- Joined
- Mar 26, 2005
- Messages
- 1,888
- Reaction score
- 757
common core exposed...
- Thread starter Wayne
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2009
- Messages
- 138
- Reaction score
- 41
C's, D's, and F'? I've seen my nephew's report cards. His in 5th grade this year. I've never seen a number or letter grade on any of his report cards. His only homework so far this year and most of last year was reading for 20 minutes and write a summary. Not sure what he really learns.
S
Simply Sara
Guest
Don't get me started on the common core and math. Mine is in high school and the teacher at first this year was skipping round the geometry book at random, to make sure they see every last thing she thinks will be on the EOC (end of course) exam which they take statewide on whatever date the school is given - which could be in December when the course ends at the end of January. Every night I was having to explain the homework out of context by going back in the book to cover what the teacher skipped. Finally, it was end of my rope because what is the state paying her for if I'm doing her job. (and this is a small charter public school not a large traditional high school to boot). So, I go on the school's e-mail server and politely ask why I am not seeing traditional beginning geometry (definitions, postulates, theorems, 2 column proofs, etc.) or algebra 1 review perhaps come home with her for homework. I get this big dissertation on how I can't possibly understand how hard her job is, that she is qualified to do her job, and that she was teaching my daughter higher level thinking because math is not the same as it was back when I was growing up. (Excuse me, math is black or white, not gray).
My issue with the higher level thinking comment was that a child's ability to think is developed by the time they are 7 or 8 years old, similar to the way their political views are shaped. The foundation is already there so you can't change a way a child thinks and processes information when they are 15. I'm a nerd and I've taken a lot of courses, so I know this is true. So, I try to stay out of it, my daughter is 15 and should try to handle this teacher on her own - she and a friend go to her after school to explain that everyone is lost, but she dismisses them because she was busy on her phone she told them to find an explanation on youtube. But it continues and the students continue to be lost once they get their homework home and open the book and their notes. So, like it goes back and forth 5 times and the insulting nature of the teacher by the way she talked down to me, defending the common core standards but clearly not explaining the material she was attempting to teach as she has 4 periods of geometry and none of the students my daughter asked understood either.
The kicker finally was that she said if I understood ANYTHING about education and what it means to be an educator, that I'd understand that her methodology was correct. Okay lady, you crossed the line and I'm pushing you back over it. So, I told her that well, as a matter of fact, I was more than qualified to discuss educational methodology and teaching standards with her as I do have a Master of Education. I hate dropping my degrees on people because my job now has nothing to do with what I studied years for, but I also hate people assuming that just because I'm a theme park worker that I think that life is a party and can't understand academics.
I wish they'd take the common core and throw it out the window. We aren't getting smart people who want to be teachers, they don't want the stress of trying to teach to a test. This woman defends the numbers kids get on the EOC tests and thinks she is doing her job. She doesn't care that they understand because if her numbers are there she won't get fired. Oh, and now she is suddenly very nice to my daughter and encouraging. My daughter sees right through it though. She told her last Friday, because progress reports came out, well, Miss, you may think you can give me a B on here and that is going to stop me from trying. Well, I'm going to learn geometry not because of you but in spite of you. You will have to give me an A whether you like it or not and I'm going to tell you right now I don't give up.
The best part of this whole issue is that she isn't stressing over school anymore, she's not going to let any adult tell her she can't accomplish things because they've misjudged her. Honestly, common core is the worst thing to happen to education.
My issue with the higher level thinking comment was that a child's ability to think is developed by the time they are 7 or 8 years old, similar to the way their political views are shaped. The foundation is already there so you can't change a way a child thinks and processes information when they are 15. I'm a nerd and I've taken a lot of courses, so I know this is true. So, I try to stay out of it, my daughter is 15 and should try to handle this teacher on her own - she and a friend go to her after school to explain that everyone is lost, but she dismisses them because she was busy on her phone she told them to find an explanation on youtube. But it continues and the students continue to be lost once they get their homework home and open the book and their notes. So, like it goes back and forth 5 times and the insulting nature of the teacher by the way she talked down to me, defending the common core standards but clearly not explaining the material she was attempting to teach as she has 4 periods of geometry and none of the students my daughter asked understood either.
The kicker finally was that she said if I understood ANYTHING about education and what it means to be an educator, that I'd understand that her methodology was correct. Okay lady, you crossed the line and I'm pushing you back over it. So, I told her that well, as a matter of fact, I was more than qualified to discuss educational methodology and teaching standards with her as I do have a Master of Education. I hate dropping my degrees on people because my job now has nothing to do with what I studied years for, but I also hate people assuming that just because I'm a theme park worker that I think that life is a party and can't understand academics.
I wish they'd take the common core and throw it out the window. We aren't getting smart people who want to be teachers, they don't want the stress of trying to teach to a test. This woman defends the numbers kids get on the EOC tests and thinks she is doing her job. She doesn't care that they understand because if her numbers are there she won't get fired. Oh, and now she is suddenly very nice to my daughter and encouraging. My daughter sees right through it though. She told her last Friday, because progress reports came out, well, Miss, you may think you can give me a B on here and that is going to stop me from trying. Well, I'm going to learn geometry not because of you but in spite of you. You will have to give me an A whether you like it or not and I'm going to tell you right now I don't give up.
The best part of this whole issue is that she isn't stressing over school anymore, she's not going to let any adult tell her she can't accomplish things because they've misjudged her. Honestly, common core is the worst thing to happen to education.