Much Ado About........

Recently, two of my daughters have been in conversations with people concerning the "Common Core State Standards" which are being implemented in our state schools.  These conversations have led them both to be concerned about what, exactly, is being pushed in our schools.  I have tried to add to my own research about this subject and want to write a little (no, probably a lot) about what I am finding and what I believe.

First of all, I am a teacher in my local elementary school.  I am in my 28th year of teacher.  (Yes, I can't believe it has been so long! My how time flies!)  I have a BS degree from Weber State College (Weber State University now), with a major in Elementary Education and double minors in geography and music.  I also have a MEd. (Masters of Education) from SUU with a reading endorsement, and a math endorsement.  I am listed as a "Highly Qualified Teacher".  I have received the Crystal Apple Award from  Emery Tel-Com, as well as an Arch Coal Teacher of the Year 2011.  But more important than these awards, I have a love for teaching children and a desire to help them achieve their highest potential.  This desire translates into my teaching, as I encourage students to do more than they believe they can.  Setting high expectations encourages better outcomes.  A wise person once told me, "If you shoot for the stars, you might hit the moon.  If you only shoot for the moon, you probably won't get there."  In other words, set your goal high.  Even if you don't hit that goal, you will be farther along than if you didn't set it at all.

So what does this have to do with the Common Core.  Not much! :)  But I thought I would at least let you know that I am a person who values education and I know from experience what works in my classroom and what doesn't.  I also know from experience that what works today might not work tomorrow.  What didn't work yesterday, might work next week.  Because we work with children, who are humans, there are no absolutes.  We must monitor and adjust everything we do for the students we influence each year.  We must adjust.  And that is a lesson for life.

When I started teaching third grade, after a year in sixth grade, I received a book (folder) called "Utah State Core Curriculum."  I was told to memorize the information in that book because that was what I was supposed to teach my third graders.  It was arranged by subjects: Language Art, Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies, Health, Healthy Lifestyles, Arts (Music, Dance, Drama, Visual Arts)....am I leaving anything out?  It was very detailed and told me exactly what I was to teach, right down to the musical instruments, artist and their pictures, exercises in PE, planning a balanced menu, favorite National Parks, etc.  Each subject area was broken down into Standards and Objectives.  There were also items called ILOs which are Indicated Learning Outcomes, known to teachers as Indicators.  We had a list of vocabulary words each grade level student was expected to know.  And students would be tested on these standards, objectives, and indicators.

But back then, students weren't tested just once a year, they were tested at least three times a year: first, middle, and end, but only in Language Arts and Math. These tests were known as "Benchmark Tests."  They were given to us from the state and used for data collection for the teacher to know just how students were coming along with the standards, objectives, and indicators they needed to learn.  Where the students on tract to be called "successful learners" of the curriculum?  The tests back then were paper and pencil, fill-in-the-bubble sheets if you were lucky enough to teach 4-6, write-in-your-booklet for K-3.  These were sent to the district, and then eventually the state, for grading.  A few months later we received the data of those results and were told to teach accordingly.  But by that time we were closer to the next benchmark test, which made it difficult to use the data for any informed teaching decisions.  In the long run, we all seemed to do fairly well.  I don't recall any complaints or problems with the situation.

Soon third graders were given another battery of tests called the "IOWA" test.  This was given in the fall of the year, aimed to see if they learned what they should have learned in second grade.  This IOWA test was a standard based test, a test given to everyone across the country.  Imagine that!  A national test, way back then!  Why didn't the public cry about that?  This test gave us a percentile for each student in our third grade classes---across the country.  If your child earned an 85 percentile score, it meant that if you took any 100 students and lined them up according to their scores, this particular student would land in the area where 85 of the children would score LOWER than they did.  Consequently, if your child scored 21 percentile, it meant that only 21 of the students scored lower than your child scored.

Of course, the questions on the test were not always applicable to our area, so some questions were always missed.  My students in Utah, on a third grade level, did not all understand why the Statue of Liberty was a gift from France, so that missed that question. They didn't understand the air pollution that was pictured coming out of a manufacturing plant, so they missed the question on air pollution.

The questions were also of a nature that only a few students would be able to answer some of the math or reading questions, the students who were very gifted in those area.   That way the "higher" thinking students would earn the higher percentile scores.  That is just the nature of standardized tests.  You have to have more difficult questions in order to see who knows more.  Let me assure you, teachers don't like these tests as the only way of learning what students know.  We would much rather give a criterion reference test, but when you are testing so many students across the country, you get that type of test.  But the point is:  It happened in the past and no one complained.  Why is it such a big thing now?

Now, back to Common Core State Standards, known as CCSS.  A few years ago we learned about a consortium of states getting together to create a curriculum that would help states align educational goal across the country.  Because national population was becoming so mobile, and technology bringing people closer together, it was found that there were holes in education across the country.  When a new student would move into a district, there was no promise that his/her education would not end up without learning some necessary skills simply because of different curriculum taught in the different school districts.  I had a young girl move in from Alabama.  (What a joy she was! Loved being call "Ma'am".) She struggled at first because she did not have the same background skills as our students. She was bright enough to catch on quickly, but not all students are so lucky.  As teachers, we were happy to have a curriculum which would help us know that our students would be competitive with the rest of the country.  We realized the value of education authorities from each state actually getting together and looking at what a good education means at each level of school.  The CCSS are not a product of the national government.

The nation’s governors and education commissioners, through their representative organizations the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) led the development of the Common Core State Standards and continue to lead the initiative. Teachers, parents, school administrators and experts from across the country together with state leaders provided input into the development of the standards.  http://www.corestandards.org/resources/frequently-asked-questions


I now look at my document of the CCSS and know that my students will be learning the same things as other third graders around the country.  It is my job to make sure we keep up with the rest of the world.  I don't understand why some people think that isn't important.  Why should we not expect students in Utah to know the same thing as students in Florida, New York, or Michigan?

From the reading I have done the past few weeks (OK, months), I think people have mixed up the CCSS with the textbooks chosen by their local district.  Let me assure you, CCSS and textbooks are not synonyms!  Most districts choose textbooks for math and reading.  This gives a basic structure for the teacher to pull lessons for students.  However, a teacher usually has many additional resources where he/she can pull more lessons.  It is up to the teacher to create the lessons that will benefit the students.

In one post I read about a father who was not able to help his child with a fifth grade math equation.  The father found that the student of CCSS and was being taught from a math curriculum that was beyond his own learning.  Since I know quite a few different math curriculums (read that as textbook), I know some of them teach in a very different way.  Our local school district bought a new textbook about 4 years ago, and it is really different in many of these same ways.  But that is the direction of the textbook, not the CCSS.  If you read the CCSS you will see that it never says anything about the way to work a math problem, just that a student should have several ways to solve a problem.  We all solve math problems differently, so why not teach a few different ways?

We have heard comments like this for many years:  

"I hate math! I don't understand it at all!"  

Then, we hear the same people say,

"Why are you teaching them to solve a problem that way!  Why don't you teach them the way I learned?" 

 Well, did it work for you?  Apparently the way these people were taught didn't help them learn math.  Why are the same people upset because we might be trying something different?  I just don't get it.  If you are upset with the way your child is learning math, don't blame the CCSS.  Talk with the teacher, talk with the principal, talk with the District Office, talk with your school board.  They are the ones who decide the method used in the classroom.  

I also read an article that didn't like the word "standard" or "standardized."  I don't understand that.  Don't we all live by "standards"?  Most organizations have "standards" to meet.  Definitions of "standard" as found in Webster's New World Dictionary says:

 2.  something established for use as a rule or basis of comparison in measuring or judging capacity, quantity, content, extent, value, quality, etc.   4.  the type, model, or example commonly or generally accepted or adhered to; criterion set for usages or practices.  5  a level of excellence, attainment, etc. 

I don't see what is wrong with using a standard.

Last year we worked on implementing the Writing section of the CCSS.  This past year we have worked on implementing the Math standards of the CCSS.  Next year we will add the rest of the Language Arts.  No testing of the CCSS will be available for us until 2014.  The test is still being written by our state. It will not be a national test!  And it is not being used right now.  My daughter told me she was speaking with a woman who said someone took a picture of the test and sent it out into the world.  (Not my daughters words, but I can't remember her exact words.)  If that student was taking a test, shame on them for having a phone in there!  And taking a picture of the test is totally wrong.  Teachers aren't allowed to see the tests even before the tests are given.  How did a student get to see the test?   But, I am sure that was NOT a test for the CCSS because they are not available yet.  Another point:  All schools know that the state tests are given during the same time of year.  This is called the Testing Window.  

This year's state tests can only be given beginning 

April 15 and must end on May 17.

So, if someone was taking a test, it was most likely an end of unit test, perhaps something required by the district, or something else.  But it was not a test from the Utah State Office of Education.

I have acquired a great Professional Learning Community (PLC), where I interact with teacher from all areas of the country.  Through them, I have learned that Utah is recognized as a leader in helping teachers address the CCSS.   The UEN (Utah Education Network) is linked directly to the State Office of Education.  At one time both these sites were places where you could find the CCSS.  Why spend money twice when once will work?  So UEN consolidated the information and keeps it updated. Here are links to the documents that we teachers use as our guidelines.  I see that yesterday they were updated with new information for lessons. That is wonderful!  I am looking forward to really looking through them to get more ideas and information.  

Utah State Core  Be sure to click on the "Additional Resources" listed above the subjects.  (This will take you to a place where you can find more about the Common Core State Standards.  Lots of information here.)
When you look at the subject charts you might notice that there are two Language Arts listed.  The 2011 is the CCSS, the other one was the previous core standards used in prior years.  You can see the difference between the two.
Language Arts Third Grade  I am listing this because I teach third grade.  When you get to this site you will see there is a place where you can get a PDF file of the standards showing all K-5 standards for language arts.  This is a great place to see what is actually expected of students in the different grade levels.  I have it downloaded on my school computer and use it all the time.  But it does not dictate HOW I teach the standards, just tells me what a student should know by the end of the year.
Mathematics 2011  Same comments for the math standards (listed as Domains.)   Same instructions here.  A great repository for information, lesson plans, ideas, etc.  Invaluable to teachers.  Click on the printable version for more information.
Utah State Office of Education  This is the State website.  I understand they are revamping everything, so the link might end up broken.  But for now it is a good place to go for information from the state.

Hey, I told you this would probably be a long post. 

But I have a lot to say.

Now, I want to say a little bit about testing and funding. No one hates tests more than teachers.  We know what our students know.  But the state (read PUBLIC) wants accountability, so we have to prove to them what we already know about our students.  We are sometimes pleasantly surprised at what each child does. we are sometimes disappointed in how some students do.  We also know that a test taken on one day can have totally different results on another day.  But, again, everyone wants accountability.  So we test and accept the results.  As teachers, we do what we are told to do as far as testing.  We really don't have a choice.  Data is important for us.  We use data to see if we need to re-address a certain area. When I teach about fractions, then test my students I want to know if most of the class miss the questions.  If so, we will work a few more days on fractions because that is something the kids really need before they are moved on to fourth grade and need to add and subtract fractions, as well as find equivalent fractions.  We don't teach the test (because we can't see the test) but we reteach the concepts.  Data helps us know where a student is.  But testing takes money.  You can't get away from that.

A few years ago Utah decided that every K-3 student would take the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic  Early Literacy Skills) test.  We gave it to each student individually. Each grade level K-3 requires different parts of the test, skills that are taught in each grade level. For example, kindergarten tests for knowledge of letter names and sounds.  That would not be appropriate for a third grader.  So the tests are grade specific.  Each grade level is tested individually, which means the teacher takes each individual student and listens to them only.  That is time intensive.  (What the rest of the class is doing is up to the teacher.)

A few years ago the test for my third graders took about 20 minutes each.  They were required to read three different passages to me.  Each passage was read for only one (1) minute.  Then they had to retell what they read.  During their reading I was marking a copy of their story with every word they read.  I wrote down any misread words while watching my stop-watch.  I then had to count each word they used in their retelling.  this happened for the three different passages.  Then I had to score each passage, find the middle score, enter it into a spreadsheet, and get the final score.  As a class they also did a vocabulary test, but that was very easy to give because it could be done as a group.  All the information from the DIBELS test was then entered into a spreadsheet and sent to the district office, when it was then sent to the state office.  A few days later I would be given my data that showed which students reached the benchmarks set forth by the DIBELS managers (created by the University of Oregon, I believe).  All well and good.  So what?  The information was mine to work with.

But now the DIBELS is done digitally, and my life is mine once again!  I log on to my ipad, listen to each student read and record it right there.  I also use the built-in recorder so I can have that proof of their errors. The information is scored immediately.  The only thing I have to enter is the vocabulary scores, which only take a few minutes to do.  I have immediate information of the results.  Along with the results I have help with grouping students who are lacking in similar skills.  I don't have to analyze any of the information any more!  With a click I can see which students are missing the main ideas, which student is missing irregularly decoded words, and I can group those together for more instruction.  What a time saver for me!  And I have it immediately, not two weeks or two months later.  It helps me be a better teacher.  But this takes money!All of this take money to develop and implement.  I didn't know where that funding was coming from.  I still don't, for sure.

My reading taught me that the Bill Gates Foundation has been a source of funding for many Common Core projects.  I guess some people don't like the idea that someone with money is helping education.  I found this when I searched Bill Gates and the Common Core:

Common Core Curriculm Maps

What is the relationship between Common Core and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)?Despite the coincidence of name, Common Core and the Common Core State Standards are not affiliated. Common Core was established in 2007, prior to the start of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, which was led by the National Governors Association and the Council for Chief State School Officers.

How is the Common Core Curriculum Mapping Project funded?The development of Common Core’s ELA Maps was initially funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Currently, membership fees are the key source of support for maintaining the the Maps and for creating new Maps-related tools and services

This shows the Bill Gates is involved with the Common Core Curriculum Mapping Project, which is different than the CCSS.  I'm sure there is more information about Mr. Gates helping to fund other projects involved with the CCSS.  But the fact is, education takes money.  If someone is will to help out, why not?  (I don't think Mr. Gates is benefiting from the use of my iPad when I give my DIBELS tests.)  

Education has always cost money.  The state of Utah does not have the money to invest as much as is needed for each child's education.  We have to get that funding from somewhere else.  

I see that people are upset about companies making money because we have to purchase things for education.  This isn't a new problem.  It has been happening forever.  Utah has always paid for testing companies, textbook companies, etc.  Nothing new there.  I think it is great that someone is willing to help out and fund the research, the tests, any many other things that help in educating our children.  If you are concerned about where the funding is coming from, become involved with the political process.  Be sure you learn where your local school board stands.  Learn where your state representative and senator stand on educational issues.  I am amazed at that number of people who show concern about educational funding but still continue to vote for those representatives and senators who do not support education!  Become involved!  Become a delegate to your county caucas. But don't throw the baby out with the bath water.  Don't go to anti-Common Core State Standard websites to learn about the CCSS.  

I appreciate the fact that there are people who are concerned about their child's education.  That is the dream of all teachers.  I encourage you to get involved.  Volunteer in the classroom.  Go on a field trip, listen to your child read, come in and help with learning math facts.  Become a substitute teacher.  There is no better way to learn what is happening in the schools, learn what is expected in the schools, than to actually stand in a teacher's shoes for a day or two.

I know that you can find good and bad about every issue with just the click of a google search button.  People are quick to get on either bandwagon, and that is their right.  So it is with the CCSS.  You can name all the 'experts' who agree with the CCSS, or all the 'experts' who think it is terrible.  You can find your advocates on either side of the issue.  But what I don't like is the bullying and name calling.  One article called supports of the CCSS "the kool-aide drinkers".  That is very offensive and an educated person should not be that type of a bully.  This is just one example of some of the name-calling that is going on.  If you want to be taken seriously, refrain from name-calling.

Well, that is enough for today.  I am sure some people will not agree with my view of things.  I am sure some people will think I was right on.  The only thing I know is that:
1) I am going to teach what the state tells me I must teach.
2)  I will encourage the parents of my students to help out with their child's education.
3)  I will vote in the next election.
4)  I will pour my own money into my classroom.
5)  I will plan and prepare lessons that are appropriate for my students.
6)  I will continue to give tests in the way my district provides.
7)  I will continue to learn about my students and find ways to help them learn in their own learning style.
8)  And I will always go to bed late because that is the life of a school teacher!

Good night, all! (I'm not even proofreading this because I am tired.  I am sure someone will let me know if something is wrong.)  Just be nice, please.  I don't like bullies.
 (Sure hope this doesn't get me in trouble with my school district.)