Why are people so upset about Common Core?

[Anonymous]

I remember all the angst when VA rolled outs its SOLs (Standards of Learning) and especially the SOL tests. Wow you would have thought the world was going to end. The anger, the worry, the Sturm und Drang. No field testing, either. They were just dropped on us.

Are you serious? Everybody hated it. My kids were in school when it changed. It was a sea change--and not for the positive. Teachers began teaching to the test, practicing for the test, etc.etc.

[Anonymous]

Are you serious? Everybody hated it. My kids were in school when it changed. It was a sea change--and not for the positive. Teachers began teaching to the test, practicing for the test, etc.etc.

And, this is when only the schools were being evaluated. Just imagine how much time will be spent practicing for the test when the job depends on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I remember all the angst when VA rolled outs its SOLs (Standards of Learning) and especially the SOL tests. Wow you would have thought the world was going to end. The anger, the worry, the Sturm und Drang. No field testing, either. They were just dropped on us.

Are you serious? Everybody hated it. My kids were in school when it changed. It was a sea change--and not for the positive. Teachers began teaching to the test, practicing for the test, etc.etc.

It was a rough transition, but after the first few years, people adapted, and I think instruction was much improved as a result.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I remember all the angst when VA rolled outs its SOLs (Standards of Learning) and especially the SOL tests. Wow you would have thought the world was going to end. The anger, the worry, the Sturm und Drang. No field testing, either. They were just dropped on us.



Are you serious? Everybody hated it. My kids were in school when it changed. It was a sea change--and not for the positive. Teachers began teaching to the test, practicing for the test, etc.etc.

It was a rough transition, but after the first few years, people adapted, and I think instruction was much improved as a result.

Strongly disagree. In fact, a neighbor brought this up today. My youngest was in third grade--his experience was quite different from the oldest.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure that the educational experiences were different. I taught bother before and after the SOLs came around, and the teaching experiences were quite different. Overall I'd say things were :looser" before the SOLs, especially in the content areas. If you just didn't get to something that year, you didn't get to it. Also, if kids didn't learn to write, it was less of a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What?! You want our children to be guinea pigs?! No, no, no, we can't have that.

So, you'd rather go wholesale with a program that has not been tested, is going to cost tons of money, and will line the pockets of large publishing companies who line the pockets of politicians.

First of all the standards aren't a product, and don't cost a lot of money.

Secondly, I live in the state of MD, and previously lived in the state of VA. In BOTH states we had standards. In BOTH states we got new standards, from time to time. In NEITHER state were the standards "tested" before they were updated.

I remember all the angst when VA rolled outs its SOLs (Standards of Learning) and especially the SOL tests. Wow you would have thought the world was going to end. The anger, the worry, the Sturm und Drang. No field testing, either. They were just dropped on us.

Now people like the SOLs pretty much and see no reason to switch to Common Core.

No, people 'don't like the SOLs pretty much'. As a matter of fact, parents recognize them as being for the schools and not the kids, and resent the teaching to the tests and the bribes to the kids to do well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.usnews.com/news/special-reports/a-guide-to-common-core/articles/2014/03/06/the-politics-of-common-core

Here's a pretty good summary of the program. Third paragraph addresses Race to the Top. It's not named explicitly to support common core, but the requirements are those of common core.

I think you mean fourth paragraph. This one:

Hess is referring to an effort supported by the Obama administration in which states could receive Race to the Top funding if they agreed to adopt college- and career-ready standards. While the government did not explicitly name Common Core – or any other set of standards, for that matter – those who agreed to implement Common Core automatically qualified for Race to the Top cash. Some states, such as Virginia and Texas, however, opted to write their own standards rather than adopt Common Core. In doing so, both states were still eligible to apply for Race to the Top funds, although Texas did not submit an application, and Virginia was not awarded any money.

Perfect. So according to this article, adopting Common Core was NOT required for Race to the Top Funding. Thank you.

And states that did not adopt Common Core, still were eligible to apply for funding.

I have posted over and over again when and how much funding was set aside for Common Core and how RTTT was used. You completely ignore it. It's like talking to Pelosi or Al Gore

You have been posting over and over but you are not proving your point.

Yes, States adopting Common Core State standards OR SIMILAR standards help them get Race to the Top Grant Funding.

That is different from saying all states are required to adopt Common Core State Standards.

If you do not see how that is different, I am at a loss.

The problem is you are looking at the trees and I am looking at the forest. You'll get it soon enough. It will be too late, but you'll get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Secondly, I live in the state of MD, and previously lived in the state of VA. In BOTH states we had standards. In BOTH states we got new standards, from time to time. In NEITHER state were the standards "tested" before they were updated.

I remember all the angst when VA rolled outs its SOLs (Standards of Learning) and especially the SOL tests. Wow you would have thought the world was going to end. The anger, the worry, the Sturm und Drang. No field testing, either. They were just dropped on us.

Now people like the SOLs pretty much and see no reason to switch to Common Core.

It's throw back Monday -- if you feel like doing a little reading, read this article about 5 years into the adoption of the VA Standards of Learning (1999) Man, what fun times those were:

http://www.via.vt.edu/fall99/sols.html

So you post an article from the VA Dept. of Ed touting the success of the SOLs? Are they going to say it sucks? Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The problem is you are looking at the trees and I am looking at the forest. You'll get it soon enough. It will be too late, but you'll get it.

Aha! So that's your secret. Studying the forest now and I can now see the apocalypse coming. All due to Common Core! Thanks Anonymous DCUM poster, for showing me the light.

[Anonymous]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/good-teaching-poor-test-scores-doubt-cast-on-grading-teachers-by-student-performance/2014/05/12/96d94812-da07-11e3-bda1-9b46b2066796_story.html


Another problem with the growing snowball of Common Core.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/good-teaching-poor-test-scores-doubt-cast-on-grading-teachers-by-student-performance/2014/05/12/96d94812-da07-11e3-bda1-9b46b2066796_story.html

Another problem with the growing snowball of Common Core.

And yet there is not one mention of the Common Core standards in that article. That's because using test scores to evaluate teachers is a COMPLETELY SEPARATE ISSUE.

Honestly, I think that a lot of people think that "Common Core" is shorthand for "everything in education that I don't like."

[Anonymous]

And yet there is not one mention of the Common Core standards in that article. That's because using test scores to evaluate teachers is a COMPLETELY SEPARATE ISSUE.

Honestly, I think that a lot of people think that "Common Core" is shorthand for "everything in education that I don't like."

You can say that all you want, but it is not a separate issue. It is part of the recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/good-teaching-poor-test-scores-doubt-cast-on-grading-teachers-by-student-performance/2014/05/12/96d94812-da07-11e3-bda1-9b46b2066796_story.html

Another problem with the growing snowball of Common Core.

And yet there is not one mention of the Common Core standards in that article. That's because using test scores to evaluate teachers is a COMPLETELY SEPARATE ISSUE.

Honestly, I think that a lot of people think that "Common Core" is shorthand for "everything in education that I don't like."

I love how obtuse you are. Perhaps you should go through Common Core yourself and learn some critical thinking skills....oh, wait. You DO think just like the shallow Common Core "close reading" garbage they advocate. Which is why you can't connect all the uber-obvious dots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And yet there is not one mention of the Common Core standards in that article. That's because using test scores to evaluate teachers is a COMPLETELY SEPARATE ISSUE.

Honestly, I think that a lot of people think that "Common Core" is shorthand for "everything in education that I don't like."

You can say that all you want, but it is not a separate issue. It is part of the recommendations.

What is part of the recommendations of what? The Common Core standards recommend using test scores to evaluate teachers? Could you provide a link to that please?

[Anonymous]

from Common Core website:

Will common assessments be developed?

Two state-led consortia, Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced), are currently working to develop assessments that aim to provide meaningful feedback to ensure that students are progressing toward attaining the necessary skills to succeed in college, career, and life. These assessments are expected to be available in the 2014-2015 school year. Most states have chosen to participate in one of the two consortia. For more information, visit the website of your state’s assessment consortium. Two additional consortia, working through the National Center and State Collaborative Partnership and the Dynamic Learning Maps Alternative Assessment System Consortium, are developing a new generation of assessments for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities