Why are people so upset about Common Core?

[Anonymous]

How does it change?

Bureaucracy and regulation. Look at Head Start and Title I. Good intent, high aspirations and disappointing results for the amount of money spent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How does it change?

Bureaucracy and regulation. Look at Head Start and Title I. Good intent, high aspirations and disappointing results for the amount of money spent.

Did Head Start and Title I used to be state programs?

[Anonymous]

DC 5th grader in mcps came home with a math test and wanted me to sign it. The was one question he left it blank. I asked him if he knew how to solve the problem and got an answer as yes I know it but I really don't see the point to write it out. This is common core teaching. If the teacher focuses to much on it, the kid who has liked math will be turned off. My poor math smart son. I hope he will figure it out soon, otherwise, he will fail the only subject he loves and is good at.

[Anonymous]

DC 5th grader in mcps came home with a math test and wanted me to sign it. The was one question he left it blank. I asked him if he knew how to solve the problem and got an answer as yes I know it but I really don't see the point to write it out. This is common core teaching. If the teacher focuses to much on it, the kid who has liked math will be turned off. My poor math smart son. I hope he will figure it out soon, otherwise, he will fail the only subject he loves and is good at.

Exactly. The standards in the earlier grades where the kids have to draw pictures are examples. Sometimes, they are learning the process to pass the test and don't really
"get" it.

[Anonymous]

Example: On SOL, my daughter-an excellent writer--bombed out on the pre-writing. I asked her why: She said, "They want me to do mind-mapping, and I can't be bothered with that." She did it naturally in her head and did not want to do it on paper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Example: On SOL, my daughter-an excellent writer--bombed out on the pre-writing. I asked her why: She said, "They want me to do mind-mapping, and I can't be bothered with that." She did it naturally in her head and did not want to do it on paper.

AS a writing teacher, I can tell you there are very few writers who write well without pre-writing; it is part of the writing process and needs to be demonstrated. Even if your daughter felt there was no value to mind-mapping and she is above it, there IS value in following instructions.

Your daughter may not want to "be bothered," and she may not want to be bothered with the work her teachers, professors, and bosses require from her later in life, and that is fine. But there are consequences to picking and choosing which instructions you will follow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

DC 5th grader in mcps came home with a math test and wanted me to sign it. The was one question he left it blank. I asked him if he knew how to solve the problem and got an answer as yes I know it but I really don't see the point to write it out. This is common core teaching. If the teacher focuses to much on it, the kid who has liked math will be turned off. My poor math smart son. I hope he will figure it out soon, otherwise, he will fail the only subject he loves and is good at.

Exactly. The standards in the earlier grades where the kids have to draw pictures are examples. Sometimes, they are learning the process to pass the test and don't really
"get" it.

One, this is not "common core" teaching; this is the curriculum your school has choses. Two--your kid may not see the point because he is good at it, or he doesn't like the process. Guess what--that's kind of life. I hate that I have to present my teaching plans to a committee after 15 years of teaching, but that's how employment and schooling goes. Maybe you as a parent can encourage him to see the point or value in writing it out instead of opining that he may soon hate math. Just a thought.

[Anonymous]

Example: On SOL, my daughter-an excellent writer--bombed out on the pre-writing. I asked her why: She said, "They want me to do mind-mapping, and I can't be bothered with that." She did it naturally in her head and did not want to do it on paper.

AS a writing teacher, I can tell you there are very few writers who write well without pre-writing; it is part of the writing process and needs to be demonstrated. Even if your daughter felt there was no value to mind-mapping and she is above it, there IS value in following instructions.

Your daughter may not want to "be bothered," and she may not want to be bothered with the work her teachers, professors, and bosses require from her later in life, and that is fine. But there are consequences to picking and choosing which instructions you will follow.

Actually, this happened a number of years ago. My daughter was in Seventh grade, I think. As a writing teacher, you are surely a member of the NCTE. She was a high school winner in their contest, which, as I am sure you are aware, is considered quite an accomplishment. She went on to a “public Ivy” and graduated with Honors. She was a valedictorian in high school and began college with 29 credits, so ,no she was not one to challenge teachers or ignore instructions. However, she does not tolerate fools well and saw no need for the mind- mapping.
I understand that most people do need to plan. She does plan—in her head. I prefer paper. I think this is similar to the math tests that are being questioned—some of it is just stupid. I think the poster’s son felt the same way about the math question. It got in the way of his thinking. And, isn’t that what we want kids to do? Think?
The Common Core standards require testing, I think. When a test is attempting to evaluate a child’s thinking process, some of the questions are just plain dumb—and, by the way, do not necessarily evaluate what it is trying to evaluate. Some of these standards should be dropped. They are teaching tools—not standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Example: On SOL, my daughter-an excellent writer--bombed out on the pre-writing. I asked her why: She said, "They want me to do mind-mapping, and I can't be bothered with that." She did it naturally in her head and did not want to do it on paper.

AS a writing teacher, I can tell you there are very few writers who write well without pre-writing; it is part of the writing process and needs to be demonstrated. Even if your daughter felt there was no value to mind-mapping and she is above it, there IS value in following instructions.

Your daughter may not want to "be bothered," and she may not want to be bothered with the work her teachers, professors, and bosses require from her later in life, and that is fine. But there are consequences to picking and choosing which instructions you will follow.

Actually, this happened a number of years ago. My daughter was in Seventh grade, I think. As a writing teacher, you are surely a member of the NCTE. She was a high school winner in their contest, which, as I am sure you are aware, is considered quite an accomplishment. She went on to a “public Ivy” and graduated with Honors. She was a valedictorian in high school and began college with 29 credits, so ,no she was not one to challenge teachers or ignore instructions. However, she does not tolerate fools well and saw no need for the mind- mapping.
I understand that most people do need to plan. She does plan—in her head. I prefer paper. I think this is similar to the math tests that are being questioned—some of it is just stupid. I think the poster’s son felt the same way about the math question. It got in the way of his thinking. And, isnt that what we want kids to do? Think?
The Common Core standards require testing, I think. When a test is attempting to evaluate a child’s thinking process, some of the questions are just plain dumb—and, by the way, do not necessarily evaluate what it is trying to evaluate. Some of these standards should be dropped. They are teaching tools—not standards.

Sooner or later your daughter's unwillingness to do the "busy work" will catch up to her. Employers prefer employees who do what is instructed, whether or not they think it important, over those that had the highest grades. Sounds like you didn't think it important enough to teach her that life lesson.

[Anonymous]

DC 5th grader in mcps came home with a math test and wanted me to sign it. The was one question he left it blank. I asked him if he knew how to solve the problem and got an answer as yes I know it but I really don't see the point to write it out. This is common core teaching. If the teacher focuses to much on it, the kid who has liked math will be turned off. My poor math smart son. I hope he will figure it out soon, otherwise, he will fail the only subject he loves and is good at.

If your child is really math smart, he would understand the importance of being able to explain how he got an answer to show he understands how math works. He might not like writing it out, but that is his evidence to show his understanding and if he refuses to do it, then he should lose the points. More importantly, though, I would worry about a parent who doesn't believe in the importance of demonstrating understanding. This is something you should care about. How do you know he is math smart?

[Anonymous]

Sooner or later your daughter's unwillingness to do the "busy work" will catch up to her. Employers prefer employees who do what is instructed, whether or not they think it important, over those that had the highest grades. Sounds like you didn't think it important enough to teach her that life lesson.

You'd be wrong. She is a very responsible employee and her boss thinks she is great. Do you really think an irresponsible young woman would get 29 credits before she went to college?

[Anonymous]

cont. She didn't miss a day of high school and always did her homework. She just didn't see the point of "mind mapping". Her mind worked too fast.

[Anonymous]

cont. I guess I didn't realize that "mind mapping" was such a highly desired skill. I think that is why people are so disgusted with the education system. The creation of busywork. And, by the way, I taught for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Actually, this happened a number of years ago. My daughter was in Seventh grade, I think. As a writing teacher, you are surely a member of the NCTE. She was a high school winner in their contest, which, as I am sure you are aware, is considered quite an accomplishment. She went on to a “public Ivy” and graduated with Honors. She was a valedictorian in high school and began college with 29 credits, so ,no she was not one to challenge teachers or ignore instructions. However, she does not tolerate fools well and saw no need for the mind- mapping.
I understand that most people do need to plan. She does plan—in her head. I prefer paper. I think this is similar to the math tests that are being questioned—some of it is just stupid. I think the poster’s son felt the same way about the math question. It got in the way of his thinking. And, isn’t that what we want kids to do? Think?
The Common Core standards require testing, I think. When a test is attempting to evaluate a child’s thinking process, some of the questions are just plain dumb—and, by the way, do not necessarily evaluate what it is trying to evaluate. Some of these standards should be dropped. They are teaching tools—not standards.

OK, if she doesn't want to do the mind-mapping, then she shouldn't do the mind-mapping. And she (or you?) shouldn't complain when she bombs the pre-writing part of the test, which requires mind-mapping.

[Anonymous]

Once she explained to me why she bombed that part, I understood. She still got a good overall score. It was just busy work.