Why are people so upset about Common Core?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And yet, many fourth graders in mcps are struggling with this...because of the way mcps is implementing common core through 2.0.

IMO 2.0 is the problem. Not Common Core.

I've also seen some states such as New York carry out some really crazy curricula and testing. They *say* it is Common Core, but in reality they have added all sorts of crazy topics that are not required by Common Core. So people react to that, thinking it is Common Core, when it isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trust me, folks...there are plenty criticisms of the content. And, like the teacher just said, there isn't much actual content. The teachers aren't bring provided with actual materials that go along with the concepts they must teach.

So that's (valid) critique of the implementation, sure. But I haven't seen any informed cogent criticism of the content that's actually comparing the content to the state standards which were in place before CC was rolled out.

[Anonymous]

Common Core is totally untested. In states that have been using it and testing with it, like New York and Kentucky, about 70 percent of kids fail the standardized tests. They simply don't understand what they've been taught. When you factor in race or any kind of disability, the failure rate skyrockets. It's very language intensive, so if your child is a slow reader or has any other kind of language based learning disability, they're just screwed.


I was talking to a mom in another state. In her daughter's 6th grade class, out of 31 students, 23 failed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To 19:16 - well, it's a bit of a secret, but most fourth graders in mcps don't know their times tables thanks to the new curriculum based on the common core. This is precisely because they didn't teach them at school in third or fourth grade. And guess what? They are realizing that kids can't do long division without having a strong grasp of basic times tables. So go ahead and make light of it, but it's a very real problem with the math curriculum.

It's such a secret that I don't know about it. Everybody in my kids' elementary school does weekly math facts tests. They did this before Curriculum 2.0. They're still doing it now.

My 3rd grader as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Common Core is totally untested. In states that have been using it and testing with it, like New York and Kentucky, about 70 percent of kids fail the standardized tests. They simply don't understand what they've been taught. When you factor in race or any kind of disability, the failure rate skyrockets. It's very language intensive, so if your child is a slow reader or has any other kind of language based learning disability, they're just screwed.


I was talking to a mom in another state. In her daughter's 6th grade class, out of 31 students, 23 failed.

How is a standard untested? That is a curriculum issue. And if ur friend is in a state with a pre-existing poor track record, then u cannot blame it on Common Core.

[Anonymous]

My problem is not with the Common Core content or even the way in which math and some of the other areas are taught.

My problem is with the testing. Specifically, how much classroom time is dedicated to preparing for the test.

We live in a Common Core state (not Virginia), and we are already seeing references to the testing in our DC's kindergarten class, even though the actual Common Core testing doesn't begin until third grade.

My friends with fourth graders tell me that a full month of learning time was diluted/lost last spring while their kids' teachers did test preparation at the expense of actual learning of new material. This in a top district -- not a remedial area with low pass rates.

[Anonymous]

And mcps will likely prep for the new test next year (especially when the MSA results come back so low this year).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Common Core is totally untested. In states that have been using it and testing with it, like New York and Kentucky, about 70 percent of kids fail the standardized tests. They simply don't understand what they've been taught. When you factor in race or any kind of disability, the failure rate skyrockets. It's very language intensive, so if your child is a slow reader or has any other kind of language based learning disability, they're just screwed.


I was talking to a mom in another state. In her daughter's 6th grade class, out of 31 students, 23 failed.

NY made their tests too hard, and tested things that were not required by Common Core. That was their choice as a state, but was not due to the Common Core standards.

In addition, these states rushed a test to production, without having any field testing.

Our state (MD) will be using the PARCC tests next year, and I have seen some of the field testing. I agree that the Language Arts test is very language intensive, and only children who are strong, capable, quick readers are likely to score well on this test.

Slow readers will score poorly, that is for certain.

[Anonymous]

New Hampshire teachers field-tested the Smarter Balanced tests (they actually took it themselves) and they basically said: Everyone is going to fail.

isted below are some of the concerns that were shared by our staff:

*I feel sad for the students who have to take this test — not many will be successful.



*There is too much “stuff” going on the screen at once. It is difficult to move the icons where you want them. Students don’t know how to use the “mouse” everything for them is “tough screen”.
If you leave the screen for a short period of time the information on the screen will be gone when you return. “I tried the grade six-grade math—it was humbling. It was scary.

*I had technology problems. If kids have these problems they’ll just quit.

*Double-wide monitors would help. I am a huge fan of concept maps but notepad does not let you do that on Smarter Balance. You can’t even copand paste from the notepad into the test.

*This was more of a test on the computer skills than on the math concepts. If I was a student I would just pickout an answer and move on.

*Too tedious—kids will get sick of it and just guess to move on. Kids won’t even get past the computer directions.




*I am concerned that the math test is not necessarily testing students’ math abilities since there is so much reading. This test seems to assess how well the students read the math questions more than their math skills. Thus, because of the amount of reading, I question the validity of our receiving a math ability score.

.

*The opening pages of directions and computer information was ridiculous. I didn’t read it—I’m sure my students won’t. Suggestions: We should have posters made of the most important and often used keys to post in each math classroom. Students need to practice making equations in Word, including the fractions symbol. We need to teach students to distinguish between on correct answer and many correct answers. There are questions that tell the students to choose the correct answers.

*The test is difficult to navigate with so many keystrokes to juggle.
*The page layout makes it eye weary even though you can expand the screen and zoom in and out.
*The passages are lengthy and time consuming and made me consider just choosing “B” so I could move on. Some terms in the reading seemed out-dated—“Plumb crazy and millwright” for example.
I had to use multiple skills and at the same time multitask—id—the audio portions require me to listen and at the same time read possible answers while constructing a well written paragraph in my head.

*The test assumes the students are skilled in such areas as pre-reading and questions and if they are not, it assumes they will learn while taking the test to read the questions in advance of the reading.

*There wasn’t a flow or cadence to the questions. The type or style of questions changed from one to the next. The answers were not straight forward—for example on the math test they did not want the answer to the equation, they wanted to know if the answer was 2/3rd greater than what you started with. I understand this is import ant but this test will be exhausting for the kids.

*The idea of the best answer and then there being 2 or more good and appropriate answers. It felt like a trick. We’re going to look bad for a few years.

*I did 30 questions in an hour and then had to take a break. My eyes hurt and my shoulders felt strained. When I returned 5 minutes later the work was gone.

*Each question is totally different than the one before it creating confusion which creates more confusion for the test takers.

*Frustration level builds as your take the test creating mental despair—students will shut down.
Many of the math questions seemed to have no basis in the real world and skills that will never be used in life. Students will need to be taught the technology skills for the test.—scrolling through screens, highlighting, scanning the questions, touch typing, and more.

*The test does not encourage students to use writing webs, brain maps, organizers to assist with writing. Summary: In my opinion, this test is a sad indictment of how disconnected the people who design the test are from the typical students in the classroom. Assessment is necessary but it should be designed to be developmentally appropriate for the students being tested. Assessment should also all for different methods to demonstrate competency rather than one computer model. This test is designed for one type of student—the verbal learner with exceptional executive functioning skills.

*I took the Grade 7 Language Arts test which I believe is developmentally designed for adults, not seventh grade students. The questions were tedious and punitive. I’m not sure that any seventh grader in the St ate would be able to score well on this test. The worst part of this test was the directions. They were numerous and multifaceted. After observing middle school students take tests for over a decade, it is my firm belief that most kids will stop reading the directions because there are too many and they are far too complex. Students will fail this test and the test will destroy their confidence which is an important stage of their development. In addition, the results of this test will become a public relations night mare for the school and the school districts as children will fail in large numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Common Core is totally untested. In states that have been using it and testing with it, like New York and Kentucky, about 70 percent of kids fail the standardized tests. They simply don't understand what they've been taught. When you factor in race or any kind of disability, the failure rate skyrockets. It's very language intensive, so if your child is a slow reader or has any other kind of language based learning disability, they're just screwed.


I was talking to a mom in another state. In her daughter's 6th grade class, out of 31 students, 23 failed.

Is it possible common core is just exposing that your children are not as advanced as you assumed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Common Core is totally untested. In states that have been using it and testing with it, like New York and Kentucky, about 70 percent of kids fail the standardized tests. They simply don't understand what they've been taught. When you factor in race or any kind of disability, the failure rate skyrockets. It's very language intensive, so if your child is a slow reader or has any other kind of language based learning disability, they're just screwed.


I was talking to a mom in another state. In her daughter's 6th grade class, out of 31 students, 23 failed.

Is it possible common core is just exposing that your children are not as advanced as you assumed?

Arne Duncan, is that you?

[Anonymous]

My DD's first grade math homework can get pretty challenging, and her teacher confirmed that prior to 2.0 it was second grade homework. And I believe all the kids get the same work, there are no more advanced groups. But not all children learn the same or can master the material.
On the other hand, they start with basics, move on to more advanced concepts then return to basics - a cycle that continues as they get deeper into the material and helps them eventually master it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD's first grade math homework can get pretty challenging, and her teacher confirmed that prior to 2.0 it was second grade homework. And I believe all the kids get the same work, there are no more advanced groups. But not all children learn the same or can master the material.
On the other hand, they start with basics, move on to more advanced concepts then return to basics - a cycle that continues as they get deeper into the material and helps them eventually master it.

What do you consider challenging?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD's first grade math homework can get pretty challenging, and her teacher confirmed that prior to 2.0 it was second grade homework. And I believe all the kids get the same work, there are no more advanced groups. But not all children learn the same or can master the material.
On the other hand, they start with basics, move on to more advanced concepts then return to basics - a cycle that continues as they get deeper into the material and helps them eventually master it.

What do you consider challenging?

[Anonymous]

*I feel sad for the students who have to take this test — not many will be successful.

Noted -- but not a reason to not test.

*There is too much “stuff” going on the screen at once. It is difficult to move the icons where you want them.

Good reason to do a field test, and these problems should be fixed.

Students don’t know how to use the “mouse” everything for them is “touch screen”.

Students will need to learn to use a mouse.

If you leave the screen for a short period of time the information on the screen will be gone when you return.

Again, that is a problem that should be fixed. I did not have that problem on the PARCC test

“I tried the grade six-grade math—it was humbling. It was scary.

OK as a teacher, I am really sad about this but I know it to be true. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS (for the most part) STINK AT BASIC MATH!! I have seen this over and over again. THey mostly are scared of math, and cannot handle even basic math skills, miuch less algebra. This is a huge problem, not the fault of Common Core, and not something we can easily fix.

*I had technology problems. If kids have these problems they’ll just quit.

These computer-administered tests sound great in principle, but yes there will be tech problems and yes, it will be a disaster the first year.

*Double-wide monitors would help. I am a huge fan of concept maps but notepad does not let you do that on Smarter Balance. You can’t even copand paste from the notepad into the test.

Don't know what that means.

*This was more of a test on the computer skills than on the math concepts. If I was a student I would just pickout an answer and move on.

This is definitely a problem, except for kids who have strong computer skills.

*Too tedious—kids will get sick of it and just guess to move on. Kids won’t even get past the computer directions.

Maybe SmartBalance should just stick to paper and pencil tests?

*I am concerned that the math test is not necessarily testing students’ math abilities since there is so much reading. This test seems to assess how well the students read the math questions more than their math skills. Thus, because of the amount of reading, I question the validity of our receiving a math ability score.

Extremely valid point here.

We need to teach students to distinguish between on correct answer and many correct answers. There are questions that tell the students to choose the correct answers.

Apparently sometimes students need to choose all the correct answers, not just one correct answer? Good idea to teach them how to do that!

*The test assumes the students are skilled in such areas as pre-reading and questions and if they are not, it assumes they will learn while taking the test to read the questions in advance of the reading.

Of course students should be learning how to pre-read questions. This is called skimming.

The answers were not straight forward—for example on the math test they did not want the answer to the equation, they wanted to know if the answer was 2/3rd greater than what you started with. I understand this is import ant but this test will be exhausting for the kids.

Thinking hard can be exhausting!

*The idea of the best answer and then there being 2 or more good and appropriate answers. It felt like a trick. We’re going to look bad for a few years.

Basically this person is saying there should be one correct answer and 3 obviously wrong answers.

*I did 30 questions in an hour and then had to take a break. My eyes hurt and my shoulders felt strained. When I returned 5 minutes later the work was gone.

OK that's a really big probalem and needs to be fixed.

*Each question is totally different than the one before it creating confusion which creates more confusion for the test takers.

ot sure how this is different from any other standardized test - might be useful feedback.

*Frustration level builds as your take the test creating mental despair—students will shut down.

Many of the math questions seemed to have no basis in the real world and skills that will never be used in life. Students will need to be taught the technology skills for the test.—scrolling through screens, highlighting, scanning the questions, touch typing, and more.

Good skills to learn!