Common Core Standards

Of course, there will be some inconvenience, but not much when compared to "Combo Classes" which scholl districts use
for clubing 4th and 5th grade as one class or 3rd and 4th one class.
If a teacher feels frustrated to teach a single subject with different levels of students, How can a combo class teacher do justice in teaching all the subjects of  two different grade levels?
 
chava45 said:
Of course, there will be some inconvenience, but not much when compared to "Combo Classes" which scholl districts use
for clubing 4th and 5th grade as one class or 3rd and 4th one class.
If a teacher feels frustrated to teach a single subject with different levels of students, How can a combo class teacher do justice in teaching all the subjects of  two different grade levels?
Click to expand...
We were thrilled when my child was asked to be in the combo grade (he was in the lower grade) but then as time went by realized they were selecting based on students who can work on their own (or parent/tutors teach them) so they can ignore them and concentrate on the upper grade students who needed assistance.
 
We have found that most schools tightly control the group of kids selected for a combo class.  The school will handpick the students and avoid those with behavior issues, etc and usually select the brightest (younger kids) for the lower grade level.  And most school will allot more resource time from the part time aides.  Depending on grade level-  the kids may go to another teachers classroom for Grow/RTI.  It's not an exact science but the combo classes tend to work out pretty well for the kids involved.

I think this middle school Algebra situation will be much more chaotic as the admin will let any kid into Algebra regardless of grades/readiness.  The gap in the classroom will be huge.
 
I took my son today for AAT testing to RSJ middle school.
I thought that after the announced testing waiver there would be just a few students taking the test, but the huge room where the testing took place was completely full.  I would estimate at least 100 kids taking the test.
Interesting how it would play out. 
 
Thank you for sharing the information.
No need to worry. Anyways, we have to rely on private tutoring , and we can not completely depend on Class room teaching which will be limited to "working on examples"  in Class and Intended practice & guided practice  as Home work or they will be for next year Placement tests  ;D
So search for a good math tutor for your Son.
 
chava45 said:
Thank you for sharing the information.
No need to worry. Anyways, we have to rely on private tutoring , and we can not completely depend on Class room teaching which will be limited to "working on examples"  in Class and Intended practice & guided practice  as Home work or they will be for next year Placement tests  ;D
So search for a good math tutor for your Son.
Click to expand...

Hi Chava45... thank you for all of your posts and good work in doing your own thinking and doing your homework on Common Core.  If you look back a few months at our posts, you'll see we are pretty much in agreement with everything you've said. 

Don't be swayed too much by some of the folks on this list... some seem to just want defend the establishment and the multi-billion-dollar train wreck of Common Core.

We haven't used them, but these Mathnasium math tutors in Irvine (Jeffrey Road) offer two free sessions or $100 off:
http://www.irvineoffers.com/mathnasium-irvine/

Best to you and your children!
 
Thank you for the link.
I am dead against this crazy common core path.
Any reform should be in such a way that it covers all the existign subjects and fixes the gap. Or they have to create separate group in high school with MPC ( Math,Physcis and chemsitry) , B.P.C( Biology, Physics, Chemistry), CEC( Commerce, economics and civics) ,HEC (history, Economics and civics) .After if there are any unwanted course or subjects, that can be removed from curriculam. THose who want to go towars STEM take M.P.C
and those who want to go toward bioligic fiefld take B.P.C etc.  With that, it would be more focussed education and students learn lot from that. Now they are wasting time on memorizing World history dates, Foreign languagne vocabiliry, and at the same math forumulaes. If it is focussed , then the students can achive a lot.


Now they removed calculus , saying that there is no time for it.
If they think Calculus is not required, why do we need Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and Advanced geometry. None of them are used in day to day life or any non STEM professional.
If they want to create semi-skilled work force in future, arthematic and unit convervsion and meauring etc are enough.
Why does a kid require to take  foreign language course of one year in high school?
What is the basis or rationality for putting the Calculus out of the list of Alegbera 1, algebra 2 and geometry?

 
I really want to respond to all the points but I'm pretty tired of the subject because people who are opposed to it don't seem to see the bigger picture, just that my kid is going to harmed (which is fine and understandable).

I will just finish by saying that 1) change is hard and 2) there are no vast conspiracies.  People who work on common core want to do best for children and education.  You may disagree with it but have the courtesy to not judge or speculate people's motives.  There are no secret cabals trying to brainwash your children.

I am for common core because of the concept (thinking and understanding not memorizing) and the flexibility it brings to the classroom.  Everyone knows that it's going to be messy during the transitional period and I feel bad for the parents/kids who have to go through it, it's a change for the better.

I hope that people will actually see it as an opportunity to work with your children, teachers, and school district on how to improve the instruction rather than just blast it.  Go talk to your kids' teachers and principals and find out what they think about common core.  Just about every teacher and principal I have spoken to about the subject love common core and believe that it will help the children in the longterm.

With that said, the fact that people are posting here shows that they are good parents who are interested in the development of their children.  So, good luck to everyone here :)
 
Yep! said:
Don't be swayed too much by some of the folks on this list... some seem to just want defend the establishment and the multi-billion-dollar train wreck of Common Core.
Click to expand...
Respectfully, I don't think this is an accurate description of those who are trying to give Common Core a chance.

Personally, I am not related at all to Common Core, to the curriculum IUSD chooses or even the education field... but I see the benefits in adjusting the education system to be more in line with logical thinking and problem solving rather than just rote memorization.

Maybe that will change once my kids have to take "the test" but I'm a 99%er so I'm not that concerned that my kids won't be on track for taking multi-variable Calculus by 2nd grade ( :) ).

I find it ironic that posters like Veronica are saying how much smarter in math foreign kids are yet Common Core is trying to address that by using foreign methods but she is against it... seems like a non sequitur to me.

Change can be good... and as you can see by IUSD's vacillating, they are willing to adjust... it's a growing period.
 
U guys are giving up your children to be guinea pigs for common core, my unborn children will reap the benefits.
Thanks GUYS!

Someone's gotta go first.  better u then me.
 
Common Core math placement chronicles...
My son is in a year round school and his school year started on July 29th, a few days ago.
Math placement results as well as last waivers for the math placement were still not finalized until end of that first day of school.  That resulted in constant schedule revisions, class shifting, etc.  Kind of chaotic.
Now, that the first week is almost over, based on my son's observation the math classes look like that:
Out of well over 100 kids in 7th grade only 14 are enrolled in CC 7th grade.  The rest of the kids either passed the placement tests or their parents signed the waiver.  8th grade CC and Algebra 1 classes are enormous with 40 kids in class in some cases.  Some of the kids come completely unprepared to Algebra class from last year 6th grade just based on their parents waiver.
40 kids classes with such an uneven backgrounds is not a recipe for a good outcome.
I'm very curious to see how the situation will progress and whether the district will do any additional testing to make classes more balanced.

I know that some parents opposed test taking this year which resulted in this waiver.  I started to think the waiver made this situation even worse.
 
IrvineRes said:
Common Core math placement chronicles...
My son is in a year round school and his school year started on July 29th, a few days ago.
Math placement results as well as last waivers for the math placement were still not finalized until end of that first day of school.  That resulted in constant schedule revisions, class shifting, etc.  Kind of chaotic.
Now, that the first week is almost over, based on my son's observation the math classes look like that:
Out of well over 100 kids in 7th grade only 14 are enrolled in CC 7th grade.  The rest of the kids either passed the placement tests or their parents signed the waiver.  8th grade CC and Algebra 1 classes are enormous with 40 kids in class in some cases.  Some of the kids come completely unprepared to Algebra class from last year 6th grade just based on their parents waiver.
40 kids classes with such an uneven backgrounds is not a recipe for a good outcome.
I'm very curious to see how the situation will progress and whether the district will do any additional testing to make classes more balanced.

I know that some parents opposed test taking this year which resulted in this waiver.  I started think the waiver made situation even worse.
Click to expand...

Ugh-  I'm not looking forward to going back to school in September.  Thanks so much for sharing this insight and do let us know how it continues to go for your son.

 
I'm curious if there are any other parents on this board who have middle schoolers in year round school and what their experience/observation is.
 
IrvRes,

Do they combine 7th graders who are doing Algebra with 8th graders who need to do Algebra?

I am really surprised at only 14 kids taking CC 7th grade math.  I guess it was a way for parents to have their vote/say on the CC curriculum to sign those waivers.  However, I totally agree with you that there are probably going to be lots of kids unprepared for Algebra in 7th.  Is your son doing Algebra?
 
So if a kid takes Algebra in 7th... what math classes do they take in high school?

Some type of quantum math that only super computers used to do?
 
abcd1234 said:
IrvRes,

Do they combine 7th graders who are doing Algebra with 8th graders who need to do Algebra?

I am really surprised at only 14 kids taking CC 7th grade math.  I guess it was a way for parents to have their vote/say on the CC curriculum to sign those waivers.  However, I totally agree with you that there are probably going to be lots of kids unprepared for Algebra in 7th.  Is your son doing Algebra?
Click to expand...

Classes are combined.  8th grade CC math class had about 70/30 of 8th grade/7th grade students.  The same goes for Algebra.  In Algebra class there are majority of 8th graders and a few 7th graders.
My son is in Algebra.  He passed the placement test though.  As a parent I'm not sure I would sign a waiver to jump classes not knowing what would the curriculum look like.  How would the teacher approach the curriculum now?  Would they access the students knowledge as a whole class and build on it?  Would they just start teaching the curriculum regardless of whether the students follow and understand or not?
 
irvinehomeowner said:
So if a kid takes Algebra in 7th... what math classes do they take in high school?

Some type of quantum math that only super computers used to do?
Click to expand...
In order to move further from Algebra next year student has to get overall grade B or higher as well as teacher recommendation.  B- or lower will warrant repeat of the same class next year. 
If a student passes Algebra in 7th grade he/she will be able to take Geometry in 8th grade.  Again, the class has to be passed with B or higher.  I'm not sure about sequence of classes in high school.
 
Anychanges to the system should be thoroughly discussessed and all the stake holders should be involved. In this case, Parents don;t have any information on it. It created a confusion and fear in parents minds about their kids futre. Which parents will make their kid Guenia pig for testing a new method whose affect is not known. There is no consensus in teachers, math professerors on it. More over, it took political turn. Republican are against it and democrats are for it.
So how can we belive who is telling fact or who is faking on it?
http://www.csba.org/Newsroom/CSBANewsletters/2014/May/InPrint/2014_MayCSN_VantagePt.aspx
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/05/15/parents-rail-against-ridiculous-common-core-math-homework/

So it is better if California go for old system until it is accepted by all the stake holders.
 
Lol. What you said is the formula for never doing anything

What you said is the problem for lack on consensus, political etc us also going to be true for any proposal and the status quo.

I'm still waiting for everybody to realize that irvine curriculum is irrelevant as Irving's student success is due to the massive investment in tutors, summer long study camps and four straight years of SAT boot camps

Irvine schools don't really teach your kids, your privately funded person education program is doing it coupled with a dogmatic drilling of study




 
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