John Merrow does not ally himself with most critics of the Common Core.
But he is concerned. He is concerned about whether a school with its own innovative curriculum and methodology will survive. His film crew visited the eighth grade at King Middle School and were impressed by what they found. How will this program fare?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Standards in any industry can be a benefit if general enough and extensible. But poorly written standards stifle innovation and can lead to bigger problems later. As I unpack CCSS for next year I am almost sure these standards will prove useless. Too specific in some areas, to general with gaps in others. Too heavy handed in dictating pedagogy for some concepts. Too unrealistic and careless in other aspects. The fact these standards have not had a trial study should be a red flag.
It is clear that the CCSS standards will be mere formality and the real standards will be the assessments. Making assessments the de facto standards should also be raising concerns.
I agree 100% with dictating pedagogy. We are told how to teach, which activities to do with each topic, etc. There are three math teachers in my grade. We are expected to do nearly everything alike. What has happened to letting teachers develop their own style, activities, etc. This year our lesson plans EXACTLY the same. How is that for collaboration?
“… the real standards will be the assessments.”
Exactly, the tests are the curriculum, which has been the intention all along.
Merrow describes exactly what is happening at LAUSD where effective school progams designed from the bottom up, with extensive collaboration, are rapidly being shut down by Deasy with no explanation as to why, after he observed and complimented them, he chose to kill them.
Merrow Nailed it!!!! is words below say it all!!!
“After all, what sort of standardized paper-and-pencil (or computer-based) assessment can test for grit, teamwork, communication, innovation, ambition and the like?
To test those skills and capabilities, we would have to be willing to go back to the days when we trusted teachers to assess their students.
We would have to back away from our current small-minded policies that embrace test results as a way to judge, threaten and punish teachers–and instead use tests and assessments as we once did, to improve learning and teaching.”
Diane,
What are your views of Merow’s “Rebirth:New Orleans”?
I have many contacts in New Orleans. They tell me, and state data show, that New Orleans has a few good charter schools but most charters are not good schools.
Thank you for sharing this information. Here in
Wisconsin our Joint Finance Committee appears
to be moving toward opening the “voucher”
program statewide, with low limits on enrollment.
Yet, it opens the door even further. I wonder if it’s
part of a compromise to ensure that the $150 per pupil in general state aid this year and next could
be attained. Sen. Larson and Sen. Ellis have fought for this for the almost 900,000 public school
students we educate. As you know, under Walker
158 billion was cut from public schools. School choice lobbyists and lobbyists for for-profit charters
flood our Capital. For more info, please read the
headline article in todays Journal Sentinel, which
provides an overview.
debcef, here’s an eye-opener:
Thank you so much for this information!
Do you think Mr. Merrow is aware of it?
Here in Clark County Nevada we have been treated to a special pep talk by our new superintendent, a 25 year veteran of the district and a former kindergarten teacher. He stated on Jon Ralston’s show that we will have to step up to meet the common core standards. He bluntly stated that from his experience kindergarten would be teaching what he said were 2nd and 3rd grade concepts in his time. I am glad for his honesty, but I am sure reality will intrude on his wish that children attain and perform at levels that are developmentally inappropriate. I am not sure he is enough of a bureaucrat to know he made an admission that others should amplify. Our kids aren’t stupid, our schools aren’t failing, the tests are not appropriate.
Dear Mr. Merrow: Unfortunately parents are not connecting the dots, nor do they have the information that is necessary to see that this “curriculum” is anti-American and unconstitutional. Parents are unaware that their children’s private information is being put into a data base for any and all corporations, etc. to see and use.
Bill Gates’ $100 million database to track students/Corporations gaining access to grades, addresses, hobbies, attitudes
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/03/bill-gates-100-million-database-to-track-students/#hToqR5gjDgOCzZu0.99
Not to mention this: That Bill Ayers (Weather Underground) was one of Obama’s mentors… Terrorist Professor Bill Ayers and Obama’s Federal School Curriculum
http://www.aim.org/special-report/terrorist-professor-bill-ayers-and-obamas-federal-school-curriculum/
And that the curriculum is more about being part of the global “good” instead of being good for America: COMMON CORE IS AGENDA 21/http://www.democratsagainstunagenda21.com/1/post/2013/01/common-core-is-agenda-21.html