Also, this lack of relevance and purpose is causing people to "opt out" of testing. That grass roots campaign will only gain momentum.

3) because people are pretty sick of standardized testing that is not meaningful to them.

Please explain why you think this is idiotic. I would not discount how people feel about this stuff. Just because you can't quantify something and put it into your bean counter column does not mean it is irrelevant.

People, in general, do not think tests are fun to begin with. You could do a survey and probably find this to be true (if you need "research" done). If the test has no meaning to them personally, it is even worse. This, in fact, may be the biggest reason people want out. The pursuit of happiness is being taken away from them when they are forced to do this stuff. If people see relevance and purpose to what they are doing, they will do it (if they can).

Neither CC nor NCLB narrow the curriculum - they only provide a minimum baseline and give teachers and school districts full latitude to go as broad and far beyond the standard as they would like, provided they meet the minimum standard

This all sounds so wonderful in theory, but in practice the teachers are only measured based on whether they provide the minimum baseline, so guess what happens in practice???? Nobody is rewarded for going beyond the standards, but they are punished for not meeting the standards. There is absolutely no incentive to go beyond.

The "unintended consequences" are pretty big. Why in the heck do you think people are against this stuff? This is not a bunch of tinfoil. It's real and educational levels have not improved in the past 14 years.

The feds didn't develop the standards, curriculum or testing - the STATES did.

Myth. And, the NGA is a trade association--not a conglomerate of state governments.

Anonymous wrote:

I would say the CC is mostly dead because it 1) gives the feds too much control over the standards and related curriculum and testing; 2) narrows the curriculum; and 3) because people are pretty sick of standardized testing that is not meaningful to them.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell.

1.) The feds didn't develop the standards, curriculum or testing - the STATES did. 2.) Neither CC nor NCLB narrow the curriculum - they only provide a minimum baseline and give teachers and school districts full latitude to go as broad and far beyond the standard as they would like, provided they meet the minimum standard and 3.) is just plain idiotic.

I would say the CC is mostly dead because it 1) gives the feds too much control over the standards and related curriculum and testing; 2) narrows the curriculum; and 3) because people are pretty sick of standardized testing that is not meaningful to them.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell.

There is nothing in the Common Core standards that says that teacher performance evaluation must include a component based on the teacher's students' standardized test results.

True, but it is being used that way because the NCLB waiver links teacher evaluations to test scores.

Anonymous wrote:

Who has said that the Common Core standards make people into good teachers?

Isn't the very existence of the CC standards meant to make teachers better? If the tests are tied to teacher evaluations, the implication is that teaching the standards will help the teacher get better test scores which will lead to a better evaluation (you know the one that says you are a "good teacher"). If A=B and B=C, then A=C. That must be on the CC somewhere.

No, the very existence of the Common Core standards is meant to make EDUCATION better.

There is nothing in the Common Core standards that says that teacher performance evaluation must include a component based on the teacher's students' standardized test results.

Who has said that the Common Core standards make people into good teachers?

Isn't the very existence of the CC standards meant to make teachers better? If the tests are tied to teacher evaluations, the implication is that teaching the standards will help the teacher get better test scores which will lead to a better evaluation (you know the one that says you are a "good teacher"). If A=B and B=C, then A=C. That must be on the CC somewhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Who has said that the Common Core standards make people into good teachers?

You have asked questions like this many times during the thread, "Who has said . . . "?

I think you should be concerned about "what is said" more than "who has said". You sound like a true politician . . . worried about your connections.

OK. I won't ask any more questions. Instead, I will say that NOBODY has said that the Common Core standards make people into good teachers. You are attacking an argument that nobody is making.

Who has said that the Common Core standards make people into good teachers?

You have asked questions like this many times during the thread, "Who has said . . . "?

I think you should be concerned about "what is said" more than "who has said". You sound like a true politician . . . worried about your connections.

Who has said that the Common Core standards make people into good teachers?

LOL. Nobody. But if you don't follow them, I'm sure you'll be a "bad teacher"---right?

But DC already had standards, before DC adopted the Common Core standards.

How would the Common Core standards, vs. the standards that DC had before the Common Core standards, have changed the situation?

The CC standards are new. The other teachers in the building would probably be trying to figure things out themselves with the new CC. They would not be able to help this new teacher much if he had questions about the standards or if he asked for materials or asked what to expect in relation to the standards. The institutional knowledge is just not there with CC. Nobody has it.

Second, and this isn't just about the standards themselves, the testing is now connected to teacher evaluations. That would cause a big "push" on the teacher and much anxiety. Having an anxiety ridden teacher in the classroom causes the students to become nervous as well. This causes all kinds of problems. A calm and more relaxed environment is harder to attain. I am sure many of those students came from pretty difficult circumstances and walking into another one was not helpful.

Also, the CC standards are supposedly higher level than the older DC standards. That could cause the bar to be set too high for these students. I'm not familiar with the DC standards so I can't speak to that part.

One thing is for sure, the standards would not be a positive help in the behavior management situation. Many students who come from "unconventional" homes need to learn appropriate ways to gain attention (unfortunately many have not had much attention given to them before they arrive).

Anonymous wrote:

The CC standards do not make people into "good teachers". Okay?

They may make someone think they have what they need to be a good teacher, but that person would be wrong, VERY wrong.

Who has said that the Common Core standards make people into good teachers?

The CC standards do not make people into "good teachers". Okay?

They may make someone think they have what they need to be a good teacher, but that person would be wrong, VERY wrong.