I'm beginning to understand why people hate Common Core.

[RandySF]

It frustrates kids and makes parents feel lie utter failures.

[elleng]

1. Yes

[onecaliberal]

2. It's going to be an epic disaster

Nothing like expected. These tests are crazy and do not accurately measure student achievement or grasp of academic concepts let alone foster the critical thought process.

[LibDemAlways]

3. I'm a substitute teacher. When I take a look at

the lesson plan left by the regular teacher and see the dreaded common core math I cringe. Convoluted and confusing doesn't begin to describe it. Just thankful my daughter navigated elementary school over a decade ago before this nonsense was mandated.

[RandySF]

4. And there is no escape short of homeschooling.

My son goes to a parochial school and EVERY school in the SF archdioses is participating in CC.

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. What's the tie-in there? Money?

One of the strengths of THAT system USED to be that it resisted the mindless "next-big-thingism" that has always dogged public education.

CCSS is the *GRANDDADDY* of all that. The Queen Mary of "change for the sake of change" pedagogy.

If money's not tied to it.... what's up w. that?

[RandySF]

7. The only $ we get is for special ed and free/reduced lunch.

The only reason I can think of is transition to the public system for students who want to go to Lowell High (the elite public high school in the city).

[onecaliberal]

9. You can see what the test looks like.

http://www.smarterbalanced.org/practice-test/

[Smarmie Doofus]

11. I'm curious: most RC parochial schools USED to have teachers unions.

They weren't very strong; but they DID have unions.

Is this the case in SF? Also... are the teachers compensated on a salary-step structure-type model?

In other words... incremental raises pegged to experience and degrees earned, etc.?

[lunasun]

13. Some alternative schools in big metro areas exist but not cheap - why I'm still driving my old truck

With 175k miles on it but my kids at least have critical thinking skills and will understand what's going on let's say when financing a car etc.
IMO the public schools were great at acquiring testing skills, breaking down social studies and history to bullet point facts without any context or background provided (great for testing and teaching only the answers) and encouraging the longest time consuming ways to find the answer to 2+2.

Just my opinion - others love it
I really want to support good public schools for all but I can not sacrifice my kids brains to the school board and the curriculum offered here.

[martigras]

5. English standards are ridiculous

Common Core English standards in high school now mandate works like "Principles of Insulation" instead of the classics.
It's the dumbing down of schools who were high achieving.

[onecaliberal]

8. There is a minimum standard

Districts are free to raise the bar. In the district I work at they still read most of the classics. The math is horrendous.

[hollysmom]

10. I have been through this before in the 60's

the New Math. I came home from college to find my 8 year old brother being taught about group theory. He had no idea, my parents had no idea, I had just finished studying int it in college. I tried to teach them all bu it was useless, then my parents wanted me to commute to college while my brother needed help with math, but I refused, and went back, but came home every weekend to help him even though my dating life was screwed. The school finally abandoned teach this to 8 year olds.

My problem is the private contracts for testing. I think the common core should be for results, the methods can be more than one. No two kids are exactly alike. I bloomed with algebra in junior high, but found my girlfriends "couldn't do math" it was a boy thing, so I had one friend I tutored every day (she was really bad), other friends I taught at lunchtime. I found not everyone learned the same way and I had to tailor it to them. too bad budgets are cut and teachers can not personalize the lessons. Right now I work with kids for charity so they can get their community service hours in, they should have kids help tutor and give them hours for that.

[msongs]

12. purpose of common core is to suck $$ out of schools and give it private corporations. nt