This is a post about the new teaching standard in my state, and most others, called "Common Core":
Home | Common Core State Standards Initiative
I recently learned from my aunt (10th grade geometry teacher), about this new standard. To hear her tell it, Common Core is even worse than "No Child Left Behind".
She showed me some of math that the younger grades now do. She hated it and gave me reason why (It's too abstract, problems now require more time to solves, it takes kids longer to get ready for algebra, ect). A lot of the math requires you to draw the units, draw 100 circles, draw another 100 circles, count the result ect.
Common Core Math - YouTube
Common Core Addition Strategies Making Ten 1.OA.C.6 - YouTube
I've been looking online, and have found out a bit more. The issue seems to be regrettably politicized, but it appears not only math has changed, Literature has as well. In common core, there is a policy of 50:50 -> literature : informational reading(manuals, ect).
It also seems that the only two experts int the Common Core validation committee, Sandra Stotsky and Jim Milgram, wouldn't sign off on the standard. The standard slipped by anyway, and now they both advocate against it's use:
http://www.uaedreform.org/downloads/...-committee.pdf
Now, I don't think my political views are affecting my opinions of this, my objections are as follows:
1. Standardized testing is bad for actual learning. Under No Child Left Behind, nearly 1/3 of the school year was taken up by learning the tests.
2. Standardized teaching is even worse than #1. All kids learn differently, and what may help one will cripple another.
3. Look at that math! lol
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TLR - Common Core is terrible, and it should feel terrible. What do you think about national teaching standards and tests?
