Your thoughts on "Common Core" (i.e. Teaching philosophy)

[Fx51LP308]

Late to this conversation, so apologies if this is a repeat of other's comments. Common Core was a hot topic during the 2016 campaign season. Fat assholes like jeb bush, bill bennett, and mike huckabee were pushing it as they would make a lot of money on the voluminous amount of testing that the program was requiring. If memory serves me, a fee was charged for every test administered. It's my guess that the swamp critters were lobbied heavily for their support. My friend who has taught for well over forty years, at both university and h.s. levels, refused to use the program and threatened to quit when it was proposed in the school district. Fortunately, it was not adopted in this state.

Be aware that there is never a lack of corruption when it comes to education. The last thing the system wants is truly educated students. There are other programs that are just as dysfunctional and the bottom line, at least when it comes to district funding here, is statistics. Graduation numbers is what drives the system here and it plays into the funding that the state provides to a district. The more grads, the more $$. It doesn't matter if they are functional illiterates in the end..............Just push them out with whatever program there is to accomplish such goals.

Bottom line, pick your battles wisely so that you can sleep at night. The public schools are a wasteland of property tax $$. Knowing that, also realize that other industries are also corrupt i.e. court system, l.e., defense industry, ect., yet people still have to make a living. Try to save the occasional student that shows promise and that is probably the best that you can hope for. If stuck between a rock and a hard on, you really have no other choice than to earn a living or leave the system.

As long as property taxes exist, the corruption will continue in the public schools. Not until there is real reform in the property tax system, will there be a chance of reform.

Interesting perspective! I think this is one of the best reasons for the promotion of "homeschooling."

 

[BLEE]

I hope the OP finds a way to teach the tried and true methods that made American students great, before CC and No Child Left Behind. The reason students are having trouble with math is because they won't learn the RULES. It's a reflection of society, as a whole. Half of the American society doesn't want to accept rules and math is, with a few exceptions, a bunch of rules, applied algorithmically. The cool thing about most K-12 math is that it is black and white. It's the easy math. Just learn the rules. Half of kids these days are considered ADHD and on drugs that make them appear calm, but the same drugs impair critical thinking in many kids. Not to mention, so many parents let their kids set their own bedtime, so kids are exhausted in class and can't think straight. My local district adjusted high school to start at 9am, so students could sleep in and not be so tired. This is because parents won't take away the cell phone and set a 10pm lights out, like many of ours did. Math is the same as it's always been. The rules are the same. Kids are different, but you cannot accommodate dysfunction and expect a good outcome. Common Core is an utterly ridiculous and asinine solution to a societal problem and it should be eliminated from American teaching.

 

[Fx51LP308]

I hope the OP finds a way to teach the tried and true methods that made American students great, before CC and No Child Left Behind. The reason students are having trouble with math is because they won't learn the RULES. It's a reflection of society, as a whole. Half of the American society doesn't want to accept rules and math is, with a few exceptions, a bunch of rules, applied algorithmically. The cool thing about most K-12 math is that it is black and white. It's the easy math. Just learn the rules. Half of kids these days are considered ADHD and on drugs that make them appear calm, but the same drugs impair critical thinking in many kids. Not to mention, so many parents let their kids set their own bedtime, so kids are exhausted in class and can't think straight. My local district adjusted high school to start at 9am, so students could sleep in and not be so tired. This is because parents won't take away the cell phone and set a 10pm lights out, like many of ours did. Math is the same as it's always been. The rules are the same. Kids are different, but you cannot accommodate dysfunction and expect a good outcome. Common Core is an utterly ridiculous and asinine solution to a societal problem and it should be eliminated from American teaching.

Trust me, I'm working on it. I'm finding the PPT slide decks are generic enough to allow me to teach via my own methods. And the students and I whip through them so quickly that it leaves me a good 10-15 minutes at the end of each session to teach the same topic "my way." After all, I can't leave "dead air" in the lesson, right?

In re: the ADHD thing, I can't for sure say it's real ADHD, but I do see a bunch a students that are quite "restless." It's like they have this energy and the only way to expend it is to "act out" and disrupt the other students, especially if I let them turn on their video cameras. Sheesh! But I find that I have to do that to ensure they're paying attention and not drifting off somewhere. You also encounter the other side: the ones that drift off to sleep or are so tired, etc. like you say above where they're up all night on their phones/pads, etc. I tend to think the "restless" ones actually know the material very well and want to demonstrate that but are hindered by those students that aren't so quick. They often blurt out the answers without letting the other kids take their time t answer. I have to slow them down and tell them to allow the slower kids the time they need to answer. And they get it, eventually. They just need a bit more time.

Funny you mention "rules" when it comes to Math. I always like to tell my students that Math is one of those subjects for which there is, usually, only one correct answer for the problem. And once you get it, no one can take it away from you (i.e. unlike English where they can take points off if you say the correct thing but use a word they don't like, etc. etc.).

I will definitely stick with this group of kids and welcome new ones in early 2025. We can get through this.

 

[Aftermath]

I hope the OP finds a way to teach the tried and true methods that made American students great, before CC and No Child Left Behind. The reason students are having trouble with math is because they won't learn the RULES. It's a reflection of society, as a whole. Half of the American society doesn't want to accept rules and math is, with a few exceptions, a bunch of rules, applied algorithmically. The cool thing about most K-12 math is that it is black and white. It's the easy math. Just learn the rules.

I agree that this is the main issue. A lack of learning the simple rules.
From my very own experiences as a Secondary Math teacher (High School) and teaching some collegiate courses and Adult Basic Ed courses, it is not that the student did not learn the rules or algorithms.

They were not TAUGHT these rules and algorithms.

Why not?
Because the VAST majority of Elementary teachers don't know the rules and algorithms. The VAST majority of elementary school teachers are mouth breathing idiots blindly following the administration (AFT, NEA, DOE) and enthusiastically misleading their students.

Before NCLB (thanks Hillary Clinton), which predates CC, LONG LONG before NCLB, back in the days that America was Great and designed things that can land on moons and planets, there was no need for 2 incomes to raise the idiot that has become the norm. Those idiots grew up to be the idiots teaching the young ones to be even less intelligent and less sure of what gender they were.
Those fucking idiots need a script.

 

[Aftermath]

Funny you mention "rules" when it comes to Math. I always like to tell my students that Math is one of those subjects for which there is, usually, only one correct answer for the problem. And once you get it, no one can take it away from you (i.e. unlike English where they can take points off if you say the correct thing but use a word they don't like, etc. etc.).

I taught Math as a religion. I am a true believer and high priest.

A religion is based upon a belief in something that is imaginary (at best) that was thought up by man with rules like no premarital sex or no dancing.

Math is a religion. Take, for instance, the number 2. It is a construct of man. You can see 2 things. You can count to 2. But you cannot touch a 2. Sure, you can draw the curly q on the paper and touch that but that curly q is nothing more than some fucking ARab's idea of what it should look like.

Oh, and no dividing by zero.

 

[theLBC]

 

[OldSalty2]

Is this really the way math is taught these days?

Yes, it is.

 

[Sgtsideways]

I hope the OP finds a way to teach the tried and true methods that made American students great, before CC and No Child Left Behind. The reason students are having trouble with math is because they won't learn the RULES. It's a reflection of society, as a whole. Half of the American society doesn't want to accept rules and math is, with a few exceptions, a bunch of rules, applied algorithmically. The cool thing about most K-12 math is that it is black and white. It's the easy math. Just learn the rules. Half of kids these days are considered ADHD and on drugs that make them appear calm, but the same drugs impair critical thinking in many kids. Not to mention, so many parents let their kids set their own bedtime, so kids are exhausted in class and can't think straight. My local district adjusted high school to start at 9am, so students could sleep in and not be so tired. This is because parents won't take away the cell phone and set a 10pm lights out, like many of ours did. Math is the same as it's always been. The rules are the same. Kids are different, but you cannot accommodate dysfunction and expect a good outcome. Common Core is an utterly ridiculous and asinine solution to a societal problem and it should be eliminated from American teaching.

You bring up a couple of good points:
1.) My friend, the teacher, has found that the cell phones are the biggest hinderance to education and living life in a child's world. They're actually kinda evil when you see how disruptive they are to education/life. Parents are the biggest problem in this regard, and the teacher has lobbied for years to get them out of the class room. Finally this year, the district has stopped their use in the classroom. The classroom has definitely mellowed this year.

2.) ADHD/PTSD................What a field day for big pharma/big M.D.'s! For the curious amongst you, ask a school nurse to show you the dispensary of all of the meds that are handed out everyday to kids. The antidepressants alone, will blow your mind. Too many kids that have been conditioned to think they have serious problems. This is resulting in real problems that manifest in real life, like poor work ethic, lack of social skills, ect.

 

[Fx51LP308]

Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah to all!

I thought I'd pass along this update. After completing all but one of my "pods" (which extends into January. 2025), I was advised a few days ago that I have been asked to return for the Spring 2025 term (beginning late Jan, early Feb.). I guess they "liked" me. I've already been assigned 3 pods to begin in 2025 (a "pod" is a group of 3 or so students that a tutor is assigned to teach the given slide deck set for the given curriculum element). Thus, for "MATH, 3rd Grade" at a given school, there could be 9-10+ pods of students studying that same slide deck set. There is the potential for additional pods to be assigned (I'd like to fill my schedule so 7 pods would work for me). Furthermore, I'm in the process of refreshing my "Algebra" knowledge in order to pass the qualifying exam so that I can teach Algebra I to HS students. This Friday, I go to the UPS Store to get electronic Fingerprints so that I can teach California based students (Fingerprinting is required). I know this because I had to get fingerprinted for my other tutoring gig earlier. It's cool, because as I take students in "Finger Printing" districts, the hourly rate is considerably higher.

Looks like this gig is going to work out. Thankfully. We'll see how things go.

Have a safe and prosperous 2025!

 

[Fx51LP308]

Another update, and another challenge.

I have my mid-winter & Spring Schedule set and it's pretty full. I will make some very decent coin. But wouldn't ya know....

I put a question out on my company's internal chat forum about "student behavior" in sessions. I discussed a specific student (who remained nameless). I had in a class that had just concluded (final exam was today). Behavior was erratic throughout the class... engaged at some points disengaged at others. I had said something to the effect of, "If I were able to, discretely, I'd have this student evaluated for ADHD."

Apparently, that's a "Four letter acronym...." and it set off a firestorm. The director of the program replied publicly to my post (hand't heard from her in almost half a year), saying that it was not our place to make such medical evaluations of the students and that we were not entitled to know the students' "private medical/psychological history." It was up to us as tutors to adjust our methods to try and accommodate these students, without even knowing what we are accommodating! Seriously?

After the public reply, I was contacted by one of the supervising tutors and given a set of std guidelines on how to deal with students with "behavioral issues." None of these guidelines would have help in the case of the student I think I get what's going on. I think a certain percentage of students that participate in the program have some sort of learning disability, unbeknownst to us tutors, at least. Perhaps, the districts pay my company a little extra incentive $$$ for taking on these students. It would certainly explain my company's position and directives.

Therefore, another little factor for me to consider in my calculus on whether or not to stay there. If we as tutors are saddled with the responsibility of these students with learning disabilities without even knowing it, and our performance as tutors will be evaluated on their success or failure, then something just isn't right. I believe we have the right to know about those students with "special needs." Apparently, my company does not, and I believe that's due to their desire to preserve a given revenue stream.

For now, I will comply and keep any of my beliefs/opinions about a given student to myself, and we will carry on. We'll see how many of these kinds of students I get over time. And I'll make a call later on.

 

[fdkay]

ADHD is a bullshit diagnosis that gives money to big pharma and school systems and destroys the development of healthy brains.
Schools love it, it gives them another "special needs" student with the federal funds attached.
150 years ago, kids didn't need to burn energy on the playground, they had been up since 4 am, doing chores and burning all that energy, as we shifted away from an agrarian nation, educators recognized that the kids needed to burn off that energy, thus morning and afternoon recess. Worked great till they decided that some kids got their feelings hurt, so they banned recess and replaced it with drugs.

 

[918v]

ADHD is a bullshit diagnosis that gives money to big pharma and school systems and destroys the development of healthy brains.
Schools love it, it gives them another "special needs" student with the federal funds attached.
150 years ago, kids didn't need to burn energy on the playground, they had been up since 4 am, doing chores and burning all that energy, as we shifted away from an agrarian nation, educators recognized that the kids needed to burn off that energy, thus morning and afternoon recess. Worked great till they decided that some kids got their feelings hurt, so they banned recess and replaced it with drugs.

30 stationary bikes per class hooked up to generators. They can make electricity while learning.