [Picture of 4 ducks in pond. Picture of 8 ducks not in pond. Blanks for an addition sentence (or equation, if you want to call it an equation) in the form of number operator number = number.]

[Anonymous]

I am supportive of cc, not to the exclusion of other math curricula. I think this gets a lot of standards and concepts right. Not all parts fit together seamlessly yet, but I think it's going in the right direction. I want my child to be able to represent math problems in multiple ways, starting with a concrete foundation, and incorporating abstraction along the way. So far, I like what I see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Common core is why this dual working, liberal, absolutely NOT crunchy family is considering homeschool options.

Have you looked at the Common Core standards? You can start here:

http://www.corestandards.org/math
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy

The first-grade math standards include:

Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120. In this range, read and write numerals and represent a number of objects with a written numeral.

Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks.

Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, fourths, and quarters, and use the phrases half of, fourth of, and quarter of. Describe the whole as two of, or four of the shares. Understand for these examples that decomposing into more equal shares creates smaller shares.

Do you think that these are bad things for first-graders to be able to do?

Yes, I have looked extensively at the common core standards. They're ridiculous, stifling, inappropriate, and awful. I've researched the heck out of this. Did you think I was just deciding to look into homeschool based on one editorial?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Common core is why this dual working, liberal, absolutely NOT crunchy family is considering homeschool options.

Really? Why? It doesn't sound like you've given this any critical thought or actually done any research. CC is a good thing. This is an area where parents push, push, push for more academic challenge earlier. That's exactly what CC does. Do you think it's too academic or something? I guess if you worry your kids can't keep up, I could see you pulling out and slowing them down academically with homeschooling. But on the whole, I think kids can handle the rigor.

Wow, you're a dick. It doesn't sound like you give ANYTHING much critical thought if you make such startling presumptions based on one sentence in an anonymous thread. Good luck with your own rational thinking skills - sounds like you are the one who cannot keep up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Common core is why this dual working, liberal, absolutely NOT crunchy family is considering homeschool options.

Have you looked at the Common Core standards? You can start here:

http://www.corestandards.org/math
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy

The first-grade math standards include:

Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120. In this range, read and write numerals and represent a number of objects with a written numeral.

Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks.

Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, fourths, and quarters, and use the phrases half of, fourth of, and quarter of. Describe the whole as two of, or four of the shares. Understand for these examples that decomposing into more equal shares creates smaller shares.

Do you think that these are bad things for first-graders to be able to do?

Yes, I have looked extensively at the common core standards. They're ridiculous, stifling, inappropriate, and awful. I've researched the heck out of this. Did you think I was just deciding to look into homeschool based on one editorial?

Please share then, which of the Common Core math objectives for first grade you find ridiculous?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, I have looked extensively at the common core standards. They're ridiculous, stifling, inappropriate, and awful. I've researched the heck out of this. Did you think I was just deciding to look into homeschool based on one editorial?

Which standards, specifically, are ridiculous, stifling, inappropriate, and/or awful -- and how?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Common core is why this dual working, liberal, absolutely NOT crunchy family is considering homeschool options.


Have you looked at the Common Core standards? You can start here:

http://www.corestandards.org/math
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy

The first-grade math standards include:

Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120. In this range, read and write numerals and represent a number of objects with a written numeral.

Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks.

Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, fourths, and quarters, and use the phrases half of, fourth of, and quarter of. Describe the whole as two of, or four of the shares. Understand for these examples that decomposing into more equal shares creates smaller shares.

Do you think that these are bad things for first-graders to be able to do?


Yes, I have looked extensively at the common core standards. They're ridiculous, stifling, inappropriate, and awful. I've researched the heck out of this. Did you think I was just deciding to look into homeschool based on one editorial?

You didn't answer the question, PP.

What is so ridiculous, stifling, inappropriate and awful about the standards PP cited?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/10/31/a-ridiculous-common-core-test-for-first-graders/?tid=pm_pop

It links to an 1st grade exam that is completely ridiculous. The editorial (by a NY elem. school principal) talks about how the Common Core tests are created by a company named Pearson which seem to have the market cornered to have schools buy prepping material. However, the standards were not carefully thought out and there was no attempt to make sure these skills are age appropriate.

Take a look at this test. The questions seem horribly written to me.
http://roundtheinkwell.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/the-math-test.pdf

Any parents in this area come across tests as bad as this? Is this a problem in MD/VA/DC as well?

Pearson wrote a bad test; that actually isn't saying anything bad about the Common Core standards, though.

But the third page of that test was absolutely fine! It think it is better for kids to learn number bonds through such picture representations -- the Whole number at the top, and the two component parts underneath -- and really get a sense for what numbers make up larger numbers. Versus using the finger or circle counting approach both my kids used. I.e. get that 3+4 = 7 not "start at 3, count up on your fingers four times = 7 approach.

[Anonymous]

If you are curious about actual "Common Core testing" -- you can look into the PARCC assessments -- about 1/2 of the states who have adipted COmmon Core Standards will be using the PARCC tests to test mastery. The tests will be given starting in grade 3, though, so there won't be any Grade 1 tests to complain about!

But here is a possible question from the Grade 3 Math test:

http://www.parcconline.org/samples/mathematics/grade-3-mathematics-fluency

[Anonymous]

And here is another sample 3rd grade set of tasks on the PARCC, involving fractions on a number line.

http://www.ccsstoolbox.com/parcc/PARCCPrototype_main.html

I think the tasks are fine. I don't know what people are so upset about. It's math!

[Anonymous]

I usually like Valerie Strauss' work, but I don't think this is her best piece (although I get that it's guest-written).

This is not a formalized and validated standardized assessment against the first grade standards. There aren't standardized tests until third grade--and in fact, the more compelling problem with assessment in NY is that the third grade tests AREN'T aligned to the Common Core. They are teaching one curriculum but using an older test, so they aren't actually assessing students based on the material that they have been taught.

But this looks to me like a classroom test that a teacher would administer to get some benchmarks on how well students are understanding the material (and ideally which parts are understood and which need more attention in the classroom). It's not a great test (some of the answers don't fit, like in #12), and there's no way to get partial credit for some of the multi-part questions. BUT, it's not a high stakes standardized assessment.

So to say "the test provides insight into why New York State parents are up in arms about testing and the Common Core," is disingenous. The test is problematic because whatever curriculum the district is using has a maladroit classroom assessment in it, not because (a) Common Core has problems (which it might) or (b) the PARCC/Smarter Balanced assessments have problems.