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

[Fx51LP308]

Recently, I was offered an additional "tutoring" gig (I already have an active one). It seems like it's a pretty nice gig. I get to tutor K-9 students in Math (Arithmetic and basic Algebra) and English/Language Arts (ELA). It pays $20.00/hr and I'm able to bill roughly 12-15+ hours or work per week. The pay is weekly. The sessions are all "on-line" via Zoom, so I can do it remotely. The kids log in at their respective schools, and I log in from my desk at home. That's all the "good news."

The bad news is, the "curricula" (pre-designed by the school districts and the company brokering between the districts and the companies supplying the tutors - like mine) are all based on the original "common core" standard of education. All the lessons are planned and spec'ed out, and adherence to those specs (by the tutors) is "mandatory" per contractual agreements between the school districts, the broker company and and the tutor supplier companies (like mine). There are Powerpoint presentations (slide decks) for each lesson/session. And, trust me when I tell you, if you value your childrens' education at all, they'll make you want to hurl.... just as they make me want to hurl, having to teach to them. They are totally pejorative to the students. They "dumb down" the concepts being taught to the absolute "lowest common denominator" of student, regardless of how inteligent the students actually are. And, not only do they insult my inteligence as a tutor, they insult the inteligence of the students themselves. It's like they're saying, "Well, we think you are all so stupid that we have to teach you at this very basic level." And, it also seems to facilitate an "indoctrination" into an underlying socalist agenda (i.e. be dependent on the govt).

I always believe in tutoring my students precisely to their specific levels and tailoring my lessons accordingly. I don't believe in teaching to a dumb downed slide deck. I believe in having conversations with my kids, retaining their attentiont that way (a slide deck won't do that) and resolving issues dynamically as they arise. I believe in having conversations with the students... getting to know what they're thinking, and adjusting my teaching to that. I also like to think my students are a lot more intelligent than perceived (by both the School district and others). And I teach to that level. Where needed I suppliment with remedial teaching to get them back up to speed. And I do it in a way that's not "condescending," not "pejorative." If the ratings I get as a tutor from the students themselves are any indication, I'm doing pretty well.

But now, I fact a dilema. My company is beginning to enforce compliance with the broker company and the districts to teach via the slide decks. In other words, to teach "common core." It's not that I can't do it. I surely can. It's just that it makes me sick, having to do it. And I now have a decision to make as to whether ot not to continue with this gig and teach common core per their standards, or resign the gig and try to find something else. I really don't want to resign. The gig pays pretty well. And I can surely use the $$$. And the HR Genralist at my company that hired me has been wonderfully nice in all of this (this is a W-2 position, BTW not an Independent Contractor). But I think she is just as bound by the contract requirements as I am. She tells me they're looking for new districts to add, but I don't think they're looking all that hard, because I think both the districts and (especially) the broker company actually like common core and support it. I don't see them marketing to school districts in states/areas that don't support common coare (the South, etc.). I know my home state of Florida dumped Common Core in favor of their own std. Narry a district like that on the broker company's radar.


So, what say you? What is your position on the "common core" standard? And, if you dislike it, is it worth the loss in $$$ to resign if they require that you teach it, or would you still want to earn the $$$ and teach it anyway? LIkewise, would you let your child be taught in that standard or would you seek to home school your child? I know I'd home school, if I had children. And, shoud I ever hit the Zillion $ lottery, my focus will be a foundation that facilitates the home schooling of children that want that choice and the freedom of independent teaching and thought. Not some govt. standard.

What say you?

 

[Aftermath]

Are you the kind of person to take a stand or will you take a check?

If you take a stand, will you let your voice be heard? Or will you resign in silence, preferring to remain in good standing?

 

[Fx51LP308]

Are you the kind of person to take a stand or will you take a check?

If you take a stand, will you let your voice be heard? Or will you resign in silence, preferring to remain in good standing?

Up to this point, I've been the person that "takes a stand." But the last time I did that, it cost me severely, financially. There are other factors to consider, this time as well. I owe a lot of gratitude to the lady that hired me at her company and gave me a chance, when other companies would not. If I were to resign now, I'd consider that a heavy moral failure to her. It took a long time for us to find each other.

Furthermore, If I do take a stand this time and let my voice be heard, I get the strong feeling that it will fall upon deaf ears. The people behind this mandate are behind it for a reason. And if I go ahead and take that stand, I think they'll do what they always do and deflect the blame on me for not being able to "cut the mustard" and teach to their standard, as if their standard is the only way to teach.

Still, if I can't teach the material to their standard in good faith, without sarcasm/snark, etc. then that doesn't do anyone any good... not me.. not the students. So, I have to consider that.

But my question is, more, what is your take on the common core philosophy itself? Do you support/oppose it? Would you let your kids be subject to i?

 

[Rthur]

What does "common core" propose to "improve"?
What is our current standing in the world on quality of education?
What was it before .gov got involved?

R

 

[FWoo45]

No.

It doesn't matter though.

 

[mrdrar]

Tell the lady who hired you about the problem. If she can't fix it, resign apologetically. Death Before Dishonor is not just a motto.

 

[stemikel]

Can you look at yourself in the mirror? Are you proud of what you see?

Only you can answer the question.

 

[91Eunozs]

Or blow off their bullshit curriculum, teach math correctly, and make them fire you…. Make a stand, and get paid to make that stand for as long as possible.

 

[Fx51LP308]

What does "common core" propose to "improve"?
What is our current standing in the world on quality of education?
What was it before .gov got involved?

R

"Supposedly," prior to its implementation in the 2010 era, there were disparities in the quality of education regionally, and ethnically. Students in the Northeast were a lot "smarter," and it was discovered that Asian students were a lot smarter even within those regional areas. Common Core was instituted to "level the playing field" by teaching concepts in Math and English/Language Arts (ELA) at a greatly reduced level so that kids in disadvantages areas were able to "get it." In other words, the concepts were "dumbed down" to the "lowest common denominator." Furthermore, it also provided an opportunity for an underlying objective... to indoctrinate students as to the need for govt. intervention in their lives.... perhaps not necessarily CRT level training but just general dependence on the govt. to run your lives.

The States and certain school districts were give n the choice to embrace it. See this Wiki Article on the standards and the states that implemented it (and which didn't).

If it did start before .gov got involved, then .gov definitely got it going full blast.

 

[The D]

My wife and I are starting to plan how we can start homeschooling our boys. Not necessarily because of the common core curriculum but that is definitely a factor. I’m sure you can find some outlets that think the CCC is a viable option but most of what I’ve read is that it’s an abject failure. Just like a planned economy it’s a top-down education diktat that has had the same sort of success as any forced plans

If you really need the $ and are ok with continuing as is, no judgement here. But if you have reservations about your mandates you would be helping kids more by figuring out another plan

 

[Aftermath]

Up to this point, I've been the person that "takes a stand." But the last time I did that, it cost me severely, financially. There are other factors to consider, this time as well. I owe a lot of gratitude to the lady that hired me at her company and gave me a chance, when other companies would not. If I were to resign now, I'd consider that a heavy moral failure to her. It took a long time for us to find each other.

Furthermore, If I do take a stand this time and let my voice be heard, I get the strong feeling that it will fall upon deaf ears. The people behind this mandate are behind it for a reason. And if I go ahead and take that stand, I think they'll do what they always do and deflect the blame on me for not being able to "cut the mustard" and teach to their standard, as if their standard is the only way to teach.

Still, if I can't teach the material to their standard in good faith, without sarcasm/snark, etc. then that doesn't do anyone any good... not me.. not the students. So, I have to consider that.

But my question is, more, what is your take on the common core philosophy itself? Do you support/oppose it? Would you let your kids be subject to i?

First, let me say that MY opinion of common core should not make one iota of difference to you, a total stranger.

Now, I once taught HS Math, Science and lots of other subjects. I taught adult basic education. EDIT: I also taught at the university level while in grad school and once in a while after. I quit teaching completely primarily due to the "wokeness" coming down the pike. Plus, we were being forced to allow students to "move on" even when they were not prepared.
I was receiving students at the HS freshman level that could barely read at the second grade level. Even restricting the subject to just mathematics, Algebra 1 at that point, how in the hell was I suppose to be able to teach Algebra to that student? On a side note, those students had difficulty adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing whole numbers, forget fractions.
How could this be?
Back to passing them along, sure, but also because there is a great lack of knowledge amongst the teachers of children. I would just guess that 8 out of 10 second grade teachers would have difficulty dividing fractions...and fail miserably at simple algebra. There are some studies that support my opinion but I care not to go find them. You can.
Common Core does dumb the curriculum down to the least common denominator.
This was an outcome of the Hillary Clinton spearheaded No Child Left Behind act. I always said, "sure, let's not leave anyone behind but why are we slowing down the whole herd?" It doesn't take a village to raise a child...it takes 2 parents working hard at creating a well disciplined and socially acceptable human. It takes a village to raise an idiot.
The Least Common Denominator in the classroom might not be a student. At least with a dictated curricula, every student is presented with the same information. What they do with that information is up to them.

 

[Rthur]

"Supposedly," prior to its implementation in the 2010 era, there were disparities in the quality of education regionally, and ethnically. Students in the Northeast were a lot "smarter," and it was discovered that Asian students were a lot smarter even within those regional areas. Common Core was instituted to "level the playing field" by teaching concepts in Math and English/Language Arts (ELA) by teaching the concepts at a greatly reduced level so that kids in disadvantages areas were able to "get it." In other words, the concepts were "dumbed down" to the "lowest common denominator." Furthermore, it also provided an opportunity for an underlying objective... to indoctrinate students as to the need for govt. intervention in their lives.... perhaps not necessarily CRT level training but just general dependence on the govt. to run your lives.

The States and certain school districts were give n the choice to embrace it. See this Wiki Article on the standards and the states that implemented it (and which didn't).

If it did start before .gov got involved, then .gov definitely got it going full blast.

Never be attainable.
Parental involvement has always been a cornerstone of student success.
Asians are just one example of what could be.
Punish the successful to placate the unwilling.

R

 

[Fx51LP308]

First, let me say that MY opinion of common core should not make one iota of difference to you, a total stranger.

It only matters to the extent of whether or not you favor/oppose it. Why you do/don't doesn't make a difference.

Common Core does dumb the curriculum down to the least common denominator.
The Least Common Denominator in the classroom might not be a student. At least with a dictated curricula, every student is presented with the same information. What they do with that information is up to them.

Precisely. Not only does it relieve the teacher from having to figure out how to teach, but the students from learning with proper thought and analysis/synthesis, "BS Meter development" skills, etc.

 

[alfack]

Common Core, STEM etc. create common tards, by design.

 

[GreenGO Juan]

There is too much Government.

Stick it out and help those who need it while making the most of it you can. You seem to have decent morals and a real care for what you do. If they run you off they might replace you with some Guy that wears womens panties and has drag queen story hour. While that is taking it to the extreme the point is there.

Help those kids and put that first.

 

[EddieNFL]

Private school.

 

[Gemsbok]

Is the "tutoring" 1:1?
Maybe consider the CC bologna as either the stuff your student does not understand and needs help attaining or is merely a check box which you should quickly move past for a higher apptitude student. Also remember that your experience and preference for working with humans, instead of just implementing a system, has given you skills to work around that system.

"Yes, we covered Section 3 and 4 and I believe the student grasps the content well. The slide deck took her about 30 seconds to get through and the enrichment content I added provided a more broad and in-depth coverage of the content, thereby solidifying her understanding of both the basic/minimum provided by the required materials and the real world applications."​

FWIW...I believe that a good school provides better moral, behavioral, and intelectual training than homeschooling possibly can, and public schooling is far distant third option. I've been involved in all three and they produce different results. Sending their children to a good school doesn't absolve parents from active involvement in their children's education.

 

[Fx51LP308]

There is too much Government.

Stick it out and help those who need it while making the most of it you can. You seem to have decent morals and a real care for what you do. If they run you off they might replace you with some Guy that wears womens panties and has drag queen story hour. While that is taking it to the extreme the point is there.

Help those kids and put that first.

Depends on how well I can hold it together. The current term ends in December, 2024. I'm hoping to survive at least that far and, just simply, not renew, if that's the decision. Furthermore, the money I earn between now and then will help a long way towards paying my Real-estate tax bill.

But yes, if I can stick it together, I will try. I love all my students and I cheer their success while on-line. When I hear a student go "Ohhhhhhhhhh," after explaining a concept, that's the best feeling. The risk involved is F'ing up and making a snarky/sarcastic comment about the material, or just ignoring it, and then getting fired.

 

[theLBC]

Further Evidence That Common Core Did Real Harm To U.S. Education

Now there’s a piece of research to further support what many had already suspected—that Common Core and Core-linked high stakes testing came with a cost to the breadth of student learning.

www.forbes.com

 

[Fx51LP308]

Is the "tutoring" 1:1?

3: 1 Max. At one point, I had a 5:1 class but that got broken up.

Maybe consider the CC bologna as either the stuff your student does not understand and needs help attaining or is merely a check box which you should quickly move past for a higher apptitude student. Also remember that your experience and preference for working with humans, instead of just implementing a system, has given you skills to work around that system.

Trust me, I'm working on ways, perhaps, I could circumvent the slide decks by just displaying them but teaching the concepts as I see fit. The problem being, the sessions are recorded by Zoom and audited. I could get into trouble for that.

FWIW...I believe that a good school provides better moral, behavioral, and intelectual training than homeschooling possibly can, and public schooling is far distant third option. I've been involved in all three and they produce different results. Sending their children to a good school doesn't absolve parents from active involvement in their children's education.

I think we can handle the "moral, behavioral" part a different way. Provide the home schooling for the intellectual part, but have "socializing" time for groups of home schooled kids where they play, learn the social rules, learn morals, etc. etc., everything you do on "recess" tarmac, or in a Gym class. This, at least for the lower half of K-12 education. Once they get into HS, then yes, we need the "school" environment to help finalize that social/moral/behavioral mindset, if for nothing else than to prepare them for college, where it really happens. Hopefully, by the time they reach 9th grade in HS, the have enough of a BS meter to start analyzing/synthesizing for themselves.

 

[Fx51LP308]

Private school.

If we only had enough of them and they were "affordable." If we only had an alternate "accreditation system" so as not to be dependent on the orgs that promote "wokeism," etc. You've heard of the term, "F.U. Money..." (i.e. having enough $$$ that you never worry about being "cancelled" by the left/woke/MSM, etc. JK Rowling comes to mind in that regard). We need something similar in re: a "school accreditation" agency.

 

[theLBC]

The Gates Foundation’s Common Core Disaster

The Gates Foundation played a crucial role in making the vision of Common Core a reality. Yet after an entire decade of implementation, “no convincing evidence exists that the standards had a significant, positive impact on student achievement.” The details of the failure of Common Core are...

capitalresearch.org

New Evidence Shows Common Core Has Been a Total Disaster - Sunshine Learning Miami

Common Core

www.mysunshinelearning.com

 

[GreenGO Juan]

Depends on how well I can hold it together. The current term ends in December, 2024. I'm hoping to survive at least that far and, just simply, not renew, if that's the decision. Furthermore, the money I earn between now and then will help a long way towards paying my Real-estate tax bill.

But yes, if I can stick it together, I will try. I love all my students and I cheer their success while on-line. When I hear a student go "Ohhhhhhhhhh," after explaining a concept, that's the best feeling. The risk involved is F'ing up and making a snarky/sarcastic comment about the material, or just ignoring it, and then getting fired.

IF you need to make snarky comments you always have the pit.

 

[Fx51LP308]

My wife and I are starting to plan how we can start homeschooling our boys. Not necessarily because of the common core curriculum but that is definitely a factor. I’m sure you can find some outlets that think the CCC is a viable option but most of what I’ve read is that it’s an abject failure. Just like a planned economy it’s a top-down education diktat that has had the same sort of success as any forced plans

If you really need the $ and are ok with continuing as is, no judgement here. But if you have reservations about your mandates you would be helping kids more by figuring out another plan

I kinda "really need" the $$$ right now... up until I pay my real-estate taxes for 2024-2025. After that, money won't be as big a factor and I can take the time to look for something else. But the other thing is kids and my moral obligation to them. I really care for those kids. I don't want to abandon them when I might actually be able to make a difference, even in the face of those slide decks. As it turns out, one of the districts I teach hits close to home. It's a district in a group of townships in my former State of the PRNJ.. And, although neither I nor any of my family were directly involved in this particular township's district, my mom lived in one of the townships and taught in another. In fact, she became Superintendent of that township district and Assistant Supt. of the township wherein she lived, before she was made an offer to move to California to do the same.

For now, and until the end of this school term (which just about will cover my real-estate taxes), I'll do my best to hang in there. Maybe I can find a way to work with the slide decks but still get my points across. At least, if I can avoid being "audited" before the end of the school year, I will have accomplished something. We'll see.

 

[The D]

If we only had enough of them and they were "affordable." If we only had an alternate "accreditation system" so as not to be dependent on the orgs that promote "wokeism," etc. You've heard of the term, "F.U. Money..." (i.e. having enough $$$ that you never worry about being "cancelled" by the left/woke/MSM, etc. JK Rowling comes to mind in that regard). We need something similar in re: a "school accreditation" agency.

Home | Prof James Tooley

www.jamestooley.co.uk

And more specifically, his book about small private schools in the developing world is awesome

https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Tree-personal-educating-themselves-ebook/dp/B00ELPRLC0

 

[Bullfrog08]

I kinda "really need" the $$$ right now... up until I pay my real-estate taxes for 2024-2025. After that, money won't be as big a factor and I can take the time to look for something else. But the other thing is kids and my moral obligation to them. I really care for those kids. I don't want to abandon them when I might actually be able to make a difference, even in the face of those slide decks. As it turns out, one of the districts I teach hits close to home. It's a district in a group of townships in my former State of the PRNJ.. And, although neither I nor any of my family were directly involved in this particular township's district, my mom lived in one of the townships and taught in another. In fact, she became Superintendent of that township district and Assistant Supt. of the township wherein she lived, before she was made an offer to move to California to do the same.

For now, and until the end of this school term (which just about will cover my real-estate taxes), I'll do my best to hang in there. Maybe I can find a way to work with the slide decks but still get my points across. At least, if I can avoid being "audited" before the end of the school year, I will have accomplished something. We'll see.

This is exactly why LEO does what they do, and how we ended up in mask! I'm not blaming you or faulting you, we are all guilty and need money! We are all bad asses until the real estate taxes come due!

 

[brianf]

Math head here..

Helped my kids with common core, and as we know it’s still winds up vertical addition and long division at the end of the day.

Reading the thread I think it breaks down to 2 camps

Common core AND teaching to pass the test/sat

Or

Truly learning / teaching the material

I remember when teachers were getting shit for teaching to pass tests and it was a fight for a decade.
Teachers say I get reviewed on my performance and kids passing is a metric

I think it’s the “same” with common core. It’s just another hurdle / KPI that educators are held to.

What I do like about the idea is that’s it’s a single system. If you got a 90 in NY it’s a 90 in Texas etc.

Standardized tests mean something etc

Long winded but personally, if you quit the kid will be taught common core by another tutor as that the requirement..why should he get the money and not you.

If the student wants to learn differently then his parents or himself should go vote and yell at the school board.

 

[Aftermath]

It only matters to the extent of whether or not you favor/oppose it. Why you do/don't doesn't make a difference.



Precisely. Not only does it relieve the teacher from having to figure out how to teach, but the students from learning with proper thought and analysis/synthesis, "BS Meter development" skills, etc.

You didn't mention parents at all...

 

[Fx51LP308]

Math head here..

Helped my kids with common core, and as we know it’s still winds up vertical addition and long division at the end of the day.

Yup. And I hate all the "cutesy/putsey" names they coined for things (eg. Division of fractions we always said find the "Reciprocal." not this "Keep/Change/Flip" crap). I also don't like the "boxing" stuff they do for Fractional Division. I had a kid ask me about "Division of Fractions" in re: "area models" and number lines. I had no freakin' idea what he was talking about. I did show him how to divide fractions flawlessly. And I then told the kids to go ask his regular teacher what this meant in re: Area models and number lines.

Apparently, that raised a QA flag for me with my QA analyst (this was my other tutoring job not the one in this thread). This isn't a bad thing... they just want to show you how to do the lesson correctly. In re: area models, they divide an area of a shape/rectangle (or volume actually) diagram into fractions and try to demonstrate how adding/subtracting the unit measures of area/volume can help you complete the division (a mixed number normally). Likewise, with a "number line," the number line is incremented in the fraction's denominator (eg. if "sixths" is the denominator, then each unit on the number line between whole numbers is 1/6. There are enough fractional units to cover the dividend and you then group those units by the divisor amt. The total number of groups you get is the quotient.

But it's also other things like saying "regroup" instead of something like "Borrowing/Carrying" for addition/subtraction, etc.). I'd think that "Borrowing/Carrying" is a bit more demonstrative term than "regroup." Furthermore, they teach (for columnar additon/subtraction) to start at the higher columns (Hundreds/Tens) to add, rather than the ones column and keep carrying over. I believe in starting with the ones col. and then working towards the left. Easier to borrow that way.

But it's stuff like that.

Reading the thread I think it breaks down to 2 camps

Common core AND teaching to pass the test/sat

Or

Truly learning / teaching the material

I'm in this camp, if I haven't made that clear.

I remember when teachers were getting shit for teaching to pass tests and it was a fight for a decade.
Teachers say I get reviewed on my performance and kids passing is a metric

I think it’s the “same” with common core. It’s just another hurdle / KPI that educators are held to.

I think it's a bit more than that. I think it's also a means to facilitate "indoctrination" of kids into the govt. way (i.e. Socialist).

What I do like about the idea is that’s it’s a single system. If you got a 90 in NY it’s a 90 in Texas etc.

Standardized tests mean something etc

I thought that's what the SATs/ACTs were for. To standardize all of that. That, and things like "Class rank" (i.e. where do you rank academically with all the others in your class). That was a huge metric when I was a college candidate in HS. Things that aren't a direct factor of GPA. And I also see now, why they're trying to get rid of those standardized tests. They don't fit the "common core" narrative.

Long winded but personally, if you quit the kid will be taught common core by another tutor as that the requirement..why should he get the money and not you.

Very true. The question then becomes, "how well can I teach via CC methods without 'hurling' ?"

If the student wants to learn differently then his parents or himself should go vote and yell at the school board.

And that's the problem. The students don't know enough to understand that there are different ways of learning and/or to question it. And, apparently, I'm not supposed to teach them any different. It's the parents that are going to have to initiate that efforts. But most of them are way too buzy to be involved.

 

[Fx51LP308]

You didn't mention parents at all...

Probably because of my (most likely) biased view that parents just don't want to be involved or have the time to be. I truly hope that's "reversing." Because it's they only way a lot of this is going to stop. And especially all the DEI/WOKE/CRT crap that's being taught. I applaud the parents that are storming those BOE meetings. I hope they actually run for those boads and fix things from the inside.

Still, there is a long way to go. When you have audio sessions with kids and you hear what's going on in the background, or perhaps to the very kids in the session themselves, it also makes you want to hurl. I remember conducting a session where the Mother berated the kid so much while I was on-line with him that it drove him to tears/sobs. I had to spend 5 minutes of the session calming the kid down and re-assuring him that someone out there cared for him. I hope it worked. It was all I could do to keep from flying all the way out there and getting that parent before DCF or something. All I can do is report it to my management's team that handles incidents like that. And I'll never know what happens, thereafter. Sucks, but...

 

[Aftermath]

And that's the problem. The students don't know enough to understand that there are different ways of learning and/or to question it. And, apparently, I'm not supposed to teach them any different. It's the parents that are going to have to initiate that efforts. But most of them are way too buzy to be involved.

Ah....there it is.

You see, the parents HAVE decided.

You just don't like their decision.

Tough shit, you are there for a check.

 

[Fx51LP308]

Ah....there it is.

You see, the parents HAVE decided.

You just don't like their decision.

Tough shit, you are there for a check.

I said, "I"m not 'supposed' to teach them." I didn't say I wasn't.

 

[thejeep]

I don't really understand. 2÷2=1. 2-2=0. Ect. You're a tutor, so make them understand it.

 

[Fx51LP308]

I don't really understand. 2÷2=1. 2-2=0. Ect. You're a tutor, so make them understand it.

Not under "common core" it isn't. It's the process that matters more than the result.

 

[OldSalty2]

Our example problem will be 32-12.

Instead of lining up the numbers on top of each other, the students focus on the smaller number, in this case, 12. They add easy numbers to it until they reach the larger number, 32.

To start, they may write 12+3=15.

Then 15+5=20.

Then 20+10=30.

And finally 30+2=32.

Now that we’ve reached the larger number in the equation, we add up the second number in each of these mini-equations.

3+5+10+2=20.

And we’ve arrived at the answer, 20.

This method may seem more time-consuming, but it’s much more manageable for students. It solidifies the relationship between addition and subtraction. And students can feel more confident in their ability to add these small numbers to solve a difficult subtraction problem.

 

[OldSalty2]

My 2cents....

Common core was implemented, not so much as a way to help students, but as a way to make it much harder for parents to help their children. This further isolates parents and gives even more control to the schools and increases dependency on the public education "system".

It is no wonder the US education system is failing. "Old Math" got us to the moon, gave us the Voyager probes and won the cold war.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

See what happens when you reject "metric"....

(I had to, it was RIGHT THERE!!!!)

 

[thejeep]

Making 10. Didn't he say the Asians were better at math? Abacus ?

 

[Aftermath]

My 2cents....

Common core was implemented, not so much as a way to help students, but as a way to make it much harder for parents to help their children. This further isolates parents and gives even more control to the schools and increases dependency on the public education "system".

Common core was implemented after MANY studies out of the NCLB act. It didn't take long to see that some schools were smoking those standards and others were not. The studies showed the primary difference was the teacher. The studies showed that most US teachers are shallow in knowledge...specialists, if you will. This works real fine for the upper grades where a specialist is more needed but works very detrimental to the younger students. Those teachers of young students have great and grave impact on the future learning of the student.
To take the least common denominator (the dumbass lower grade teacher just babysitting and playing with kids) out of the equation, a script was written. It works. It's not perfect but neither was the system that launched Voyager.

 

[Gemsbok]

time for memes...

 

[OldSalty2]

Common core was implemented after MANY studies out of the NCLB act. It didn't take long to see that some schools were smoking those standards and others were not. The studies showed the primary difference was the teacher. The studies showed that most US teachers are shallow in knowledge...specialists, if you will. This works real fine for the upper grades where a specialist is more needed but works very detrimental to the younger students. Those teachers of young students have great and grave impact on the future learning of the student.
To take the least common denominator (the dumbass lower grade teacher just babysitting and playing with kids) out of the equation, a script was written. It works. It's not perfect but neither was the system that launched Voyager.

Lmao.

 

[theLBC]

slightly off topic, but it is not surprising that the same book company that got the $350 million contract to print that common core garbage just happened to give obama a $65 million book deal after he left office.

 

[Fx51LP308]

Well. after almost a week of thought, reflection, teaching my classes using the slide decks, and reviewing this thread, I have concluded the following:

1) The students come first! No matter what I feel about common core, the students come first I'm there to teach them and that's what I need to do, no matter the curricula.

2) The slide decks, on their own, are not all that horrible. Especially the ones for the higher grades 4-8 are a bit more mature and do, eventually, get around to the concepts I want to convey. I can get around them and ensure that I teach want I want to. As it turns out, I can get through the deck quickly and have, say, 15 min. or so left over to teach as I wish to. That seems to be working out. What the problem is isthe master subject of each deck and how those are laid out in re: the curriculum. I think that's where the "dumbing down" comes more into play. I can get around that.

3) At the end of the term, I may be able to trade in for those few districts that may not embrace common core so strictly. We'll see how many there are. I'll discuss that with my HR Generalist.

4) A potential "additional" gig. I may have an opportunity for a new "additional" gig to tutor at one of those "Mathnasium" centers. We'll see. They want to talk with me. I don't know how well that's going to go, as I'd have to travel to their location "in person." They have a center that's very close to where I live, and I could afford a daily Uber/Lyft ride to/from it. But the call I'm taking is from people at the center across town. That's a huge daily cost and would make it "cost prohibitive" given the hourly rate they're offering. If I can have them consider me for the closer center, I may try to fit them in.

Therefore, I'll continue to the end of this term, and I'll probably re-up for the next term. Maybe if I can get some of the right districts, I'll be OK.

 

[theLBC]

 

[fdkay]

TLDR.
I'll speak to the concept of common core, which was a standardized curriculum, so students moving from one school to another weren't lost.
The concept is sound, regrettably, they got idiots and government agents involved and turned it into a retard fest.
I was one of those kids that was affected by constantly moving (not military as a child). I remember to this day, after moving to yet another school, being called to the front of the class to work a multiplication problem. I had never been exposed to multiplication (3rd grade) and was rewarded by embarrassment in front of the entire class.
This went on throughout my childhood to the point that I attended 17 different schools throughout my 12 years. I went to the same high school for 3 years and the same middle school for 3 years. Needless to say, I struggled.

 

[akmike47]

you could just bitch at your state Gov till there’s a vote to have your states stop using CCC, 4 that I know of don’t use it.

Trying to do it is better than bitching online.

 

[UKDslayer]

I was a product of Pennsylvania's IEP (individualized education program), mandated for kids that were either on a higher the lower end of the IQ scale. Short bussed to elementary school in the fourth grade that allowed every child to work at his/her own pace. It worked for me.

Knowing that core curriculum is part of the department of education/woke agenda speaks for itself.

That being said, every individual with a high school diploma should have basic STEM skills.

 

[TmisterE]

Our example problem will be 32-12.

Instead of lining up the numbers on top of each other, the students focus on the smaller number, in this case, 12. They add easy numbers to it until they reach the larger number, 32.

To start, they may write 12+3=15.

Then 15+5=20.

Then 20+10=30.

And finally 30+2=32.

Now that we’ve reached the larger number in the equation, we add up the second number in each of these mini-equations.

3+5+10+2=20.

And we’ve arrived at the answer, 20.

This method may seem more time-consuming, but it’s much more manageable for students. It solidifies the relationship between addition and subtraction. And students can feel more confident in their ability to add these small numbers to solve a difficult subtraction problem.

Is this really the way math is taught these days? who in the holy hell came up with that shit, talk about confusing a kid. what happened to putting 12 under 32 take 2 away from 2 you get 0 take 1 away from 3 you get 2 wright that down below the line = 20 WTF. guess I haven't had to deal with public school since my two older sons were in school in the late 70s and 80s. seems like it was the same then as when I was a kid. when I met my second wife she was homeschooling her two sons, so when it was time to start our daughter in school we went to a meeting/registration for kindergarten, when we got home we just looked at each other and said I don't think so not going to happen. So we (mostly my lovely wife of 30 years) homeschooled our daughter too. Is this really the way kids are taught today? damm no wonder kids come out of school and can't read, wright, or figure out how to balance a checkbook. When did this common core shit start and why are people not raising holy hell over it. Guess I know public school is not good but woah didn't think it was this much of a cluster. What are all those tax dollars for schools going for, they seem to be building a lot of new school buildings everywhere, maybe take some of the tax $$$ and school all the teachers that just blindly go along with this knowing full well it's stupid, make them teach the kids something they can use or go do something else, they're definitely failing at teaching our children. What chaps my ass the most and I've felt this way for years is every time I pay my property taxes half go to schools and we're turning out kids that can't function in simple everyday stuff. To the op's last paragraph I decided 20+ years ago I would not send my child to public school, and if I were in your position would tell them to take their job and common core bs and shove it. If you're willing to work you could get a construction job at one of the new schools being built all over the country and probably make a lot more $$$$ to boot.

 

[Raffy]

My 2cents....

Common core was implemented, not so much as a way to help students, but as a way to make it much harder for parents to help their children. This further isolates parents and gives even more control to the schools and increases dependency on the public education "system".

It is no wonder the US education system is failing. "Old Math" got us to the moon, gave us the Voyager probes and won the cold war.

This is exactly what it is. School districts trying to create a dependency on the teachers in the woke school districts by creating a disconnect between students and their parents. My wife and I started homeschooling our kids 2 years ago, and if you asked me to common core my kids I would tell you where to shove your broomstick. Children are much more intelligent and capable than I ever realized, provided they are given the opportunity to learn properly. Common core is a crutch for children that will have long lasting implications in the future until they get rid of it, IMO. How does it make sense to focus more on the process than the result in basic math?!?


OP, better you than someone else if you can help these unfortunate children learn to succeed.

 

[Sgtsideways]

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.