Common Core's epic fail: Special Education

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There were standards in education before the Common Core standards. Getting rid of the Common Core standards will not get rid of standards in education. You are arguing against the existence of any standards in education.

Earlier standards were not as convoluted as these. Neither did they require so many hours of testing. Teaching is losing out to testing.

Common Core standards are hardly convoluted. They are detailed and straightforward.

Not too the teachers I've talked to. There are also too many of them. It's not "deeper" -- it's shallow and poorly paced for many students -- and yes, there are specific instructions telling you what to teach when.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Gosh, I guess Maryland standards were pretty substandard. That wouldn't have stopped any decent teacher from teaching far beyond it.

The standards for writing were in fact pretty low... and the state tests in MD did not require writing essays, or even writing in paragraph form.

That which is not assessed, will often not be taught.

Decent teachers did teach beyond what was the standard, but the curriculum didn't require this type of writing instruction, and many teachers did not go beyond what was required.

That is why I think it is an excellent thing that in Maryland the writing standard expected of all students has been raised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There were standards in education before the Common Core standards. Getting rid of the Common Core standards will not get rid of standards in education. You are arguing against the existence of any standards in education.

Earlier standards were not as convoluted as these. Neither did they require so many hours of testing. Teaching is losing out to testing.

Common Core standards are hardly convoluted. They are detailed and straightforward.

Not too the teachers I've talked to. There are also too many of them. It's not "deeper" -- it's shallow and poorly paced for many students -- and yes, there are specific instructions telling you what to teach when.

Not according to the teachers I've spoken to. No, there aren't specific instructions in the Common Core State Standards telling you what to teach when. There are standards that are expected by the end of each grade level. There are no instructions to teach this in January, this in February. That comes in your school's curriculum, if it has one; or in the curriculum of your state (for example NY state has a curriculum online called something like Engage NY). The standards themselves aren't a curriculum and don't tell teachers how to teach or when to teach it -- just the standards for the end of the year at each grade level.

[Anonymous]

That which is not assessed, will often not be taught.

Exactly! That is why kids who can already perform the tasks are penalized. Instead of being encouraged to move forward, they just practice what they already know how to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There were standards in education before the Common Core standards. Getting rid of the Common Core standards will not get rid of standards in education. You are arguing against the existence of any standards in education.

Earlier standards were not as convoluted as these. Neither did they require so many hours of testing. Teaching is losing out to testing.

Could you please give an example of a Common Core standard you find convoluted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

That which is not assessed, will often not be taught.

Exactly! That is why kids who can already perform the tasks are penalized. Instead of being encouraged to move forward, they just practice what they already know how to do.

This is a fair criticism of No Child Left Behind, which requires that schools be evaluated based on what percentage of their students pass the state tests. Students who are academically advanced and can already pass the standards at the start of the year will not necessarily receive much further attention.

At least with Common Core, the standards have been raised somewhat. In the past, states were allowed to choose their own tests to prove all their students were passing. This had the effect of dumbing down the tests to a level almost any child could pass.

As I stated earlier, the writing expected from students in MD was at a very low level. Students were taught a formula for writing what were called "Brief Constructed Responses" (i.e. short answer) and practiced it over and over again to be able to score the minimum number of points needed for a low pass ("Pass Proficient"). Spelling and grammar and punctuation didn't count in the score -- as long as you could somehow understand what the child intended to say. THERE WAS NO INCENTIVE THEREFORE TO TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO WRITE CORRECTLY!

Now states that have adopted Common Core State Standards, and the standards overall are higher. I have already written about how the writing expectations are stronger -- students are expected to write coherent paragraphs and essays -- and mechanics (spelling grammar, punctuation) count!

[Anonymous]

Babies are not uniform, and yet there are safety standards for strollers.

Strollers are inanimate objects. Students are animate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Babies are not uniform, and yet there are safety standards for strollers.

Strollers are inanimate objects. Students are animate.

That is true. But it has no effect on the argument. The standards for the strollers exist for the purpose of ensuring the safety of the non-uniform (but animate) babies that are in the strollers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This is a fair criticism of No Child Left Behind, which requires that schools be evaluated based on what percentage of their students pass the state tests. Students who are academically advanced and can already pass the standards at the start of the year will not necessarily receive much further attention.

At least with Common Core, the standards have been raised somewhat. In the past, states were allowed to choose their own tests to prove all their students were passing. This had the effect of dumbing down the tests to a level almost any child could pass.

As I stated earlier, the writing expected from students in MD was at a very low level. Students were taught a formula for writing what were called "Brief Constructed Responses" (i.e. short answer) and practiced it over and over again to be able to score the minimum number of points needed for a low pass ("Pass Proficient"). Spelling and grammar and punctuation didn't count in the score -- as long as you could somehow understand what the child intended to say. THERE WAS NO INCENTIVE THEREFORE TO TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO WRITE CORRECTLY!

Now states that have adopted Common Core State Standards, and the standards overall are higher. I have already written about how the writing expectations are stronger -- students are expected to write coherent paragraphs and essays -- and mechanics (spelling grammar, punctuation) count!

I HATED BCRS.

I can't repeat that often enough. I really, really, really hated them. Even if I hated every other aspect of the Common Core standards (which I don't), I would be ecstatic about the Common Core standards, because they made those stupid BCRs go away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Babies are not uniform, and yet there are safety standards for strollers.

Strollers are inanimate objects. Students are animate.

That is true. But it has no effect on the argument. The standards for the strollers exist for the purpose of ensuring the safety of the non-uniform (but animate) babies that are in the strollers.

Safety standards are to strollers as Common Core standards are to the teaching curriculums. You have one set of standards that apply to multiple strollers or to multiple curriculums.

[Anonymous]

Strollers that meet the basic safety standards should have the following:
•A safety harness that is securely attached to the stroller frame or upholstery and is designed to properly restrain the child when seated.
•A locking device that will prevent the accidental collapse of the stroller while in use.
•No exposed coil springs. Exposed coil springs could potentially pinch or injure your child.
•A warning that reads “Caution: Secure child in the restraint. Never leave child unattended.” This warning should be permanently attached to the stroller.
•Stability even when the stroller is placed on an inclined surface with a child seated inside.

You are comparing CC standards to this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Strollers that meet the basic safety standards should have the following:
•A safety harness that is securely attached to the stroller frame or upholstery and is designed to properly restrain the child when seated.
•A locking device that will prevent the accidental collapse of the stroller while in use.
•No exposed coil springs. Exposed coil springs could potentially pinch or injure your child.
•A warning that reads “Caution: Secure child in the restraint. Never leave child unattended.” This warning should be permanently attached to the stroller.
•Stability even when the stroller is placed on an inclined surface with a child seated inside.

You are comparing CC standards to this?

No, we are comparing standards that relate to non-uniform human beings to standards that relate to non-uniform human beings.

[Anonymous]

Stop with the stroller comparison already.

There is a baseline, ie, they should be able to read before they graduate - that's standard across the board for all students. They should be able to add and subtract before they can graduate - that's another basic standard across the board.

Take it up a notch, and you get common standards for writing and critical thinking across the board.

You can argue against what the standards should be, but there is and should be some basic standards.

[Anonymous]

You can argue against what the standards should be, but there is and should be some basic standards.

Should the standards be the same for all? That is my issue. Kids are different. And, these standards are confusing and inappropriate for very bright or very slow kids.

[Anonymous]

The standards in math outline how critical thinking is supposed to work. That is just wrong. You are limiting critical thinking when you require a certain formula.