By: Diane Benjamin
I just caught the last few minutes of District 87’s Barry Reilly on WJBC.
Dr Reilly repeated the Common Core talking points: It’s a set of standards not a curriculum.
Dr Reilly: Since the students are tested over and over and over, please explain how that “set of standards” doesn’t become “teaching to the test” and therefore the curriculum?
Parents:
Paying attention?
I have been following this for awhile and trying to do my part to fight it. I have been strongly opposed to PARCC testing and have advised my kids not to take it. In this wonderful state there is no “opt out” provision for students, mainly because the state/federal government threatens to cut off (title9 i think) funding if there isnt a certain level of participation. So the State makes it mandatory.
No reason they can’t answer (a) for all questions!
I know of several teachers who are not fans of common core.
It becomes “teaching to the test” when a one size fits all approach is used; with no regard for the factors that often affect the success or lack of success of today’s students. Education costs money. So how do you determine who gets what? You enact education policy which defines success by what the teachers are or are not doing (allegedly)and attach funding to it. Instead of applying sound and practical guidelines, the education system is assigning educators with the responsibility of turning around failing schools regardless of the challenges. It is tough to attract good educators to so-called failing schools. If you can’t attract great talent and you already have limited financial resources, what hope is there of improving the situation? The socioeconomic factors are enough to put a successful school into the ranks of the underachieving.
One reason that children in “Gifted Programs” do better and are HAPPIER, they get to be FREE THINKERS, they are children, not “dilberts in a cubicle” They’re not ALL going to be President or Astronauts, or even Doctors, but LET THEM decide that, not some educated IDIOT that believes that they ought to be and SHOULD be, and IF those IDIOTS that WRITE the tests are so SMART,WHY are THEY writing tests and not demonstrating the newest line of yachts or private jets to potential buyers and friends?
There is money in standardized testing and educational materials. Heck there are companies that specialize in bringing foreign exchange students to public schools in the U.S. The parents pay Boko bucks. School district gets a percent, but the company makes out even better. The income can only grow so long as we are on the standardized testing kick.
Homeschooling is a great alternative to Common Core and excessive standardized testing!