Reply to "Teacher of the Year" quits over Common Core tests

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]As a general rule, if you understand something, you can explain it. If you can't explain it, you don't understand it.[/quote]

There are many things in life we don't understand, but we do use them.  The car I drive, the computer I am typing on are just two examples of things I don't fully understand, but that I can make use of (and I am grateful for those things).  We teach kids reading and they certainly do not understand why "ph" is pronounced as the "f" sound (we don't teach them etymology and ask them to explain it), but they are able to use reading as a tool to learn things in life.  As a previous poster said, we are not all going to be Newton.  Some of us need tools to do jobs and we gain those tools.  Asking a kindergartener to learn to read is appropriate; asking him to explain the etymology of words is inappropriate.  But, you never know.  We may need a lot of linguists in the future.  [/quote]

The Common Core standards do not require kindergarteners to be able to explain the etymology of words. Here is an example of what they do require, for first-graders:

CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.C.6
Add and subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency for addition and subtraction within 10. Use strategies such as counting on; making ten (e.g., 8 + 6 = 8 + 2 + 4 = 10 + 4 = 14); decomposing a number leading to a ten (e.g., 13 - 4 = 13 - 3 - 1 = 10 - 1 = 9); using the relationship between addition and subtraction (e.g., knowing that 8 + 4 = 12, one knows 12 - 8 = 4); and creating equivalent but easier or known sums (e.g., adding 6 + 7 by creating the known equivalent 6 + 6 + 1 = 12 + 1 = 13).

Do you think that this is a bad thing? Would this dialogue be acceptable?

Teacher: What is 8+4?
Student: 12.
Teacher How did you get that answer?
Student: I just did.[/quote]

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