tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1170116880352300881.post1172002715030286854..comments2023-08-12T08:02:18.118-07:00Comments on La Buena Vida: The One Where I Rant About Common CoreMeredithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08257863829848728846noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1170116880352300881.post-78794335584237944812013-11-14T09:24:54.020-08:002013-11-14T09:24:54.020-08:00Because I can't let it go...:)
Here is a link...Because I can't let it go...:)<br /><br />Here is a link to a teacher explaining on Scholastic.com how we are asked to analyze text complexity, combining qualitative and quantitative information with professional judgement, that I have been advised to use too, provided by and found in the Common Core English standards. <br /><br />http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/post/what-common-core-canon<br /><br /><br />And in speaking with our school's instructional coach I found out that our English Language Arts teachers have been told to change very little in the fiction texts they already use, rather change the activities to be deeper thinking and more writing-intensive. To Kill a Mockingbird is here to stay. <br /><br />But Science and Math are being told they will have to pick up the slack and introduce more non-fiction reading and literacy skills into their classes to ensure a 70% non-fiction shift by 12th grade. Elementary is supposed to be 70% fiction, 30% non-fiction and we are to slowly shift the proportions through 13 years of education.<br /><br />In talking with elementary friends, AR is a more slippery slope, and I admittedly am not as familiar with it because my district stops using at after junior high, but they say it's both useful and problematic in helping kids feel empowered to read because they understand the text, but frustrated by their "numbers." So I feel you have a good point there.Saranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1170116880352300881.post-71637005970805033052013-11-11T19:35:19.493-08:002013-11-11T19:35:19.493-08:00This just makes my head spin. Like, I can't ge...This just makes my head spin. Like, I can't get a grip on it AT ALL. Julie S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14765401853636543444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1170116880352300881.post-53007705479517710492013-11-11T17:06:01.013-08:002013-11-11T17:06:01.013-08:00So sad. I have always loved, LOVED to read. Since...So sad. I have always loved, LOVED to read. Since having Zoe, I've had a little less time for my favorites. But I can already see her love of books growing eve at just 12 months. She constantly goes to her shelf and pick a book or three and runs back and sits on my lap for stories. I love it. And I hope she doesn't loose that enthusiasm. I hope her imagination grows and grows and that she doesn't let the testing that our schools have become so consumed with hold her back. Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11893700496379885050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1170116880352300881.post-62143472762280518532013-11-11T16:16:38.467-08:002013-11-11T16:16:38.467-08:00Sara, you're right that kids won't only re...Sara, you're right that kids won't only read at their Lexile level in class. I'm guessing, but not sure, that this is especially true in high school.<br /><br />But three times in the last month, I've been in the public library when a parent has pulled their kid over to the librarian and said, "Where are the 5th grade books? He needs one that's an 800L worth 7 points," (I don't know what the points mean). <br /><br />I feel like similar to AR, something is getting lost along the way many times, and sometimes schools, teachers, and/or parents can get so focused on the numbers that they sometimes can't see the forest through the trees :(<br /><br />I know you're doing a great job with your kiddos Sara!Meredithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02357381494401496279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1170116880352300881.post-86594532962238096522013-11-11T15:58:34.996-08:002013-11-11T15:58:34.996-08:00Okay, I'm going to disagree with some of your ...Okay, I'm going to disagree with some of your points as a teacher, especially your point that kids will only be allowed to read books at their lexile level in class. That's just not true in my high school. Our biggest proponent of Common Core used a book with a fifth grade reading level specifically for its deeper themes that could engage his sophomores. When a variety of texts are used to dig deeper into themes and ideas there's little complaint about the text used.<br /><br />I am an avid fiction reader and it took joining a book club to discover all the meaningful non fiction texts I had never known existed but now love. And prior to Common Core English Departments were force feeding some pretty awful novels because they're the sacred cows of a particular tenured English teacher. Your non fiction examples do sound pretty dull and painful to read, but certainly not The only non fiction genres kids will learn about.<br /><br />Common Core is Not a full Solution. Hello! My poor high school refugee students can hardly keep up and learn something as it is! It was created largely by people with no teaching experience! The tests will take even longer as it is and they're not multiple choice only. Kids will Now have to write paragraphs with justifications and citations and we'll all be out of class even more.<br /><br />But compared to what it is now, and really working with it every day to implement for ALL my students, I think Common Core has potential and is worth a try.Saranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1170116880352300881.post-47924061121899655612013-11-11T12:03:42.495-08:002013-11-11T12:03:42.495-08:00"...we're not cultivating people who love..."...we're not cultivating people who love to read. We're cultivating people who can read technical materials in order to do well on a test so that the US appears to be "competitive" with other countries."<br /><br />This!!<br />Testing is ruining education. We're trying to get ahead, but instead our children are missing out.<br />catehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14334691575298894750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1170116880352300881.post-57854951842842955132013-11-11T11:58:59.480-08:002013-11-11T11:58:59.480-08:00Ugh, I feel like there has always been some new fa...Ugh, I feel like there has always been some new fangled "curriculum" that's going to solve all the world's problems, and it never works. I'm not very well versed in Common Core, but I'm off to read more...I do understand more and more with every teacher I talk to and news article I read why many parents with the availability and capability to do it choose to home school (not calling it the only solution, and one that we would likely not consider unless our children had a specific need not met by the school districts, but still, I understand). Emily @ imperfecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02269735435616304770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1170116880352300881.post-20154784503535807232013-11-11T11:03:32.825-08:002013-11-11T11:03:32.825-08:00Great post- this is something I didn't know ab...Great post- this is something I didn't know about!! I cannot believe that. Non fiction is good but fiction is so important- ugh. I can't believe Twilight is even in there as a book, let alone something more complex than a classic. Good theory, horrible implementation. Makes me want to home school!!Emily @ DavenportDIYhttp://www.davenportdiy.comnoreply@blogger.com