Veteran Teacher Reveals the Intimidation She’s Faced for Opposing Common Core

[LIPTON BASH]

This example happened in Missouri.

Anything you have personally experienced? I'm not trying to be contrary, but I do feel the need to defend my profession at times. I also feel I have a realistic perspective (maybe not) because I haven't spent my whole career in education and because I have children in school myself. But I sometimes feel that schools get lumped together because of a few bad apples when the reality is that most schools go above and beyond to do things the right way.

 

I don't have a problem with teachers. I have a problem with school adminstrators, from the no tolerance policies to secrecy, public schools drive me crazy. If I ever have a child private school education is worth the expense to me.

 

To be specific I have a problem anytime the Federal government starts to influence local school districts through bribes. Common Core is just the latest version. I stand by the belief that how schools are ran should be left to local government and it is not a job of the federal government. Just another example of a bloated federal government.

[Plato]

I think this type of distrust runs rampant. It is probably deserved, but for school administrators like me, we just move forward trying to help kids and answer questions.

 

It's not easy to know who to be mad at... Teachers, building administrators, district administrators, school boards, local government, state board of education, state government, federal government all play a role. There are breakdowns at different levels for different reasons. Those at one level will often distrust those at another level, even more strongly than Lipton Bash has stated.

 

I offer this, there are way more people in education for the right reasons than for the wrong... just as there are way more good cops than bad... just as it is with other areas of civil service.

 

Look for the good. Praise the good. Ask how you can help the good. Even in schools, "Hate cannot conquer hate, only love can do that." MLK,Jr

[True blue (and gold)]

If a company hides business practices from it's shareholders they can get in trouble. When it comes to public education all citizens are the shareholders. All taxpaying citizens should be able to hear viewpoints from both sides of the debate to see if they feel that is the best direction for their local school system.

 

Help me see the direct connection. Are you saying that the Common Core has been hidden? If not, what?

[LIPTON BASH]

Help me see the direct connection. Are you saying that the Common Core has been hidden? If not, what?

 

Yes . Unless you go out of your way the major shift in public education to common core has been held close to the vest. I still haven't decided what I think of the program itself. But like I said before I don't like the idea of the Federal government deciding local education. This was never designed as a role for big brother.

 

But to answer your main question I guarantee a majority of parents don't fully understand the program if you asked them to describe and heck even some teachers don't . (Obviously by your past posts I know you don't belong in this group) . It's easier for administrators and public officials to push through change in policy if general public is naive on the subject.

[PP1]

The whole idea is for all students in the USA to learn the same content. So each state has this Common Standard so all is equal, which in theory sounds pretty good. But the problem is that not all kids are the same. Not all regions of our country are the same. Therefore not all standards should be the same. I wonder how many teachers were on the committee that wrote the Common Core Standards.

[Bluto]

And now you have thug like tactics used against anyone opposed? Seems like the un-American way.

 

But it's the union way.

[Dlbdonn]

But it's the union way.

The administrators and school board members that she accused belong to a union ?

[Dlbdonn]

Home | Common Core State Standards Initiative

[True blue (and gold)]

Yes . Unless you go out of your way the major shift in public education to common core has been held close to the vest. I still haven't decided what I think of the program itself. But like I said before I don't like the idea of the Federal government deciding local education. This was never designed as a role for big brother.

 

But to answer your main question I guarantee a majority of parents don't fully understand the program if you asked them to describe and heck even some teachers don't . (Obviously by your past posts I know you don't belong in this group) . It's easier for administrators and public officials to push through change in policy if general public is naive on the subject.

 

I understand your point, but I would wager that the majority of parents don't fully understand any educational program. I'd love for that to be different, but I think that most parents use their own experience in school as their meter stick for what should be happening for their students. However, brain-based research, as well as educational research show that the old methods are not as effective as they could be.

 

I've seen some of the homework examples from the Common Core that have been posted here and on social media. Rather than simply solve a problem, a student is asked to explain something more in depth. This is classic, as it shows one of my struggles as a teacher. Students work to find a pattern of repetition and reproduce it. However, they can do this without understanding why something works, which prevents them from being able to solve a problem that asks for something different, but related.