Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/pearson-pays-77-million-in-common-core-settlement/2013/12/13/77515bba-6423-11e3-aa81-e1dab1360323_story.html

One more time: follow the money

One more time: where are we supposed to follow the money to, and what are we supposed to think when we get there?

There are whispers of a massive conspiracy up in NY right now. As in, follow that money all the way to Governor Cuomo's office. Stay tuned folks, this party's just getting started.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/pearson-pays-77-million-in-common-core-settlement/2013/12/13/77515bba-6423-11e3-aa81-e1dab1360323_story.html

One more time: follow the money

One more time: where are we supposed to follow the money to, and what are we supposed to think when we get there?

After reading the article listed above, you don't see the issues? Really?

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/pearson-pays-77-million-in-common-core-settlement/2013/12/13/77515bba-6423-11e3-aa81-e1dab1360323_story.html

One more time: follow the money

One more time: where are we supposed to follow the money to, and what are we supposed to think when we get there?

Petition on Moveon.org:

Pearson: Immediately remove the gag orders from current and future testing contracts, and listen to the feedback and concerns of educators who administer your tests.
There are currently 17,981 signatures. NEW goal - We need 20,000 signatures!
PETITION BACKGROUND Principals and teachers who recently administered Pearson-developed Common Core-related tests in New York have asserted that they are barred from speaking about the test content and its implications for student success because of “gag orders” written into the testing contracts.

These gag orders and the lack of transparency are fueling the growing distrust and backlash among parents, students and educators in the United States about whether the current testing protocols and testing fixation are in the best interests of children.

When parents aren’t allowed to know what is on their children’s tests, and when educators have no voice in how assessments are created, and are forbidden from raising legitimate concerns about the assessments’ quality or from talking to parents about the these concerns, Pearson not only increases distrust of testing but also denies children the rich learning experience they deserve.

Parents, students and teachers need assessments that accurately measure student performance through questions that are grade-appropriate and aligned with state standards—especially since standardized tests have increasingly life-altering consequences for students and teachers. By including gag orders in contracts, Pearson is silencing the very stakeholders the company needs to engage with. Poll after poll makes clear that parents overwhelmingly trust educators over all others to do what is best for their children—educators’ voices, concerns and input should be included in the creation and application of these assessments.

(Read the full letter the AFT delivered to Pearson's board of directors here: http://www.aft.org/pdfs/press/ltr_Randi-Pearson042414.pdf)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Which means the state is keeping them out of the loop? That would mean one of two things: That the state is corrupt or the state is incompetent. You can't possibly be suggesting the teachers are incompetent?

I can't imagine, that, given the man's position as head of the union, he would put himself in a position of not knowing how NY is educating the children.

No, not that the state is keeping them out of the loop -- everything is public knowledge. But they aren't going out of their way to state that the New York State standards listen on the EngageNY website modules are above and beyond what is required by Common Core.

So you are calling the teachers liars or stupid? I'm kind of curious.

You can see samples of the New York State tests here:

Here's 5th grade math

http://www.engageny.org/sites/default/files/resource/attachments/grade_5_math_released_questions.pdf

Sample question:

Which statement is true about the product of 5/12 × 7?
A The product is greater than each factor.
B The product is less than each factor.
C The product is greater than 5/12 but less than 7
D The product is equal to one of the factors.

What is the value of the expression below? 738 ÷ 18
A 40
B 41
C 401
D 410

Rich’s fish tank is in the shape of a right rectangular prism.
It has a length of 6 feet, a width of 2 feet, and a height of 4 feet.
What is the volume, in cubic feet, of Rich’s fish tank?
A 12
B 32
C 36
D 48

Each lap around Eastern Park is 3 3/4 miles.
Janet rode her bike 2/3 of a lap before one of the tires on her bike went flat.
How many miles did Janet ride before one of the tires on her bike went flat?
A 2 1/2
B 2 3/4
C 3 1/2
D 3 5/7

New York State High School English teacher (and parent) speaks out about Common Core Standards:

http://hechingerreport.org/content/new-york-teacher-speaks-moratorium-common-core-standards-frightens_15180/

When it comes to the debates around the Common Core State Standards and how best to educate our children, I have a unique perspective: I am a parent of school-aged children, a high school English teacher, and an adjunct college instructor. Every day, through these lenses, I am reminded of how important the Common Core standards are to our students. I’ve seen and experienced the effects of the implementation of the Common Core here in New York, and for me, it’s all added up to a clear picture: the Common Core State Standards mean a better present and a better future for our children.

Anonymous wrote:
Which means the state is keeping them out of the loop? That would mean one of two things: That the state is corrupt or the state is incompetent. You can't possibly be suggesting the teachers are incompetent?

I can't imagine, that, given the man's position as head of the union, he would put himself in a position of not knowing how NY is educating the children.

No, not that the state is keeping them out of the loop -- everything is public knowledge. But they aren't going out of their way to state that the New York State standards listen on the EngageNY website modules are above and beyond what is required by Common Core.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/pearson-pays-77-million-in-common-core-settlement/2013/12/13/77515bba-6423-11e3-aa81-e1dab1360323_story.html

One more time: follow the money

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/pearson-pays-77-million-in-common-core-settlement/2013/12/13/77515bba-6423-11e3-aa81-e1dab1360323_story.html

Interesting story about the relationship between publishing company and Common Core.

Anonymous wrote:

Keeping in mind that the Common Core standards did not cause this problem, and that getting rid of the Common Core standards will not solve it.

You must be new here. Don't you know that Common Core is the panacea for all that is wrong in education in the United States? That's what they are saying.

No, I've been following along, thanks. And, in fact, my understanding was that the Common Core standards are the cause of all that is wrong in education in the United States.

Keeping in mind that the Common Core standards did not cause this problem, and that getting rid of the Common Core standards will not solve it.

You must be new here. Don't you know that Common Core is the panacea for all that is wrong in education in the United States? That's what they are saying.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You despise the Common Core standards because there are things on the standardized tests aligned to the Common Core standards that an individual child or class might not (yet) have been taught, and but the child(ren) have to take the test anyway?

Do you think that this is a problem unique to the Common Core standards? It's not. It's true for any standardized test, anywhere, ever.

I think the teacher's point was that these kids had not been taught much of anything on the test. Would you like to sit for a test in a language you do not speak?

Yes, exactly! Kids working at a third grade level forced to take 7th grade tests.

What is your solution for this?

Keeping in mind that the Common Core standards did not cause this problem, and that getting rid of the Common Core standards will not solve it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/05/04/today-was-the-first-day-i-was-ever-ashamed-to-be-a-teacher/?tid=HP_more

I'm not sure this woman has ever said something positive about CC.

Also no mention of how NY has additional standards, and how the implementation could be a factor. Just more CC bashing.

Can you explain why teachers don't know the difference?

That's not what I said. I'm in no position to generalize what teachers know and don't know.

His letter was actually pretty specific to NY and called out NY administrators only. But Valerie Strauss could have provided come context. The byline on the front page says he is "speaking out on Common Core." He was really speaking out on the NY test.

He specifically said Common Core in his letter. If you follow the link, there is another letter from other teachers that also specifically reference Common Core. So again, why do the NY teachers not know of the additional NY standards? Or more telling, what do they know that we don't?

I think they just think what they are doing IS Common Core, that the test the kids are taking is the "Common Core" test. They don't realize that their state has gone above and beyond the requirements of Common Core State Standards.

Which means the state is keeping them out of the loop? That would mean one of two things: That the state is corrupt or the state is incompetent. You can't possibly be suggesting the teachers are incompetent?

I can't imagine, that, given the man's position as head of the union, he would put himself in a position of not knowing how NY is educating the children.

Anonymous wrote:

You despise the Common Core standards because there are things on the standardized tests aligned to the Common Core standards that an individual child or class might not (yet) have been taught, and but the child(ren) have to take the test anyway?

Do you think that this is a problem unique to the Common Core standards? It's not. It's true for any standardized test, anywhere, ever.

I think the teacher's point was that these kids had not been taught much of anything on the test. Would you like to sit for a test in a language you do not speak?

Yes, exactly! Kids working at a third grade level forced to take 7th grade tests.