Have you all read this editorial about Common Core testing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The test is too abstract for the kids. First they have to figure out what on earth is being asked, THEN they have to do the math.

And they are 5!

A simple part - part - whole question is too hard for your 1st grade students?

My 1st grade students have been doing problems like these for some time. You have a cup full of, say, 6 coins. You tell the kids there are 6 pennies in the cup. That's the "whole" so you label the cub (or bag, or box) with the number 6.

Then you remove a certain number of pennies from the cup (box, bag) and set them outside. That's one of the parts. The kids look at the part they can see (5 pennies) and see the number 6 on the cup, box, or bag (whole) and need to tell you what's the missng part (i.e. what is still in the cup). That's the other part -- in this case 1 penny.


Kids don't automatically know how to solve this type of part-part whole problem, but if you teach it this way and have been practicing for several weeks, they understand what to do.

I agree the test posted at the start of this thread had some poorly worded questions, but these types of math problems are in no way developmentally inappropriate for most first grade students. Now, if the child has a learning disability, that is a different issue; and she may need more hands on modelling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When my son was in 2nd grade last year, he got 1/2 credit taken off of one test question because the teacher didn't believe his strategy was an effective way to solve this problem. It was something like 22+17= ? He wrote 39 which is the correct answer. He wrote that he added the ones column first and got 9 and then added the tens column and got 3 which is 39. His teacher said he needed to use the strategy of rounding (22 down to 20 and 17 up to 20, etc). Nowhere in the problem did it say you had to round. Very frustrating for him and me to be told that he got the answer correct but the way he got it was "wrong."

Yes, this is the Fuzzy Math of the Common Core!


It's TOTAL disaster for a lot of kids. Kids are hating school, begging not to go, saying they are dumb. I'm hearing it from friends all around me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When my son was in 2nd grade last year, he got 1/2 credit taken off of one test question because the teacher didn't believe his strategy was an effective way to solve this problem. It was something like 22+17= ? He wrote 39 which is the correct answer. He wrote that he added the ones column first and got 9 and then added the tens column and got 3 which is 39. His teacher said he needed to use the strategy of rounding (22 down to 20 and 17 up to 20, etc). Nowhere in the problem did it say you had to round. Very frustrating for him and me to be told that he got the answer correct but the way he got it was "wrong."

My son got marked down for poor handwriting. That didn't seem right, either. This was on an MSA test, not Common Core.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The test is too abstract for the kids. First they have to figure out what on earth is being asked, THEN they have to do the math.

And they are 5!

A simple part - part - whole question is too hard for your 1st grade students?

My 1st grade students have been doing problems like these for some time. You have a cup full of, say, 6 coins. You tell the kids there are 6 pennies in the cup. That's the "whole" so you label the cub (or bag, or box) with the number 6.

Then you remove a certain number of pennies from the cup (box, bag) and set them outside. That's one of the parts. The kids look at the part they can see (5 pennies) and see the number 6 on the cup, box, or bag (whole) and need to tell you what's the missng part (i.e. what is still in the cup). That's the other part -- in this case 1 penny.


Kids don't automatically know how to solve this type of part-part whole problem, but if you teach it this way and have been practicing for several weeks, they understand what to do.

I agree the test posted at the start of this thread had some poorly worded questions, but these types of math problems are in no way developmentally inappropriate for most first grade students. Now, if the child has a learning disability, that is a different issue; and she may need more hands on modelling.

Reports are flooding in that Kids subjected to these Common Core standards are shutting down, begging not to go to school every day. And they are in KINDERGARTEN!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When my son was in 2nd grade last year, he got 1/2 credit taken off of one test question because the teacher didn't believe his strategy was an effective way to solve this problem. It was something like 22+17= ? He wrote 39 which is the correct answer. He wrote that he added the ones column first and got 9 and then added the tens column and got 3 which is 39. His teacher said he needed to use the strategy of rounding (22 down to 20 and 17 up to 20, etc). Nowhere in the problem did it say you had to round. Very frustrating for him and me to be told that he got the answer correct but the way he got it was "wrong."

Yes, this is the Fuzzy Math of the Common Core!


It's TOTAL disaster for a lot of kids. Kids are hating school, begging not to go, saying they are dumb. I'm hearing it from friends all around me.

Where do you live?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The test is too abstract for the kids. First they have to figure out what on earth is being asked, THEN they have to do the math.

And they are 5!

A simple part - part - whole question is too hard for your 1st grade students?

My 1st grade students have been doing problems like these for some time. You have a cup full of, say, 6 coins. You tell the kids there are 6 pennies in the cup. That's the "whole" so you label the cub (or bag, or box) with the number 6.

Then you remove a certain number of pennies from the cup (box, bag) and set them outside. That's one of the parts. The kids look at the part they can see (5 pennies) and see the number 6 on the cup, box, or bag (whole) and need to tell you what's the missng part (i.e. what is still in the cup). That's the other part -- in this case 1 penny.


Kids don't automatically know how to solve this type of part-part whole problem, but if you teach it this way and have been practicing for several weeks, they understand what to do.

I agree the test posted at the start of this thread had some poorly worded questions, but these types of math problems are in no way developmentally inappropriate for most first grade students. Now, if the child has a learning disability, that is a different issue; and she may need more hands on modelling.

Reports are flooding in that Kids subjected to these Common Core standards are shutting down, begging not to go to school every day. And they are in KINDERGARTEN!

Well, if kids are being subjected to simple part-part whole math problems in grade K and 1 are shutting down because it is too hard for them, I hardly know what to say. I can't imagine that there had been any expectations for them prior to these new Common Core objectives and standards.

I have two kids being taught using Common Core math objectives this year, and they are both doing fine; so are their friends as far as I can tell. The kids in the elementary schools where I teach do not seem to be having any mental health breakdowns due to being required to perform these math problems. So I am at a loss.

[Anonymous]

http://gothamschools.org/2013/04/19/at-common-core-talk-a-principal-says-his-reality-includes-vomit/

At Common Core talk, a principal says his reality includes vomit

Principal Ramon Gonzalez has been a principal for ten years, but this week, he said, he’s experienced a lot of firsts.

“I’ve had my first experience of students vomiting on a test. After we cleaned off the test, we had to call testing security to make sure it was still valid,” he said. “I have to tell you, I was happy to submit that test to the testing authorities.”
Related Stories

Gonzalez, the principal of M.S. 223 in the South Bronx, joined education policy makers at an NYU Steinhardt breakfast meeting Friday morning to talk about the Common Core learning standards. Some presenters talked about standards’ role and development, but Gonzalez focused on his frustration with implementing the new standards and the shock that students and teachers faced this week when they saw the first Common Core-aligned state exams.

“They didn’t know it would be a test of endurance. They thought it would be a test about what they knew,” he said. Teachers were visibly upset by the test’s length, he said, and some students cried because of the exams.

Gonzalez began implementing the Common Core at his school two years ago and started a summer “bridge” program last year to give students more time to adjust to the higher standards. He said he supports the more rigorous standards but thinks important other issues, such as how to teach to the standards and assess them, were not carefully thought out.

He also said the way the standards are written is so dense that he had to hire consultants to help explain what they mean.

“I wonder who was at that table, who wrote the standards, because it sure wasn’t folks like me,” he said.


For now, principals such as Gonzalez have to figure out how to get their anxious students through the next week of testing, this time in math.

“I don’t think we really understood how stamina was going to play a role in this test,” he said. He added, “I wasn’t expecting to deal with all the emotions. That surprised me.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

As shown above, PARCC is Pearson. Just another name for the same thing. Pearson is writing the PARCC tests, and they've been testing out questions on kids in the guinea pig states of NY and Kentucky .

No, PARRC is NOT Pearson. PARCC is a consortium of states that have HIRED two contractors, Pearson and ETS, to write assessments, based on standards and review and oversight by the PARCC committees.

Item Development

PARCC states are working closely with two sets of contractors to develop the items and tasks for the PARCC mid-year, performance-based and end-of-year assessments.

Item development has two phases:

The first phase of item development contracts were awarded to ETS and Pearson. ETS' proposal can be found here and Pearson's can be found here. Phase I of Item Development began in the fall of 2012 and will be complete in late summer 2013.
The second phase will begin as soon as Phase II is complete in late summer 2013 and run through late summer 2014. The contracts for Phase II will be awarded to one or more of the Phase I contractors, based on the quality of work in the first year.
Item and Passage Reviews

State experts, local educators, postsecondary faculty and community members from across the 22 PARCC states are conducting rigorous reviews of every item and passage being developed for the PARCC assessment system to ensure all test items are of the highest quality, aligned to the Common Core State Standards, and fair for all student populations. PARCC’s process allows for an unprecedented collaboration among 22 states and their K-12 and higher education communities to provide state-led quality assurance and oversight of the tests’ development. All PARCC item reviewers are nominated by their state education agency.

PARCC’s item and passage review process includes a thorough sequence of reviews by the following teams of educators and state and local agency staff. Only items that are approved by these teams of reviewers will appear on the PARCC summative assessments.

http://www.parcconline.org/assessment-development

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://gothamschools.org/2013/04/19/at-common-core-talk-a-principal-says-his-reality-includes-vomit/

At Common Core talk, a principal says his reality includes vomit

Principal Ramon Gonzalez has been a principal for ten years, but this week, he said, he’s experienced a lot of firsts.

“I’ve had my first experience of students vomiting on a test. After we cleaned off the test, we had to call testing security to make sure it was still valid,” he said. “I have to tell you, I was happy to submit that test to the testing authorities.”
Related Stories

Gonzalez, the principal of M.S. 223 in the South Bronx, joined education policy makers at an NYU Steinhardt breakfast meeting Friday morning to talk about the Common Core learning standards. Some presenters talked about standards’ role and development, but Gonzalez focused on his frustration with implementing the new standards and the shock that students and teachers faced this week when they saw the first Common Core-aligned state exams.

“They didn’t know it would be a test of endurance. They thought it would be a test about what they knew,” he said. Teachers were visibly upset by the test’s length, he said, and some students cried because of the exams.

Gonzalez began implementing the Common Core at his school two years ago and started a summer “bridge” program last year to give students more time to adjust to the higher standards. He said he supports the more rigorous standards but thinks important other issues, such as how to teach to the standards and assess them, were not carefully thought out.

He also said the way the standards are written is so dense that he had to hire consultants to help explain what they mean.

“I wonder who was at that table, who wrote the standards, because it sure wasn’t folks like me,” he said.


For now, principals such as Gonzalez have to figure out how to get their anxious students through the next week of testing, this time in math.

“I don’t think we really understood how stamina was going to play a role in this test,” he said. He added, “I wasn’t expecting to deal with all the emotions. That surprised me.”

Clearly the test being used in NY was too long.

This was not, BTW, a PARCC test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Pearson is writing the PARCC tests, and they've been testing out questions on kids in the guinea pig states of NY and Kentucky .

And, again, no, you are incorrect.

The PARCC field tests will be carried out this Spring, 2014.

http://www.parcconline.org/field-test

In spring 2014, the PARCC Field Test will be administered to over one million students across PARCC states. The PARCC Field Test represents a critical milestone in PARCC’s work toward building assessments for the 2014-15 school year, and will give students and local educators the opportunity to experience the administration of PARCC assessments.

The field test will be conducted in a random selection of schools across PARCC states. The sample of students in the selected schools will represent the demographics of each state and PARCC as a whole. Districts (or LEAs) with sampled schools will be notified of their selection by early September 2013.

While the field test assessments are designed to mirror those that will be used in the first PARCC administration in 2014-2015, most students participating in the field test will only take one part of the whole assessment in one content area in order to minimize testing burden on individual students and schools.

(snip)

In spring 2014, PARCC will also provide access to a practice test for any interested schools. The PARCC Practice Test will include technology-enhanced items and will be delivered using the same technology platform that will be used for field testing, allowing students and educators in all PARCC states to become more familiar with the types of items that will appear on the PARCC assessments. For more information about PARCC Task Prototypes and Sample Items, please visit www.parcconline.org/samples/item-task-prototypes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Are you saying that Pearson wrote the tests for Kentucky, and Pearson is one of the contractors writing the tests for PARCC, therefore the Kentucky tests are the PARCC tests?

Kentucky has been using tests designed for the Common Core. But they are not the PARCC tests.

Of course I'm saying that, because it's true. The Pearson tests in NY, Kentucky and now North Carolina are created by Pearson, aligned with Common Core. These kids have been the guinea pigs for this Common Core nonsense. The impossible tests everyone in those states are failing will be rolled out to everyone next spring. Do you think the PARCC tests, written by exactly the same people using exactly the same standards, are going to be words different?

If it was a Common Core test answer, it would be PARCC = Pearson.


What is PARCC?

A 19-state consortium working with the Pearson education company to develop new computer-based exams in English and math. Massachusetts’ Education Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester is on the governing board of PARCC, one of two state-led groups working on developing a “next generation” standardized test. The other is the 25-state Smarter Balanced Assessment consortium.

But the 19-state consortium is different from the state of KY and the state of NY. They have a pretty rigorous review system set up, and they have been working to review the test items over the past years, unlike the process KY and NY had set up -- they got their tests done very quickly and clearly didn't review the test questions well.

http://www.parcconline.org/assessment-development

In addition ETS has been writing test items for PARRC -- it isn't all Pearson.

Now, I can't promise you will be happy with the eventual PARRC test. I know I have my concerns about the desire to have the tests be completely administered via computer. My own son can keyboard faster than he can write, so composing an essay on the computer will be a piece of cake for him... but I know most 6th graders will have more of a problem, and certainly the 3rd graders will. I think provisions will need to be made to allow paper and pencil testing, at least for the first few years, as many schools do not have sufficient computers.

However, the test items I have seen seem good to me. Much better than our current MSAs to be totally honest.

[Anonymous]

Common Core Curriculum for 1st Grade:

Here are the 81 things the state says first-graders will be able to do after taking the Early World Civilizations unit.

Tell It Again! Read-Aloud Anthology
This
Tell It Again! Read-Aloud Anthology
for Early World Civilizations contains background information and resources that the teacher will need to implement Domain 4,including an alignment chart for the domain to the Common Core State Standards; anintroduction to the domain including necessary background information for teachers, alist of domain components, a core vocabulary list for the domain, and planning aids andresources; 16 lessons including objectives, read-alouds, discussion questions, andextension activities; a Pausing Point; a domain review; a domain assessment; culminatingactivities; and teacher resources. By the end of this domain, students will be able to

1.

Locate the area known as Mesopotamia on a world map or globe and identify it as part of Asia;2.

Explain the importance of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and the use of canals tosupport farming and the development of the city of Babylon;3.

Describe the city of Babylon and the Hanging Gardens;4.

Identify cuneiform as the system of writing used in Mesopotamia;5.

Explain why a written language is important to the development of a civilization;6.

Explain the significance of the Code of Hammurabi;7.

Explain why rules and laws are important to the development of a civilization;8.

Explain the ways in which a leader is important to the development of acivilization;9.

Explain the significance of gods/goddesses, ziggurats, temples, and priests inMesopotamia;10.

Describe key components of a civilization;11.

Identify Mesopotamia as the “Cradle of Civilization”;
12.

Describe how a civilization evolves and changes over time;13.

Locate Egypt on a world map or globe and identify it as a part of Africa;14.

Explain the importance of the Nile River and how its floods were important for farming;15.

Identify hieroglyphics as the system of writing used in ancient Egypt;16.

Explain the significance of gods/goddesses in ancient Egypt;17.

Identify pyramids and explain their significance in ancient Egypt;18.

Describe how the pyramids were built;

19.

Explain that much of Egypt is in the Sahara Desert;20.

Identify the Sphinx and explain its significance in ancient Egypt;21.

Identify Hatshepsut as a pharaoh of ancient Egypt and explain her significance as pharaoh;22.

Identify Tutankhamun as a pharaoh of ancient Egypt and explain his significance;23.

Explain that much of what we know about ancient Egypt is because of the work of archaeologists;24.

Identify Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as major monotheistic world religions;25.

Locate Jerusalem, Israel, and the area known as the Middle East on a map;26.

Define monotheism as the belief in one God;27.

Identify the Western Wall (or the Wailing Wall) as associated with Judaism, theChurch of the Holy Sepulchre with Christianity, and the Dome of the Rock withIslam;28.

Identify the Hebrews as the ancient people who were descendants of Abraham;29.

Explain that followers of Judaism are called Jewish people and the term Jewish isused to describe practices or objects associated with Judaism;30.

Identify the Star of David as a six-pointed star and a symbol of Judaism;31.

Identify the Torah as an important part of the Hebrew scriptures;32.

Identify that a Jewish house of worship is called a synagogue or temple;33.

Identify Moses as a teacher who long ago led the Jewish people out of Egypt in anevent referred to as the Exodus;34.

Explain that, according to an important story in the Torah, Moses received theTen Commandments from God and that the Ten Commandments are rules that tell people how to behave or live their lives;35.

Identify important Jewish holidays such as Passover, Rosh Hashanah, YomKippur, and Hanukkah;36.

Explain that Christianity developed after Judaism;37.

Explain that followers of Christianity are called Christians;38.

Recognize the cross as a symbol of Christianity;39.

Identify the Bible as the Christian holy book;40.

Identify that a Christian house of worship is called a church;

41.

Identify that Christians believe Jesus to be the Messiah and the son of God;42.

Identify important Christian holidays, such as Easter and Christmas;43.

Recognize that both Christians and Jewish people follow the TenCommandments;44.

Explain that Islam originated in Arabia;45.

Explain that followers of Islam are called Muslims;46.

Identify the crescent and star as symbols of Islam;47.

Identify the Qur’an as the holy book of Islam, containing laws for daily living and
many stories that appear in Jewish and Christian holy books;48.

Identify that a Muslim place of worship is called a mosque;49.

Identify that Muslims believe that Moses and Jesus were prophets but believe thatMuhammad was the last and greatest of the prophets;50.

Identify important Muslim holidays, such as Ramadan and Eid-ul-fitr;51.

Use narrative language to describe (orally or in writing) characters, setting, things,events, actions, a scene, or facts from a fiction read-aloud;52.

Identify who is telling the story at various points in a fiction read-aloud;53.

Ask and answer questions (e.g., who, what, where, when), orally or in writing,requiring literal recall and understanding of the details and/or facts of anonfiction/informational read-aloud;54.

Answer questions that require making interpretations, judgments, or givingopinions about what is heard in a nonfiction/informational read-aloud, includinganswering why questions that require recognizing cause/effect relationships;55.

Identify the main topic and retell key details of a nonfiction/informational read-aloud;56.

Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a nonfiction/informational read-aloud;57.

Ask and answer questions about unknown words and phrases innonfiction/informational read-alouds and discussions;58.

Use illustrations and details in a nonfiction/informational read-aloud to describeits key ideas;59.

Compare and contrast (orally or in writing) similarities and differences within asingle nonfiction/informational read-aloud or between two or morenonfiction/informational read-alouds;

60.

Listen to and demonstrate understanding of nonfiction/informational read-aloudsof appropriate complexity for grades 1
–
3;61.

With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions andsuggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed;62.

Make personal connections (orally or in writing) to events or experiences in afiction or nonfiction/informational read-aloud, and/or make connections amongseveral read-alouds;63.

With assistance, categorize and organize facts and information within a givendomain to answer questions;64.

Use agreed-upon rules for group discussion (e.g., look at and listen to the speaker,
raise hand to speak, take turns, say “excuse me” or “please,” etc.);
65.

Carry on and participate in a conversation over at least six turns, staying on topic,
initiating comments or responding to a partner’s comments, with either an adult or
another child of the same age;66.

Ask questions to clarify information about the topic in a fiction or nonfiction/informational read-aloud;67.

Ask and answer questions (e.g., who, what, where, when), orally or in writing,requiring literal recall and understanding of the details and/or facts of a fiction or nonfiction/informational read-aloud;68.

Ask questions to clarify directions, exercises, classroom routines, and/or what aspeaker says about a topic;69.

Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideasand feelings clearly;70.

Add drawing or other visual displays to oral or written descriptions whenappropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings;71.

Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation;72.

Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., note places athome that are cozy);73.

Learn the meaning of common sayings and phrases;74.

Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to,and responding to texts, including using frequently occurring conjunctions tosignal simple relationships (e.g., because)75.

Identify new meanings for familiar words and apply them accurately;76.

Prior to listening to an informational read-aloud, identify what they know about agiven topic;

[Anonymous]

Common Core is not the issue. Its actually a good thing. Testing is an issue. And I say that as a teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As shown above, PARCC is Pearson. Just another name for the same thing. Pearson is writing the PARCC tests, and they've been testing out questions on kids in the guinea pig states of NY and Kentucky .

No, PARRC is NOT Pearson. PARCC is a consortium of states that have HIRED two contractors, Pearson and ETS, to write assessments, based on standards and review and oversight by the PARCC committees.

Item Development

PARCC states are working closely with two sets of contractors to develop the items and tasks for the PARCC mid-year, performance-based and end-of-year assessments.

Item development has two phases:

The first phase of item development contracts were awarded to ETS and Pearson. ETS' proposal can be found here and Pearson's can be found here. Phase I of Item Development began in the fall of 2012 and will be complete in late summer 2013.
The second phase will begin as soon as Phase II is complete in late summer 2013 and run through late summer 2014. The contracts for Phase II will be awarded to one or more of the Phase I contractors, based on the quality of work in the first year.
Item and Passage Reviews

State experts, local educators, postsecondary faculty and community members from across the 22 PARCC states are conducting rigorous reviews of every item and passage being developed for the PARCC assessment system to ensure all test items are of the highest quality, aligned to the Common Core State Standards, and fair for all student populations. PARCC’s process allows for an unprecedented collaboration among 22 states and their K-12 and higher education communities to provide state-led quality assurance and oversight of the tests’ development. All PARCC item reviewers are nominated by their state education agency.

PARCC’s item and passage review process includes a thorough sequence of reviews by the following teams of educators and state and local agency staff. Only items that are approved by these teams of reviewers will appear on the PARCC summative assessments.

http://www.parcconline.org/assessment-development

I can't believe you are so gullible as to believe all the tests will be rigorously vetted. Pearson will write them, and they'll get a rubber stamp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Common Core Curriculum for 1st Grade:

Here are the 81 things the state says first-graders will be able to do after taking the Early World Civilizations unit.

There is no Common Core Early World Civilizations unit.

Common Core objectives are in math and language arts, only. There are no history objectives.

I am not sure what those objectives are you posted. Are they from NY State? I agree people in NY state have reason to be concerned, if those are objectives the state is requiring in grade 1! But again, they are NOT common core objectives. Please be clear about that.

The unit looks daunting for first grade, although I would be thrilled to have my child learn about ancient Mesopotamia in a general way in grade 1.