Common Core Controversy

In recent weeks, folks have asked me my opinion on the Common Core Standards that are being implemented nationwide (with the exception of Alaska,Texas, Virginia and Nebraska, with Minnesota only implementing the English Common Core Standards but not the Math).  

States in green have adopted the Common Core Standards

As a teacher in a State where the Common Core Standards aren’t too different than the State’s current Standards – the only exception being the inclusion of more non-fiction texts and writing in ALL subject areas (which I applaud wholeheartedly). I have listened to the rhetoric and to be honest, I find all the controversy somewhat baffling.

As an AP teacher, I am used to having national common standards and expectations to teach to – and that my students are tested on each year. However, the College Board (which governs and implements and administers the AP testing) doesn’t dictate HOW the standards are to be taught. There are recommendations to be sure, trainings and ideal syllabi available for review – but there are no required texts or “how-to” materials. I have complete freedom to teach whatever I want to teach and however I want to teach it as long as it meets the AP Standards.  I see the same freedom given to teachers of the Common Core – at least I see this happening SO FAR - in my subject area, in my district/county/State. My fear is that this will change as the Common Core is implemented and the tests become some standard of evaluating funding at the federal level.

I am a firm believer that the federal government should be more limited in its powers and the fact that the Common Core Standards is a nationwide, federally run/funded/implemented system DOES concern me. We don’t know what they will look like for subjects that have already been re-written to accommodate the liberal agenda (American History or Science standards haven’t been revealed as of yet). We also don’t know what the tests will be like or how they will be used for funding, or evaluations. 

I have a bigger problem with Standardized Testing, rather than Common Core Standards.  They are not one and the same.  The standards are the WHAT is being taught, while, in theory, the testing "measures" the HOW "effectively" it has been taught.

I am very much anti the whole standardized testing mania that has swept our nation.  I just cannot comprehend how one could base a teacher’s evaluation, and in some cases, a job on how well or how poorly a teacher’s students tested - as if a student’s motivation, home life, culture, language ability, or prior knowledge had nothing to do with his ability to score well on a test.  I see how it could make sense to a businessman, but teaching is nothing like a business. LEARNING is nothing like a business. 

I whole-heartedly agree with what this young man has to say about Standardized testing – although I think he mistakenly puts the blame on the Common Core Standards instead of the Testing.

Often you don’t realize how much you have learned until many years later. For example, I credit my 8^th grade English teacher with my college success – her "how to" basics of writing an essay worked all the way through my Master’s work.  I had no idea (nor did I appreciate) as a know-it-all 8^th grader that what she was teaching me would last me literally throughout my life.  The same can be said for students of today.  As a teacher administering Standardized tests, I have had classes where students simply filled in bubbles on the answer sheet – making designs, not even bothering to open the test booklet to see the questions.  

As an AP teacher, I have had students who scored the highest possible on the AP test yet who didn't do any work in the class – literally FAILED the entire year of coursework.  My point – standardized tests don’t tell the whole picture of the student’s ability. They give a snapshot of how a student did on THAT day, on THAT test. Given another day, that same student might have scored worse (or better).

So far, I see the Common Core Standards as being beneficial for both teachers – finally giving us the academic freedom to teach what and how we want – and the student – raising the rigor, as well as implementing and exposing them to more “real life” curriculum.  One of my biggest frustrations has been to make what I teach relevant to my students. I can see potential of how I can accomplish this with the Common Core Standards.  

I am optimistically pessimistic. I’m pretty sure that if there’s a way the government can screw up something with real potential to be good, you can bet it will - Exhibit #1 the “Obamacare” debacle.