Is Common Core going to work?

[zazen]

17. wait till you navigate 25 poorly designed web sites each week

to try to cobble together what it is they're supposed to master for their high stakes, trick-question AP level test.

Experiential learning is great--and it's supposed to be accompanied by portfolio-based evaluation, with multiple choice maybe for diagnostic purposes. You should not have this kind of assessment for this kind of teaching, especially when experiential learning and flipped classrooms are managed as poorly as they are now.

Common Core combines poorly designed curricular materials that aren't even in one textbook anymore, that are dispersed over bad web sites and portals and duplicated teacher-designed ppts in 4 pt font (to save money they reduce the print size), which the kids are supposed to master at a level five grade levels ahead, with assessment that requires a huge breadth and depth of knowledge they can't possibly get from such a mess.

We have umpteen degrees between us and her Dad's published an award winning book on IT design, and we can't make sense of the materials she's supposed to master. How in the hell are kids with parents with high school educations who don't have two extra hours every night and extensive IT access supposed to make sense of this? We're talking badly designed teacher created ppts with MISTAKES in them, used as the basis for "critical thinking," and then half of class time taken up with learning tricks of how to ferret out answers on multiple choice questions.

Honestly, AP American History would be easier for my 8th grader than what she's enduring right now. At least you have core textbooks and know what you're supposed to understand and master. My daughter has to study from handouts of her own hastily written notes, often transcribing conceptual flaws from the teacher-created materials.

I'm all for the halcyon past you describe, if it existed. I think it entailed deep reflection of monographs without lots of silly ed-reformish exercises interspersed with punitive testing. And recess. I'm also for supplementation with well-designed web-based materials, supplementation and well-designed being key words there.

Do you know the teachers in NY State were calling in during their EOGs last year asking how to clean vomit off of the test score sheets? That's how stressed the kids were. Wait till your kindergartener hits 2nd grade and they start prepping him for EOGs, which start to "count" the following year. I truly hope it's better then, for everyone's sake.