At a meeting Wednesday for parents about the new Common Core education standards which are beginning to be applied in schools across the country, Darien educators spoke about how teaching at the schools is changing, how the school district is handling some details of the transition to new Common Core state tests.
The common education standards starting to be used in nearly every state in the country will be reflected in state standardized tests replacing the current Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) and CAPT tests for students in higher grades.
The new tests are meant to help show how well schools and even individual teachers are doing in educating students as well as show how well each student is doing.
Some of the topics discussed during the meeting, which took place at Darien Library and included a panel of education officials from Darien Public Schools, were how reading materials are moving somewhat away from fiction and toward nonfiction texts, how the school district is trying to make sure there are enough computers available for students to take the tests, which will be delivered online, and how school officials still don't know a lot of the details about the new tests because the state seems to be still working out those details.
Ox Ridge School Principal Luke Forshaw described one of the biggest changes that will occur between CMT tests and the new Common Core tests as focusing more in-depth on some topics while dropping others, so U.S. education is less "a mile wide and an inch deep"—a common criticism of it—and students would become better thinkers.
Forshaw said general descriptions may be hard to understand, so here's how he described that in more concrete terms by using the example of third graders learning about praying mantises.
Under previous standards for measuring the education of children, they would be tested on whether they knew certain facts about a praying mantis, such as its features and where it lives.
Under Common Core state standards, he said, students would be asked something like:
"Give me an example of the relationshp between this other text we're reading about on pesticides, and [show] the impact that might have on the praying mantis population. [...] Do you think that a praying mantis could survive in this environment? Draw on the text [the child has just read] and give me an argument why you think that's the case or why you don't think that's the case."
The Common Core standards still demand knowledge as an essential base on which to test not just overall comprehension but also to test how well a student can use knowledge in various ways—to construct an argument that proves a point, for instance, or, as Forshaw put it at another point in the meeting:
"They have to go further [than knowing content]. They have to be able to understand relationships between certain aspects of the content area and how they might relate to other aspects of another content area. Children have to be able to apply that understanding, take an idea and apply it to a novel problem. They have to be able to think at greater depth about how to analyze a problem from different points of view."
At another point, Forshaw said the set of Common Core standards is "asking kids to do more with information, and its asking kids to develop these kinds of habits of mind and how they interact with texts over time. Thats a big shift with the Common Core."
In Connecticut, state standards and curriculum in mathematics have been aligned with standards drawn up by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the same group that helped form the Core Standards in mathematics, so in this state the changes are smaller than in many others, Forshaw said.
For more information on Common Core State Standards and related matters, with links to other websites, see this Web page on the Darien Library website.
Editor's note: See also "A Revolution on How Math Is Taught in Darien Schools."
I view it as the great equalizer. Mississippi will rise up a notch while Connecticut will be taken down a notch. Good for Mississippi, bad for Connecticut. I don't think we should be participating in common core. I don't think it serves our students well. That's my opinion. I'd like to hear what others think.
Why not use their methods?
Obama compliment + constructive criticism = 'bigot' and maybe 'racist'. Mention of socio-economic strata in the context of anything Obama = 'elitist' The list goes on and I am sure you get the idea. The 'common core standard' in this debate style is to 'name-call' and 'denigrate' those who disagree with Progressive Liberal 'principles'. It is a paradigm of intimidation, pure and simple. It does not make a difference if you voted for Obama or not, and I suggest that you develop a thick skin and not let it bother you. I'm no expert in education, but by way of bona fides, I *am* a refugee from the UCC (the Wright/Obama church) here in Stamford and I know whereof I speak. I pray this comment gets published, so that others may be spared what you feel, Lantern Lane...at least on PATCH I feel so bad for our kids that CT educators and parents are interacting on this base level. My granddaughter is a Darien public school student and this definitely 'hits home' for me. Barb
"Our curriculum will change very little... The testing will change dramatically, " This sounds like a problem to me. The curriculum won't change, but the test will. How will the students be able to handle the new things that are expected of them if it is not covered in the classroom before the test? Non rude response appreciated.
Do you have a child in the elementary schools? I have been to several PTO meetings at my school regarding the changes and last night's meeting discussed it again. In a nutshell, the kids will be expected to have a broader understanding of, let's say a math concept. As it stands now, they are given a problem and a set of multiple choice answers, of which, only one is correct. With the new test, now given on a computer, the question could have multiple answers. So let's say, of the 5 multiple choice answers given, 3 are correct. If they choose all 3 answers, they are believed to have a full understanding of the question and that math concept. If they only picked one of the right answers, the test views them as having only a partial understanding. The next question will be based on how much they understand. So question 2 for one kid will not be the same for another. As for whether or not I am denigrating someone...I am neither liberal or conservative...I think I fall right in the center. But if there is one area where I think our government needs to spend money, it is on the improvement of education and the future of our children. I'd like to think that's not a political hot topic.
1) If each student is essentially given a different test based on their strengths or weaknesses, how are the tests graded? Right now a child's test grade gives a useful benchmark, e.g., he scored a 91, two scores were higher, 18 were lower, or whatever. But under this new paradigm, if a struggling child is automatically given easier questions, how do you numerically compare that to a child who was given harder questions? 2) Most kids can't type. How will they be able to handle open ended questions? Will kids who can type naturally score higher because they will have time to answer more questions? 3) Where will all these computers come from for test taking? Will the schools be buying one computer per child? Who will pay for these new computers? Non rude response appreciated.
Garcia: Unfortunately, it is a hot topic. But I totally agree with you that " if there is one area where I think our government needs to spend money, it is on the improvement of education and the future of our children." Let's do the best that we can.
I think if you read the article, you may have your answers. "...officials from Darien Public Schools, were how reading materials are moving somewhat away from fiction and toward nonfiction texts, how the school district is trying to make sure there are enough computers available for students to take the tests, which will be delivered online, and how school officials still don't know a lot of the details " "Most kids can't type". What age kids are you speaking about? In any event, we are speaking about education and the idea here is to develop our students into productive adults. Im hoping you agree that teaching "keyboarding" would be productive. How will they handle open ended questions? Again, Im not sure what age you are focused on, but the methodology here is to have an advancing level of complexity and challenge that incorporates real -life type problems and answers. Remember, the objective here is not just to improve learning and change the curriculum to better face the challenges in the 21st century, it is also to better evaluate teachers so that we have the best and brightest teachers in the school systems. I happen to loathe the idea of central planning. This is central planning. The objective sounds ok to me, but like so many liberal programs, the path to ruin is paved with good intentions. I dont think you can question the objective. But it's hard to imagine any national program making things better in Connecticut.
Picture this, a fifth grade super math student used to be asked to add two numbers and then select a multiple choice answer by filling in a bubble with his pencil. Pretty straightforward. But under common core, the same student will now be asked to write a one paragraph essay on how he got the answer. And not only that, he has to type the essay on the computer keyboard. Fifth graders don't know how to type, so he won't answer many questions and we will assess him as failing math - even though he is great at math. And something that leaves me baffled. I've done a bit of homework on this. I've talked to educators in several schools. There is no plan to try to teach fifth graders how to type. Some schools are going to teach first graders how to type. Those kids will perhaps be better prepared by the time they get to fifth grade. But the current batch of fifth graders? Sorry Charlie. Out of luck. You get to fail math if you haven't learned to type on your own. Do you see the problem? And about where all the new computers will come from, your quote from the administration doesn't answer my question at all. Just the opposite. They say they don't know. I think we need an answer before proceeding.
Could you list the educators you have talked to in several schools? I'd be curious to talk to them as well. My answer to your question about where the computers will come from is just that: unanswered, but not for lack of consideration. Just because you have a question doesnt mean there must be a numeric answer. (who will be president in 2016? They are figuring that out--ahh you are not answering my question. That's because they dont have the answer yet, Lantern) With respect to your focus on typing--do you think typing is a fundamental requirement these days? It sounds as though you do. If the educators you spoke with, do not have plans to teach typing at an early age, do you think this means the common core requirements are bad, or that the schools that have no plans to teach typing in elementary schools should change? Will job security result in changing the school curriculum to achieve better results on the tests? My scenario would surmise that if typing is needed, then this program will influence schools to teach typing. As to your math genius that needs to write a paragraph answer --seems a bit far fetched. 2+2. Requires a paragraph? Could you include supporting evidence for this supposition? Again, I am not into central planning. But I also dont presume that people who dedicate their lives to education are going to require a full paragraph to explain 2+2. These people themselves are well educated and not totally crazy.
Welcome to common core.
"They implemented Common Core this year in our school system in Tennessee. I have a third grader who loved math and got A's in math until this year, where he struggles to get a C. He struggles with "explaining" how he got his answer after using "mental math." In fact, I had no idea how to explain it! It's math 2+2=4. I can't explain it, it just is." The second email came from a teacher in another state: "I am teaching the traditional algorithm this year to my third graders, but was told next year with Common Core I will not be allowed to. They should use mental math, and other strategies, to add. Crazy! I am so outraged that I have decided my child is NOT going to public schools until Common Core falls flat."