tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81517091038995180192024-02-07T23:15:41.608-06:00Mathematics EducationWe will begin to see improvements in mathematics education when citizens throughout the US make their voices heard. Best wishes in your search for truth...concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.comBlogger240125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-34775271157315364632016-05-21T07:45:00.002-05:002016-05-21T07:45:55.248-05:00Love This Research Map!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong><em></em></strong></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong><em><a href="http://researchmap.digitalpromise.org/views/network/">From Digital Promise</a></em></strong></span></div>
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concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-82294842198974770352014-09-16T21:30:00.001-05:002014-09-16T21:31:51.209-05:00It's not about politics!<span class="cmr-10">On progressive ideals and reform math...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="XAlice"></a><span class="cmr-10">Alice Crary and W.</span><span class="cmr-10"> Stephen Wilson. </span><a href="http://www.math.jhu.edu/~wsw/papers2/education/29-crary-newyorktimes-13.pdf"><span class="uline"> <span class="cmti-10">The Faulty Logic of the ‘Math Wars’</span><span class="cmr-10">.</span></span></a> <span class="cmr-10">New York Times,</span> <span class="cmr-10">New York, NY, June 16 2013.</span> <br />
<br />
<em>"it would be naïve to assume that we can somehow promote original thinking in specific areas simply by calling for subject-related creative reasoning"</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>"It is easy to see why the mantle of progressivism is often taken to belong to advocates of reform math. But it doesn’t follow that this take on the math wars is correct. We could make a powerful case for putting the progressivist shoe on the other foot if we could show that reformists are wrong to deny that algorithm-based calculation involves an important kind of thinking."</em></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div>
<span class="cmr-10"></span><br />
<span class="cmr-10">W.</span><span class="cmr-10"> S. Wilson. </span><a href="http://www.math.jhu.edu/~wsw/papers2/education/23-sbac-flypaper-11.pdf"><span class="uline"> <span class="cmti-10">SBAC Math Specifications Don’t Add Up</span><span class="cmr-10">.</span></span></a> <span class="cmr-10"></span><br />
<span class="cmr-10">Flypaper, Thomas B. Fordham</span> <span class="cmr-10">Institute, September 19, 2011.</span> <br />
It's [23] on the Professor's website <a href="http://www.math.jhu.edu/~wsw/edreflink.html">here.</a><br />
<br />
<em>The conceptualization of mathematical understanding on which SBAC will base its assessments is deeply flawed. The consortium focuses on the Mathematical Practices of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M) at the expense of content, and they outline plans to assess communication skills that have nothing to do with mathematical understanding.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<br />concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-80807020133236230472014-09-14T14:46:00.001-05:002014-09-14T14:46:24.046-05:00"Adaptive Reasoning" in Mathematics Education
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Adding
It Up page 129-131<em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9822&page=129"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: #336699; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9822&page=129</span></span></a></span><em><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<em><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Adaptive reasoning</span></b></em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> refers to the capacity to think logically about the relationships among
concepts and situations. Such reasoning is correct and valid, stems from
careful consideration of alternatives, and includes knowledge of how to justify
the conclusions. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: blue;">In mathematics, adaptive reasoning is the glue that holds everything
together, the lodestar that guides learning.</span></span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> One uses it to navigate through the many facts,
procedures, concepts, and solution methods and to see that they all fit
together in some way, that they make sense. <u><span style="color: blue;">In mathematics, deductive reasoning
is used to settle disputes and disagreements.</span></u> Answers are right because they
follow from some agreed-upon assumptions through series of logical steps. Students
who disagree about a mathematical answer need not rely on checking with the
teacher, collecting opinions from their classmates, or gathering data from
outside the classroom. In principle, they need only check that their reasoning
is valid.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9822&page=130"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: #336699; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9822&page=130</span></span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Research
suggests that students are able to display reasoning ability when three
conditions are met: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have a
sufficient knowledge base, the task is understandable and motivating, and the
context is familiar and comfortable.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9822&page=146#p20004b748940146021"><sup><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: #336699;">37</span></span></sup></a></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-38253507468843769952014-09-14T14:17:00.000-05:002014-09-14T14:21:15.753-05:00Principles of Effective Instruction and the 3rd Common Core Standard for Mathematical Practice<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: #38761d;">This list is adapted from </span></span></sup></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Principles of Instruction:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></sup></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><a href="http://www.aft.org/newspubs/periodicals/ae/spring2012/">Researched-Based Strategies That All Teachers Should Know</a></span></span></sup></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
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<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">1. Begin a lesson with a short review of
previous learning:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Daily review can
strengthen previous learning and can lead to fluent recall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The most effective teachers ensured that students
efficiently acquired, rehearsed, and connected knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many went on to hands-on activities, but
always after, not before, the basic material was learned. <o:p></o:p></span></sup></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Limit the amount of material students receive at one time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Present new material in small steps with
student practice after each step, and assist students as they practice this
material. <o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Give clear and detailed instructions and explanations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Provide many examples.<o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Think aloud and model steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Providing students with models and worked examples can help them learn
to solve problems faster.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Many of the skills taught in classrooms can be conveyed
by providing prompts, modeling use of the prompt, and then guiding students as
they develop independence.<o:p></o:p></span></sup></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Use more time to provide explanations.<o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ask a large number of questions and check the responses of all
students:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Questions help students
practice new information and connect new material to their prior learning.<o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Provide a high level of active practice for all students.<o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Guide students as they begin practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Successful teachers spend more time guiding students’ practice of new
material.<o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Check for student understanding at each point to help students learn the
material with fewer errors.<o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The most successful teachers spent more time in guided
practice, more time asking questions, more time checking for understanding, and
more time correcting errors.<o:p></o:p></span></sup></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ask students to explain what they have learned.<o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Obtain a high success rate:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
important for students to achieve a high success rate during classroom
instruction. <o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Require and monitor independent practice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Students need extensive, successful,
independent practice in order to develop well-connected and automatic knowledge
and skills.<o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">13.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Provide systematic feedback and corrections, reteach material when
necessary.</span></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></sup> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><sup><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/">Common Core Standard for Mathematical Practice (see MP3)</a></span></sup></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><sup><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Construction viable arguments and critique the reasoning
of others.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></sup></span></b></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Mathematically proficient students
understand and use stated assumptions, definitions, and previously established
results in constructing arguments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
make conjectures and build a logical progression of statements to explore the
truth of their conjectures. </span></sup><sup><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">They are able to analyze
situations by breaking them into cases, and can recognize and use
counterexamples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They justify their
conclusions, communicate them to others, and respond to the arguments of
others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They reason inductively about
data, making plausible arguments that take into account the context from which
the data arose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mathematically
proficient students are also able to compare the effectiveness of two plausible
arguments, distinguish correct logic or reasoning from that which is flawed,
and-if there is a flaw in an argument-explain what it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elementary students can construct arguments
using concrete referents such as objects, drawings, diagrams, and actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such arguments can make sense and be correct,
even though they are not generalized or made formal until later grades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, students learn to determine domains to
which an argument applies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Students at
all grades can listen or read the arguments of others, decide whether they make
sense, and ask useful questions to clarify or improve the arguments.</span></sup></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span></div>
</span><br />
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-9097575575671652472014-07-22T12:17:00.001-05:002014-07-22T12:17:14.660-05:00#CommonCore and #SovereigntyLet's start with a couple of recent quotes - (discovered<a href="http://theadvocate.com/home/9754758-125/common-core-debate-among-most"> here</a>)<br />
<br />
“I can’t think of anything that has had this much controversy,” said Linda Johnson, who served on Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education from 1999-2011.<br />
<br />
“This is the first time there has been anything like this,” said Leslie Jacobs, another former Louisiana BESE member, who played a major role in creating Louisiana’s public school accountability system.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<div align="center">
<strong>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strong></div>
<br />
When [<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-ravitch/common-core-fallacy_b_3809159.html">Diane Ravitch</a>] testified to the Michigan legislative committee debating Common Core in Aug. of 2013, she told them to "listen to their teachers and be prepared to revise the standards to make them better" <br />
<br />
When asked if states were "allowed" to change the standards, Ravitch responded, "Why not? Michigan is a sovereign state. If they rewrite the standards to fit the needs of their students, who can stop them? The federal government says it doesn't 'own' the standards. The federal government is forbidden by law from interfering with curriculum and instruction"<br />
<br />
<div align="center">
<strong>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<br />
By now, you must be wondering "What's your point?" It's strange that relatively few people, throughout the political spectrum, have been very concerned about the sovereignty of states, or that of individuals and communities, throughout the FedLed Common Core Standards *Initiative* process. <br />
<br />
If there is a silver lining, it is that growing numbers of citizens are becoming concerned and engaged in education issues. The "sleeping giant" has awaken just in time, in my opinion, "little dictators" and "social engineers" have infiltrated every political party. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strong></div>
<br />
In March of this year, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/24/ravitch-the-best-reason-to-oppose-the-common-core-standards/">Ravitch explained</a>...<br />
<br />
The reason to oppose the Common Core is not because of their content, some of which is good, some of which is problematic, some of which needs revision (but there is no process for appeal or revision).<br />
<br />
The reason to oppose the Common Core standards is because they violate the well-established and internationally recognized process for setting standards in a way that is transparent, that recognizes the expertise of those who must implement them, that builds on the consensus of concerned parties, and that permits appeal and revision.<br />
<br />
The reason that there is so much controversy and pushback now is that the Gates Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education were in a hurry and decided to ignore the nationally and internationally recognized rules for setting standards, and in doing so, sowed suspicion and distrust. <em>Process matters.</em><br />
<br />
<strong><em>The Common Core lacks</em></strong> most of the qualities [<a href="http://www.ansi.org/standards_activities/nss/nss.aspx?menuid=3#1">of the ANSI core principles for setting standards</a>] — especially due process, consensus among interested groups, and the right of appeal — and so cannot be considered authoritative, <strong><em>nor should they be considered standards</em></strong>. (emphasis added by me)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strong></div>
<br />
Another fabulous recent article on this issue can be found <a href="http://www.lohud.com/story/opinion/contributors/2014/07/17/view-zephyr-teachout-common-core/12811213/">here</a>.<br />
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<br />concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-74527743528315315502014-05-04T10:52:00.002-05:002016-11-19T06:04:04.417-06:00The Tension - Passion and Logic The Tension. . . (from July 5, 2010)<br />
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I was listening to a financial show yesterday, while waiting in the car... <br />
One of the guys talking said something that I think may be a common misperception. <br />
He said, </div>
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<strong>Democrats are a party of PASSION</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>the Republicans are a party of LOGIC</strong></div>
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It was such a revelation for me, I had to write it down because I didn't want to forget exactly what he said and the visceral reaction I felt at the time. <br />
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It's apropos that it happened on Independence day, too! <br />
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It explains exactly why I haven't been able to identify with either party (and their misperceptions) exclusively, and why I consider myself independent. </div>
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I reject this overgeneralization as an idea used to disparage individuals and minimize their opinions and concerns. Passion and logic are not mutually exclusive in my life - politics included. Any good decision that I have been able to make along the way has been a confluence of both logic and passion, rarely in equal parts.</div>
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I believe each of us has our own synergism of passion and logic. Our unique way of interpreting and utilizing the information gathered from the world around us. <br />
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See people as individuals... address issues as issues we all face...<br />
Don't lazily rely on partisan rhetoric...<br />
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These are reminders to self. </div>
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concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-76961831982532979742014-04-19T09:21:00.002-05:002014-04-19T09:21:55.221-05:00Princeton Study Concludes that American is Basically an Oligarchy<a href="http://www.policymic.com/articles/87719/princeton-concludes-what-kind-of-government-america-really-has-and-it-s-not-a-democracy">Princeton Concludes What Kind of Government America Really Has, and It's Not a Democracy</a> <br />
April 16, 2014<br />
<em></em><br />
<em>A new scientific study from Princeton researchers Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page has finally put some science behind the recently popular argument that the United States isn't a democracy any more. And they've found that in fact, America is basically an oligarchy.</em><br />
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This is a familiar topic to those of us who oppose the Common Core Standards Initiative. I've been scratching my head, literally for years, trying to understand how Common Core took hold, quietly and quickly, in America's representative Republic. In Missouri, it became clear to me that the "initiative" capitalized fully on the top-down governance structure in our education policies and their implementation. I believe that Missouri <a href="http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C100-199/1600000518.HTM">state statutes were violated</a> in the adoption process, but unfortunately, there was no oversight mechanism in place to stop Common Core from the onset.<br />
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After researching the opposition to the Common Core Standards Initiative throughout the country for a number of years, there is no doubt in my mind that our American <a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/oligarch">oligarchs</a> were well aware that state legislatures were not equipped to investigate and address adoption of Common Core Standards in 2009-2010. concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-12576306490050537082014-04-06T09:02:00.002-05:002014-04-06T09:02:49.432-05:00Missouri Needs an Elected Board of Education #tlot #tcot #Liberty #FreedomBack in July of 2009, I posted <a href="http://improvingmathed.blogspot.com/2010/06/mo-boe-adopts-common-core.html">THIS</a> about the adoption of Common Core in Missouri. I was in the process of discovering that our governance structure regarding education in Missouri was incredibly top-down. Missouri citizens and their representatives in the legislature were not even aware of Common Core, let alone the strangle hold it would place on the daily functions of our local schools and the lives of our students and their families. <br />
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Changing the governance structure in Missouri's educational system is of utmost importance to ensure that any "initiative" like Common Core is publicly scrutinized and vetted by our education leaders, our legislators, and Missouri citizens. <br />
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This is why I strongly support HJR 74 which would allow Missouri voters to decide on the November ballot if they would like to see their State Board of Education members ELECTED, with one coming from each of OUR congressional districts. I think it's a FABULOUS idea!! <br />
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If you agree, you can show your support for HJR 74 here:<br />
<a href="http://www.libertytools.org/LibertyTools/witness/witness2.php?template=48">http://www.libertytools.org/LibertyTools/witness/witness2.php?template=48</a><br />
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Since the hearing was schedule for TOMORROW NIGHT (AT 9PM!!) when few citizens can attend, it is very important to have as many witness forms completed in support of HJR as possible to present to the committee.<br />
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Fight the Good Fight!!<br />
Lisa Jones<br />
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concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-61038095691509221542014-01-21T07:49:00.002-06:002014-01-21T08:35:38.126-06:00Legislation on Education in Missouri<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Please
take a few short minutes to <a href="http://www.house.mo.gov/legislatorlookup.aspx"><span style="color: #0563c1;">look up your legislator’s
email</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">and
drop them a note with your opinions on the following:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">(I
SUPPORT THESE)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">HB
1161</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
<a href="http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills141/biltxt/intro/HB1161I.htm"><span style="color: #0563c1;">http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills141/biltxt/intro/HB1161I.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Establishes the Joint Committee on the Tenth Amendment<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">SB
514</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
<a href="http://www.senate.mo.gov/14info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=27723569"><span style="color: #0563c1;">http://www.senate.mo.gov/14info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=27723569</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Prohibits the State Board of Education, the Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education, and school districts from implementing the
Common Core State Standards<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">HB
1490</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
<a href="http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills141/biltxt/intro/HB1490I.htm"><span style="color: #0563c1;">http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills141/biltxt/intro/HB1490I.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Prohibits the State Board of Education from adopting and
implementing the standards for public schools developed by the Common Core
Standards Initiative<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">(I OPPOSE
THIS)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">HB
1139</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
Cookson<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.house.mo.gov/billsummary.aspx?bill=HB1139&year=2014&code=R"><span style="color: #0563c1;">http://www.house.mo.gov/billsummary.aspx?bill=HB1139&year=2014&code=R</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">167.227. 5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A school district shall require a student who scores less than
proficient </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">on a statewide assessment to
attend the summer school term immediately following the school term in which
the student was assessed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-11586268314099300162014-01-06T13:02:00.000-06:002014-01-06T13:06:17.376-06:00DESE “Thumbing Its Nose” at #MOLEG<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Happy New Year Everyone!! </h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">HB 2 <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the State Board of Education and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>Effective Date: 8/28/2013<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Section 2.050.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2 For the purpose of receiving and expending grants, donations, contracts, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3 and payments from private, federal, and other governmental <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4 agencies which may become available between sessions of the <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5 General Assembly provided that the General Assembly shall be <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">6 notified of the source of any new funds and the purpose for which <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">7 they shall be expended, in writing, prior to the use of said funds, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">8 and further provided that no funds shall be used to implement the <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">9 Common Core Standards </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">From Federal and Other Funds………………….........$10,000,000<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I wonder if DESE disseminated any information to districts on HB2’s restriction on Common Core implementation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are local school boards aware that their current practices may be in conflict with this legislation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">All<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> of DESE’s math and science discretionary grants involve implementation of Common Core Standards and were not revised after passage of HB2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The deadline for these was </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">September 18, 2013.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/discretionarygrants/Math-Science/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/discretionarygrants/Math-Science/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Page 6 of the K-6 Math Initiative (which is the same for the K-6 Science excepts it reads "National Educational Standards for Science" rather than Common Core, the ELL reads "Common Core")<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">C. Use of Funds<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(3) Provide follow-up training throughout the year to the academy mathematics science teachers that shall: (a) Directly relate to the mathematics curriculum, and focus secondarily on pedagogy; (b) Enhance the ability of the teacher to understand and use the Missouri Mathematics Grade-Level Expectations and the Common Core State standards for mathematics to develop and/or revise appropriate curricula; (c) Train teachers to use curricula that are based on scientific research, aligned with the Missouri Mathematics Grade-Level Expectations and Common Core State Standards for mathematics, and are active learning-oriented, inquiry-based, differentiated to meet diverse student needs, and concept/content-based; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was also interested in this part of HB2 because high quality PD, focused on content, really is essential to professional growth in teaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Section 2.115. To the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 For the Instructional Improvement Grants Program pursuant to Title II <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3 Improving Teacher Quality </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">From Federal Funds……………………...........................$59,348,890<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So I googled:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.google.com/#q=DESE+Instructional+Improvement+Grants+Program+Title+II+Improving+Teacher+Quality+" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">DESE Instructional Improvement Grants Program Title II Improving Teacher Quality </span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and I found the <u>second document</u> had been revised in Aug 2013. (The same month that HB2 had passed)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find no mention of Common Core with respect to Professional Development at all in the revised document, however ALL of the high school math PD currently taking place in my district is on Common Core.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This (again) leads me to believe that local school boards are not aware of the legislation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And then of course, we have the real kicker!! </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DESE’s October 3, 2013 News Release announced the *New* Missouri Learning Standards website:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.missourilearningstandards.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.missourilearningstandards.com/</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Any confusion that may be caused by their re-labeling Common Core as Missouri Learning Standards can quickly be dispelled by following the content supports for teachers here: <a href="http://www.missourilearningstandards.com/teachers/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.missourilearningstandards.com/teachers/</span></a> which lead straight back to CCSS.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-62416925948696382602013-11-05T19:41:00.001-06:002013-11-05T19:41:58.511-06:00Professor Milgram's Nov 4, 2013 Statement on Common Core Math Standards
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"> <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"><em>Many parents across the country are currently expressing concerns over the content of their childrens' math lessons, many of which are said to be "common core" aligned. The statement below is published with permission of Professor Milgram. It may provide a little insight on math education issues brought to light recently due to the common core initiative. </em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"><em></em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"><em>I believe that although the elementary math standards are an improvement over those of many states, unfortunately the focus on the "Standards for Mathematical Practice" - rather than math content - creates an avenue for unproductive folly. (yes, that's my opinion) The secondary content standards are too weak, a point that I've made many times before.</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"><em></em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"><em>Best wishes to all parents, grandparents and teachers as they seek the truth on the best way forward in improving education for children. Lisa Jones</em> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Statement
of Jim Milgram, November 4, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I
don't endorse a blanket condemnation of the Common Core Math Standards since
there are definite positives in the lower grade content standards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They really are significantly better than the
standards that were written by 90% of the states IN GRADES K-6 or K-7. But the
problems with the overall math standards are huge, or even more than huge.<br />
<br />
First, while some of the Mathematical Practices standards are ok, they provide
a forum for the fuzzy math cranks and a path to re-approve most of the horrible
math texts we found 15 or so years back and mostly got rid of then. They also
provide a poor perspective on "what mathematics is" and should never
have been at the beginning of the document where they give the superficial
reader the impression that this is what mathematics is all about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It isn't.<br />
<br />
Second, the objectives of the 8 - 12 material are not what one might think they
should be. The real intent appears to be a total focus on the "efficiency"
aspect of Ed School dogma. Since most students will never "use"
higher level math, it is mostly suppressed, except for the part that I more or
less forced them to add covering Algebra II. But that material is horribly
incomplete and only provides a pathway for most students that leads nowhere and
prepares them for nothing but truly dead end jobs.<br />
<br />
Third, the standards were put together too fast by McCallum and Zimba, with the
obstructive tactics of Daro only designed to minimize content as far as I can
tell. All three of them were amateurs at standards writing, and appear to have
had little to no idea of what actually goes on in the curricula of the high
achieving countries. As a result, there are too many errors and inconsistencies
in the standards and exemplars themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
So, all in all, I judge that we would be better off if the standards would just
go away.<br />
<br />
Jim</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"><em>In his first point, I believe that Professor Milgram is referring to the Open Letter to U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, from 1999. <a href="http://www.csun.edu/~vcmth00m/riley.html">Check It Out Here</a></em></span></span></span><br />
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concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-43780614056265957002013-10-31T21:01:00.001-05:002013-10-31T21:05:42.597-05:00An Interesting Common Core Exchange<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">From Fordham</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.edexcellence.net/events/common-core-curriculum-controversies">Common Core and CurriculumControversies</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">54min50sec<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Question: Garrett Fryer
American Youth Policy Forum </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Was there ever a discussion,
when you all were designing it, to implement it on a kindergarten level and
letting it grow with the students as they aged on through each grade, as
oppossed to implementing it with the entire school system nation wide?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Answer: Jason Zimba<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is something that states
have each approached differently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
states have done something more like that, some states have done something less
like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I seem to remember at one
point I saw a MA plan where the grade level wasn’t the key parameter, but they
had a Venn diagram, what we do now the Common Core doesn’t do, what the Common
Core does that we don’t, and then what sort of overlap, where we want to do it
better. In year one, we’re gonna focus on the overlap and do it better. In year
two, we’ll drop things… and then in year three, we’ll add… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got the details of that wrong, but… </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">my only point is that
different states all approached it differently, and we may find out that some
states were much wiser than others in this way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Singapore has a long
standing, high functioning system in which they not only revise their syllabus
ever so often, but they do it actually on the basis of how kids do, so think
about that, a performance-based loop, a feedback loop. Which is something we
are taking halting steps toward, but can only image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so roughly every six years or so, they’ll
put out tweaks to the thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year I
noticed that they’ve rolled out a new thing in kindergarten.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em><span style="color: purple;">I wonder... How in the world
can one "image" OR take "halting steps toward" creating a
"high functioning system" based on a "performance-based feedback
loop" when we are STARTING with a top-down DESIGN by the name of Common
Core?</span></em> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-64336030835964388892013-10-31T19:51:00.003-05:002013-10-31T19:54:49.002-05:00A problem with Common Core Math Standards at the High School LevelI've explained my concern about the weak high school math in Common Core many times before, but here it goes again as I’ve had many questions lately.<br />
<br />
In the Common Core Math Standards, Algebra I is not completed in 8th. That creates a problem for students interested in stem fields, and also for students that may have latent abilities in mathematics which may not develop in high school as a result.<br />
<br />
CC high school math (years 1 to 3) is an amalgam similar to Alg1, Geo, Alg2(light) in my opinion.<br />
<br />
There are currently 4 years in high school. Common Core lays out 3 years but did not provide a stem alternative for acceleration during those 3 years, so this is what we have to work with:<br />
<br />
1- CC hs math year 1<br />
2- CC hs math year 2 <br />
3- CC hs math year 3 – doesn’t complete Alg 2 imo and would not prepare <br />
students to take PreCalc/Trig at my school currently.<br />
4 - Students have the following options for math during their senior year. None of these include AP Calculus. Remember, the College Board found that Common Core high school math does not “reconcile” with AP Calculus (and I agree!)<br />
<br />
The students’ choices at this point are limited to three options:<br />
A) AP Statistics B) PreCalc/Trig or C) try to complete both simultaneously<br />
<br />
Option A) If they chose the AP Stats class senior year, to try to get some college credit while in high school, then they would really be two years behind in stem math progression on entry to college, and would have also had a entire school year between Algebra 2 (light) and PreCalc/CollegeAlg/Trig - (definitely not an ideal situation...)<br />
<br />
BTW – This option is what a <a href="http://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=27296">College Board Senior Vice President </a>recommended to school superintendents! <b>“If you’re worried about AP Calculus and fidelity to the Common Core, we recommend AP Statistics and AP Computer Science”<br />
</b><br />
Option B) They could take precalc/trig during senior year, but as some of you know, the ACT determines scholarship money for many, many students. Efforts on that test and applications for colleges and scholarship start late junior year and finish early senior year for most students. (Ask one!)<br />
<br />
Option C) is not viable in my opinion. The slow pace of Common Core math from 7th though 11th grades leaves students woefully underprepared for trigonometry in particular and will create an unnecessarily steep learning curve if they choose this “option” during senior year.<br />
<br />
<br />
concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-13157637508426033852013-09-11T21:10:00.001-05:002013-09-11T21:10:22.674-05:00Professor Milgram's Letter to Diane RavitchThis is the letter from <a href="http://dianeravitch.net/2013/09/11/james-milgram-on-the-common-core-math-standards/">Diane Ravitch's Blog </a>post<br />
"James Milgram on the Common Core Math Standards"<br />
September 11, 2013<br />
<br />
<br />
Dear Diane, <br />
<br />
In your own writings you mention that the biggest issue with Core Standards is the lack of evidence. This is largely true. But at least in math there is significant international evidence that major parts of the standards will not work. For example, the only area we could find that has had success with CCSS-M's method of treating geometry is in Flemish Belgium. But it was tried on a national scale in Russia a number of years back, and was rapidly dropped. <br />
<br />
Likewise, the extremely limited high school level content is so weak that Jason Zimba, one of the three main writers described it as follows: First, he defined "college readiness" by stating: "We have agreement to the extent that it's a fuzzy definition, that the minimally college-ready student is a student who passed Algebra II." Perhaps this explains why the only math at the high school level, aside from a snippet on trigonometry, is material from Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry. Moreover, the Algebra II component does not describe a complete course. Zimba's definition is taken verbatim from his March 23, 2010 testimony before the MA State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Later, in the question period, Sandy Stotsky asked for some clarification. <br />
<br />
The following is a verbatim transcript: <br />
Zimba stated "In my original remarks, I didn't make that point strongly enough or signal the agreement that we have on this - the definition of college readiness. I think it's a fair critique that it's a minimal definition of college readiness." Stotsky asked "For some colleges?" and Zimba responded by stating: "Well, for the colleges most kids go to, but not for the colleges most parents aspire to." Stotsky then asked "Not for STEM, not for international competitiveness?" and Zimba responded "Not only not for STEM, it’s also not for selective colleges. For example, for UC Berkeley,whether you are going to be an engineer or not, you'd better have precalculus to get into UC Berkeley." <br />
<br />
Stotsky then pointed out: "Right, but we have to think of the engineering colleges and the scientific pathway." Zimba added "That's true, I think the third pathway goes a lot towards that. But your issue is broader than that." Stotsky agreed saying "I'm not just thinking about selective colleges. There's a much broader question here," to which Zimba added "That's right. It's both, I think, in the sense of being clear about what this college readiness does and doesn't get you, and that's the big subject." <br />
<br />
Stotsky then summarized her objections to this minimalist definition by explaining that a set of standards labeled as making students college-ready when the readiness level applies only to a certain type of college and to a low level of mathematical expertise wouldn’t command much international respect in areas like technology, economics, and business. Zimba appeared to agree as he then said "OK. Thank you." <br />
<br />
So these are the standards that <a href="http://dianeravitch.net/2013/08/25/letter-to-georgia-board-of-education-in-support-of-common-core-math/">Sybilla Beckmann recently described <i></i></a>by stating that "No standards I know of are better than the CCSS-M." Well, if you believe that then perhaps I can interest you in large bridge in NYC. As to the "third pathway" that Zimba mentioned above, it never actually existed. The version of CCSS-M Zimba was talking about was the March 10 public draft. It had placemarkers for the key calculus standards, but aside from those placemarkers, this version contained about the same material -- only in Geometry, Algebra I, Algebra II and a trig snippet -- as appears in the final version.<br />
<br />
Moreover, the calculus placemarkers and any hint of a third pathway are gone in the final version. It is also worth noting that Clifford Adelman did an analysis of the odds of completing a college degree based on the highest level math course completed in high school. The odds for Geometry were 16.7%, for Algebra II they were 39.3%, but for Trigonometry they were 60%, 74.6% for Precalculus, and 83.3% for Calculus. So we can estimate that a "minimally college ready student" has a less than 40% chance of completing a college degree. Is this really what the National Governor's Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers, and the Gates and Broad Foundations want for our youth? <br />
<br />
Yours, <br />
Jim Milgram<br />
concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-37705280989022026352013-08-26T19:48:00.002-05:002013-08-26T20:07:18.507-05:00School PerformanceI absolutely love the <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/news/multimedia/interactive-map-school-scores/html_c10cc899-0006-5025-891a-399992559af8.html"><b>Interactive Map on School Performance </b></a>in last week's St. Louis Post Dispatch! These are the percentages of students proficient or advanced on Missouri's state assessments in the districts where I live and work. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>This is the district where I work…</b> <br />
<br />
<b>Francis Howell High</b> <br />
English: 82.4 <br />
Math: 68.2 <br />
Science: 92.6 <br />
Social Studies: 70.6 <br />
<br />
<b>Francis Howell Central High</b><br />
English: 76.5<br />
Math: 53.5 <br />
Science: 91.5 <br />
Social Studies: 61.4 <br />
<br />
<b>Francis Howel North High</b><br />
English: 80.1 <br />
Math: 54.4 <br />
Science: 93.4 <br />
Social Studies: 62.2 <br />
<br />
<b>This is the district that my taxes support… </b><br />
<br />
<b>Ft. Zumwalt North High</b><br />
English: 75.8<br />
Math: 53.1<br />
Science: 92.8<br />
Social Studies: 57.4<br />
<br />
<b>Ft. Zumwalt South High</b><br />
English: 83.6<br />
Math: 51.1<br />
Science: 94.2<br />
Social Studies: 58.3<br />
<br />
<b>Ft. Zumwalt West High</b><br />
English: 78.6<br />
Math: 40.6<br />
Science: 92.6<br />
Social Studies: 58.3<br />
<br />
<b>Ft. Zumwalt East High</b><br />
English: 72.7<br />
Math: 34.2<br />
Science: 87.4<br />
Social Studies: 59<br />
<br />
<br />
Ft. Zumwalt's highest math score is lower that Francis Howell's lowest. Considering Zumwalt's dismal math performance, how can these two districts be so close on the <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/news/multimedia/interactive-local-school-district-test-score-table/html_99ac9cdc-dd77-596a-a6ec-d287b2a48f52.html">MSIP5 score card</a>? <br />
<br />
<b>Francis Howell: 96.4% <br />
Ft. Zumwalt: 92.9% </b><br />
<br />
In my opinion, academic performance should be the focus in scoring schools.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-25818761232369164012013-08-17T07:51:00.001-05:002013-08-17T07:51:21.982-05:00No Algebra 1 in 8th Grade => No Opportunity to Take Calculus while in High School<br />
Full Article Here => <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/north/2013/08/14/reading-new-math-curriculum-runs-into-protests/pGcNh0mavGxkHiJuFoSKaO/story.html">Boston Globe North, August 15 </a><br />
<br />
<br />
[Reading MA] has adopted a new sequence that leaves more than 80 percent of eighth-graders without a direct path to a high school calculus course. Only 18 percent will be enrolled in algebra 1, compared with 60 percent to 65 percent in previous years, according to Craig Martin, Reading’s assistant superintendent for learning and teaching.<br />
<br />
<br />
[Parents] have expressed concern that the school system’s departure from the traditional math sequence, which required a majority of students to take algebra 1 in eighth grade, may leave little room for a high school calculus class, a requirement at many colleges for acceptance into a science or engineering undergraduate program.concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-68542801978435316122013-07-26T08:21:00.002-05:002013-07-26T08:25:36.113-05:00Why restrict opportunities for students in an effort to reconcile with Common Core's Weak HS Math Content?<br />
<a href="http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/rtn/9th-annual/9th-annual-ap-report-double-page.pdf">Let's look at the AP 9th Annual Report to the Nation<br />
</a><br />
<br />
On page 15, figure 8 shows that the number of students that took a math and science AP exam inceased from 250,465 in 2002 to 497,924 in 2012, while the number of those students earning a score of 3 or higher (on a 5 point scale) increased from 154,450 in 2002 to 268,251 in 2012. <br />
<br />
Figure 9 shows the breakdown of the number of exams taken by subject in 2012, and the score distributions.<br />
<br />
Many of the calculus students at the school where I teach take APStats concurrently with the precalc study during their junior year, or they opt to take APStats concurrently with APCalc senior year. My point is that it has always been an option for students to take both AP Calc and AP Stats while in high school.<br />
<br />
I've been hoping that our district would offer APCompSci for quite a while. I've had many Calc and Alg 2 students who have indicated an interest in computer science. I really think we would have enough student interest to offer the course. Even if our district needed the comp sci teacher to travel amoung our three high schools, it will still be worth it to give our students this opportunity.<br />
<br />
I really don't understand why the College Board would consider "supplanting" AP Calculus and make a recommendation that <a href="http://improvingmathed.blogspot.com/2013/07/yeah-so-what-about-fidelity-to-stem.html">restricts opportunities for students </a>in an effort to reconcile Common Core's Weak HS Math Content?<br />
<br />
<i>Moreover, the College Board may offer an AP Algebra course (although no plans are definite), which may supplant AP Calculus, particularly in schools rigidly adhering to the Common Core standards.<br />
<a href="http://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=27296"></a></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-49991468214037703162013-07-24T10:58:00.003-05:002013-07-24T14:55:09.186-05:00Yeah, so what about fidelity to #STEM Fields? Info for #parents #teachers #legislators #edreform #CommonCoreI was so shocked by the information that the <a href="http://improvingmathed.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-about-fidelity-to-stem-fields.html">College Board was giving to school superintendents</a>, that I decided to do a little more research. <br />
<br />
<b>Please feel free to share my findings.<br />
</b><br />
My source for the information below is from the College Board's website <a href="https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/exploreap/ap-and-your-future">"Chart an AP Course to Your Future"</a> <br />
<br />
I only looked at CalcAB, CalcBC, Statistics, and Computer Science A because those were the courses under consideration in my previous post.<br />
<br />
I went through their lists of careers for each of these four AP courses. An important thing to know if you're not that familiar with AP Calculus is that many colleges and universities consider AP Calc AB equivalent to their Calc I course and AP Calc BC equivalent to both Calc I and Calc II. So it's a little confusing if you see a career on the College Board's Calc BC list that is not on the Calc AB list and that is because that career would required both Calc I and Calc II. <br />
<br />
<b>So, with that in mind, I interpret the information they've provided to mean that:</b> <br />
<br />
If a student is NOT prepared for the study of calculus (at some point), they would NOT have an opportunity to pursue these fields. <br />
<br />
Accounting<br />
Aerospace Engineering<br />
Agricultural Engineering<br />
Agriculture, General<br />
Air Transportation<br />
Anthropology<br />
Applied Mathematics<br />
Applied Physics<br />
Architecture<br />
Architectural Engineering<br />
Astronomy<br />
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology<br />
Biomedical Engineering<br />
Business Administration and Management<br />
Chemical Engineering<br />
Chemistry<br />
Civil Engineering<br />
Communication Sciences and Disorders<br />
Computer Engineering, General<br />
Computer Graphics<br />
Computer Networking and Telecommunications<br />
Computer Science<br />
Computer Software Engineering<br />
Economics<br />
Electrical Engineering<br />
Engineering and Industrial Management<br />
Engineering Technology<br />
Entrepreneurial Studies<br />
Environmental Engineering<br />
Environmental Science<br />
Environmental Studies<br />
Exercise Science<br />
Finance<br />
Fishing and Fisheries<br />
Forestry<br />
Geology <br />
Human Resources Management<br />
Industrial Engineering<br />
Information Science<br />
Information Technology<br />
International Business<br />
Management Information Systems<br />
Management Science<br />
Marine Biology<br />
Marketing<br />
Materials Engineering<br />
College Major<br />
Mathematics<br />
Mechanical Engineering<br />
Molecular Biology<br />
Natural Resouces Management and Policy<br />
Neuroscience<br />
Nuclear Engineering<br />
Nursing (RN)<br />
Nutrition Sciences<br />
Operations Management<br />
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching<br />
Physics<br />
Predentistry<br />
Premedicine<br />
Real Estate<br />
Statistics<br />
<br />
<br />
On the other hand, students who are NOT prepared to study Calculus COULD use their APStats and/or AP CompSciA credit by exam toward pursuing these fields:<br />
<br />
(careers on the College Board's Stats or CompSci list which are not on either Calc list)<br />
<br />
Botany<br />
Computer Forensics<br />
Criminal Justice<br />
Criminology<br />
Database Management<br />
Design and Visual Communications<br />
Ecology<br />
Education<br />
Electronics Technology<br />
Ethnic Studies, General<br />
Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies<br />
Geography<br />
Insurance<br />
Library and Information Science<br />
Linguistics<br />
Natural Resouces Management and Policy<br />
Physician Assistance<br />
Psychology<br />
Public Administration<br />
Public Policy Analysis<br />
Robotics Technology<br />
Social Work<br />
Studio Arts<br />
Urban Studies<br />
Web Development<br />
Zoology<br />
<br />
<br />
I really hope that “Public Policy Analysis” isn’t supposed to be on this second list! <br />
<br />
I also suspect that many professionals working in the fields on the second list actually did need calculus for their particular degree.<br />
concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-52721966818720071642013-07-19T17:01:00.001-05:002013-07-19T19:11:53.604-05:00What about "fidelity" to #STEM fields? #HigherEd #APCalc #Math #EdReform<br />
<a href="http://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=27296"><b>College Board: Reconciling AP Exams With Common Core</b></a><br />
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<br />
<i>Despite these measures, there are still difficulties in reconciling many AP courses with the Common Core. In particular, AP Calculus is in conflict with the Common Core, Packer said, and it lies outside the sequence of the Common Core because of the fear that it may unnecessarily rush students into advanced math classes for which they are not prepared.<br />
<br />
The College Board suggests a solution to the problem. of AP Calculus “If you’re worried about AP Calculus and fidelity to the Common Core, we recommend AP Statistics and AP Computer Science,” he told conference attendees.<br />
<br />
Moreover, the College Board may offer an AP Algebra course (although no plans are definite), which may supplant AP Calculus, particularly in schools rigidly adhering to the Common Core standards.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
THESE STATEMENTS ARE DISTURBING...I'm very concerned that Common Core will limit opportunities for students in mathematics.<br />
<br />
No, I'm not "<i>worried</i> about AP Calculus and fidelity to the Common Core" but this statement seems to show that proponents of Common Core should definitely reconsider the claims of "rigor" - regarding 7-12 math in particular.<br />
<br />
My mission is preparing students for <i>their</i> future endeavors, being responsible to their parents, my school leaders, our community and our locally elected school board, and being honest about education "reforms" that haven't proven beneficial to anyone.<br />
<br />
Right now, Common Core seems to be in conflict with my primary mission, especially as it relates to APCalc and PreAPCalc vertical alignment... i.e. Alg2, and PreCalc.<br />
<br />
Lisa Jones<br />
@proudmomom<br />
<br />
From Aug 2011 <a href="http://improvingmathed.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html">Weak Math</a><br />
<br />
concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-49404773839468845642013-05-12T09:04:00.000-05:002013-05-12T09:06:14.736-05:00#Education with #Representation #KeepEdLocal #StopCommonCore I read an article in the paper last week about the Fort Zumwalt school board’s support for Common Core. Only one board member expressed opposition to Common Core. While addressing the board, a person in charge of curriculum for the district explained how bad it would be for district teachers who have been working to implement these standards if their board didn’t support them. <br />
<br />
Does it seem strange to you that a purported feeling would be used as reason to continue supporting Common Core Standards? <br />
<br />
Some educators don’t seem to understand that they are public servants. Local school board members are representatives of the people in their districts. Their positions to support or oppose something should come from their constituents. The problem with the Common Core Standards issue is that few board members and district patrons have had time to research this Initiative. Citizens are just now becoming informed and school boards must respond accordingly.<br />
<br />
I’m writing this to urge citizens to research the Common Core Standards Initiative. Don’t play into the hegemony created by the education “experts” to silence your voice, remind local school board members that they represent you, demand that state legislature’s reign in all state entities that knowingly signed away state rights in joining the Common Core Standards Initiative. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://pioneerinstitute.org/download/the-road-to-a-national-curriculum/">Pioneer Institute: The Road to a National Curriculum</a><br />
<br />
<br />
I’m a teacher whose respect for individual liberty far outweighs my desire to go along and get along. . .<br />
<br />
Support MO SB210 and HB616concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-66297353715038318662013-04-15T20:22:00.001-05:002013-05-12T09:04:39.615-05:00Contact YOUR US House Representative to sign onto this letter #stopcommoncore #tcot #tlot #libertyDear Secretary Duncan,<br />
<br />
As you know, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allows Congress to authorize and allocate funding for public K-12 education and, most importantly, is the primary vehicle in which we implement education policy reform. Most recently reauthorized through the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), the ESEA’s authorization expired on September 30, 2008, and has yet to be reauthorized. Since the ESEA’s expiration, the Department of Education (Department) has moved forward with education policy reform without Congressional input. Such action is, at best, in contravention with precedent.<br />
<br />
In addition to expressing our concern with the Department’s circumvention of Congress to reform education policy, we are writing you to express our concerns with the implementation of Common Core standards and changes to federal data collection and disbursement policies.<br />
<br />
In 2009, forty-six governors signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Governor’s Association committing their states to the development and adoption of new education standards within three years. As we understand it, states then had the option of adopting Common Core standards or creating their own equivalent standards. At the time, Common Core standards were simply an idea where states would collaborate to create uniformed education standards. Details about Common Core were not only unknown to the states, they did not exist. From there, your department offered Race To The Top<br />
(RTTT) grants and NCLB waivers to states under the condition that each state would implement “college and career ready” standards. At the time, the only “college and career ready” standards with the Department’s approval were Common Core.<br />
<br />
In addition to serious concerns we have regarding the Department’s aforementioned coercion of states to opt-in to Common Core standards, many of which were and continue to have serious budgetary issues and specific issues with existing education policies, we have become increasingly concerned over the development of the Common Core standards themselves. Though initially promoted as state-based education standards, Common Core standards, as they have been developed over the last few years, are nothing of the sort. In just one very troubling instance, Common Core standards will replace state-based<br />
standardized testing with nationally-based standardized testing, the creation and initial implementation of which will be funded in full by the federal government. The long-term, annual administering of the exams, the cost of which has not been specified by the Department, is to be funded by the states.<br />
<br />
As representatives from states across the nation, we understand the diverse cultures and state-specific education needs that exist in America. We believe that state-driven education policy is vital to the success of our children and that Members of Congress can best demonstrate the specific needs of their constituents. As with most one-size-fits-all policies, Common Core standards fail to address these needs.<br />
<br />
As you know, because states opted-in to Common Core standards, there is little Congress can do to provide any relief from these burdensome and misguided standards. Instead, the ability to opt-out of these standards lies with the state. With that in mind, we will be working with our respective state legislatures and governors to provide relief to our education systems. In the meantime, we urge you to work with Members of Congress to reauthorize the ESEA in a manner that allows state-specific education needs to be addressed.<br />
<br />
Separate from reauthorization, we are extremely concerned over recent changes your department has made to the manner in which the federal government collects and distributes student data.<br />
<br />
As you know, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was signed into law in 1974, guaranteeing parental access to student education records and limiting their disclosure to third parties. FERPA was intended to address parents’ growing privacy concerns and grant parental access to the information schools use to make decisions that impact their children.<br />
<br />
Once again circumventing Congress, in 2011 your agency took regulatory action to alter definitions within FERPA. With the technological advances that have occurred in recent years, changes to FERPA deserve the full scrutiny of the legislative process more so than ever before.<br />
<br />
In addition, we understand that as a condition of applying for RTTT grant funding, states obligated themselves to implement a State Longitudinal Database System (SLDS) used to track students by obtaining personally identifiable information.<br />
<br />
Regarding these two very concerning changes to the manner in which government collects and distributes student data, we formally request a detailed description of each change to student privacy policy that has been made under your leadership, including the need and intended purpose for such changes. We also request that you submit to us the authority under which the Department has implemented Common Core,FERPA and SLDS.<br />
<br />
It is our sincere hope that the Department works with the Legislative Branch to implement any changes to education standards and student privacy policy. We look forward to your response and welcome the opportunity to address these issues in the future.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
__________________________<br />
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03)concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-43928807872888587162013-03-30T08:57:00.001-05:002013-03-30T08:59:54.621-05:00SB210 Wording Has Changed ~ Support HB616 #stopcommoncore #MOLeg #MOSen #tctot #tcot #tlot SB 210 (January 24, 2013)<br />
This act prohibits the State Board of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education from implementing the Common Core State Standards for public schools developed by the Common Core Standards Initiative or any other statewide education standards without the approval of the General Assembly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
SCS/SB 210 (March 27, 2013) (SCS Voted Do Pass S Education Committee)<br />
This act requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to conduct at least one public hearing in each Missouri congressional district prior to the full implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The Department must notify school districts and parents of public school students of the hearings at least two weeks in advance. <br />
<br />
<br />
At least two weeks prior to the first of the public hearings, the Department must perform a fiscal analysis of the projected cost to the state and school districts of the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The Department must also prepare, at least two weeks prior to the first of the public hearings, a report identifying any data that will be collected as a result of the Common Core State Standards and any governmental or quasi-governmental entities or consortium that collects or receives any data. These reports must be published on the Department's website and must be provided to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Joint Committee on Education. <br />
<br />
<br />
All public hearings must be completed by December 31, 2013. This act contains an emergency clause.<br />
<br />
<br />
HB616 Information <a href="http://www.missourieducationwatchdog.com/2013/03/house-bill-616-voted-out-of-committee.html">HERE</a> Sign Petition to StopCommonCore implementation in Missouri!concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-85083285095366153802013-03-17T18:01:00.001-05:002013-05-12T09:05:39.520-05:00Observations/Questions<div class='posterous_autopost'><div>When I graduated from high school in the 80s, I remember commenting to the local newspaper in an interview that the curriculum was lacking and that I could have learned more. I greatly appreciate my small town upbringing now, there were many aspects other than the curriculum that were beneficial, but I knew I wasn't prepared for college. I had a very steep hill to climb. </div><div> </div><div>I struggled throughout college, academically and financially; balancing family time, studies and many hours of work was tough. My math professors were demanding and encouraging...my husband was my cheerleader... they all saw me through...</div><div> </div><div>I worked as a research assistant for 18 months, when I couldn't find a teaching job, it was a God-send that opened my eyes in so many ways. I took dictation for a beautifully brilliant female math professor for part of the day. We corresponded with mathematicians from all over the world. I imagined how empowering that technology could be in teaching children to realize their individual potential. We also corresponded with many influential people that were concerned about mathematics education in the U.S. We often took breaks for tea and discussed the issues at hand that day. I grew to love tea time... </div><div> </div><div>In her writing, she coined a phrase that "school mathematics should be a pump, not a filter" this is a concept that has stayed close to my heart for many years. Students with "latent abilities" in mathematics must be supported in a learning environment that keeps opportunities open to them.</div><div> </div><div>Let's fast forward to the present... Rather than developing and utilizing technology to support individuals in realizing their cognitive potential, we have the Common Core Standards Initiative. We are expected to passively embrace a centralized initiative that will limit the content taught in schools, undermine individual liberty of students, parents, teachers and administrators, limit the power of our locally elected school boards, and limit choice of educational materials available in the market place because of the huge rush to implement Common Core. The whole "initiative" is antithetical to true freedom. </div><div> </div><div>Twenty or so years ago, when I first began teaching, I honestly expected to see the day when technology would break open great opportunities for students and teachers. I'm not talking about technology for technology's sake, I mean huge strides in cognitive development. Here are some questions that I had hoped would be answered by now...</div><div> </div><div>Why do students still carry books and notebooks when we claim to spend thousands a year per pupil?</div><div>Why are school districts still investing tax dollars in copy machines and paper, teacher time in standing at the copier and grading paper and pencil assessments, rather than designing content specific learning opportunities?</div><div>Why don't we use technology to teach students how to create their own individual concept maps in a secure environment?</div><div> </div><div>I have to say...these seem like issues that Bill Gates has the power and resources to address, if he really cared about individuals reaching their fullest potential. Instead he has invested heavily in creating a system of centralization, uniformity, and a captive market... yes, he's a very smart business man... but is it right?</div><div> </div><div>Please don't respond to this in the comment section...I don't check them often enough... </div><div>You can reach me @proudmomom on twitter. </div><div>Thank you, Lisa</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><p style="font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via email</a> from <a href="http://concernedabouteducation.posterous.com/observationsquestions">concernedabouteducation's posterous</a> </p></div>concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-83570790274659558922013-03-02T09:27:00.001-06:002013-03-02T09:27:20.947-06:00#HB631 #HB616 #SB210 #MOLeg #MOSen #edreform #liberty #statesovereignty<div class='posterous_autopost'><div>The school district where I teach has always dismissed ineffective teachers. Our administrators are very thorough and follow through on the procedures required to document unprofessional behavior and ineffective teaching practices. Additional legislation may be needed to assist some districts and school boards in achieving this task, but I maintain that the procedures have always been in place, even under our current tenure rules. </div> <div> </div><div>I'm a little concerned about the Value-Added-Model being employed in HB 631 because honestly, my evaluators haven't always been knowledgeable in my subject matter. It's impossible for administrators/evaluators to know all of the upper level content courses in our schools. To use VAM in the future, they will be reliant on individual student assessments from current and previous years. </div> <div> </div><div>I teach upper-level math to classes of 20-30 students who naturally have widely varying ability levels - yes, even in calculus. Students at the upper end of the spectrum unfortunately don't progress as far as students at the lower end, over the course of the year, because instructional techniques must remediate for struggling students in order for the entire class to move forward. I haven't seen a VAM that accommodates for that fact, but it the model exists, we don't have assessments to address this mathematics, and if we did, our state does not have the technological infrastructure to administer the model fairly and accurately across disciplines. </div> <div> </div><div>My concern is that the VAM "ideology" precedes the reality of implementation - which is often the case... and the assessments utilized will soon to be associated with mediocre Common Core standards, unless our legislators pass HB616 and SB 210.</div> <div> </div><div>The Common Core standards movement has gained ground only on ideology from the onset. When the idea was first discussed four or five years ago, I was like most conservatives in thinking it could be good to have "common" baseline standards for public schools. Two things changed my mind almost from the onset: 1) they really weren't "baseline" standards because they introduced the 85% cap in the first draft and it remained in the final draft, and 2) there is no virtuous reason that these standards need a copyright, in this day of open source educational materials available from reputable colleges and universities everywhere, unless there was alterior motive. </div> <div> </div><div>Those were the things that induced my personal questioning of the CCSS "initiative", but since that time, much substantive research has been conducted by <a href="http://truthinamericaneducation.com/uncategorized/retaining-constitutionally-guaranteed-liberty-and-state-sovereignty-2/">questioning minds</a> through the <a href="http://whatiscommoncore.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/which-states-aim-to-reclaim-educational-liberty/">US</a>. Although I can't attend the upcoming hearing on SB210, I urge Missouri's legislators to represent their constituents by thoroughly researching the <a href="http://whatiscommoncore.wordpress.com/tag/robert-scott/">memorandum of agreement</a> that signed away our state's sovereignty in education.</div> <div> </div><div><a href="http://www.senate.mo.gov/13info/pdf-bill/intro/SB210.pdf" target="_blank">MO SB 210</a> has a hearing scheduled for March 6, 2012 in the Senate Education Committee</div> <div> </div><div><a href="http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills131/biltxt/intro/HB0616I.htm" target="_blank">MO HB 616</a> has been referred to the Downsizing State Government Committee </div> <div>[Shouldn't that be Downsizing the FEDERAL Government?] </div><div><p /> </div> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via email</a> from <a href="http://concernedabouteducation.posterous.com/hb631-hb616-sb210-moleg-mosen-edreform-libert">concernedabouteducation's posterous</a> </p> </div>concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151709103899518019.post-77844127429596126602013-02-20T05:35:00.001-06:002013-02-20T05:35:37.369-06:00Active Links for #MidRiversNewsmagazine LTE on #CCSS<div class='posterous_autopost'> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I didn't know this would be published, but since it was...here are the active links.</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span> </div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">When I read the cover title “Changing Curriculum for better or worse” I thought this would be a balanced article, but nothing could be further from the truth.<span> </span></span></div> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Common Core Standards Initiative was NOT “State-Led”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Heritage Foundation and The Pioneer Institute have chronicled the progression of Common Core over the last few years.<span> </span>It was not state-led as they claim because our locally elected officials were not involved in signing off on the adoptions and public hearings were not held.<span> </span>Our Governor and State Board of Education signed away our state sovereignty in education and ceded local control of our elected school boards.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Please read:<span> </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">States Must Reject National Education Standards While There Is Still Time </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/04/states-must-reject-national-education-standards-while-there-is-still-time?query=States+Must+Reject+National+Education+Standards+While+There+Is+Still+Time">http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/04/states-must-reject-national-education-standards-while-there-is-still-time?query=States+Must+Reject+National+Education+Standards+While+There+Is+Still+Time</a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Road to a National Curriculum:<span> </span><span>The Legal Aspects of the Common Core Standards, Race to the Top, and Conditional Waivers</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://pioneerinstitute.org/download/the-road-to-a-national-curriculum/">http://pioneerinstitute.org/download/the-road-to-a-national-curriculum/</a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Common Core Standards are not rigorous or internationally bench-marked</span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sandra Stotsky in “Common Core Standards’ Devastating Impact on Literary Study and Analytical Thinking” <a href="http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/12/questionable-quality-of-the-common-core-english-language-arts-standards">http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/12/questionable-quality-of-the-common-core-english-language-arts-standards</a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Common Core’s standards not only present a serious threat to state and local education authority, but also put academic quality at risk. Pushing fatally flawed education standards into America’s schools is not the way to improve education for America’s students.</span></i></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Math Professor Jim Milgram served on the Validation Committee for Common Core and did not sign-off on them. His testimony to the Indiana Senate Education Panel for Hearing on Senate Bill 373 is available here:<i><span> </span><a href="http://hoosiersagainstcommoncore.com/math/mathematics-professor-james-milgrams-testimony/">http://hoosiersagainstcommoncore.com/math/mathematics-professor-james-milgrams-testimony/</a></i></span></p> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span> </div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Important information from Utahn’s Against Common Core<i></i></span></div> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.utahnsagainstcommoncore.com/truth-in-american-education-vs-a-complete-resource-guide-for-utahs-core-standards/">http://www.utahnsagainstcommoncore.com/truth-in-american-education-vs-a-complete-resource-guide-for-utahs-core-standards/</a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Stotsky served on the official Common Core Validation Committee and was among those who refused to sign off that the Common Core standards were, in fact, adequate.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Commenting on “A Complete Resource Guide On Utah’s Core Standards<span>,”</span> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Stotsky states, “<span>lies and unsupported claims”</span> abound in the document.<span> </span>She also writes:</span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“the writers didn’t even get the committee I was on right. I was appointed to the Validation Committee, not the Standards Development Committee, and along with the one mathematician on the Validation Committee (and 3 others) eclined to sign off on the final version of Common Core’s standards.</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The writers keep repeating ad nauseam that Common Core was a state-led effort. Everyone knows most of the effort was financed by the Gates Foundation and that Gates chose the standards writers who had no qualifications for writing K-12 standards in either ELA or math (David Coleman and Jason Zimba).</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">… I frankly can’t spend time on people who can’t document with citations their claims. What country was used for international benchmarking? Where’s the evidence?</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The document simply repeats the false claims made by CCSSO from the beginning.”</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">-----------------------------------</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This was in the email correspondence, but left out of the printed comment:</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span> </div> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">More Expert Testimony available at What Is Common Core?<span> </span>Education without Representation</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://whatiscommoncore.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/expert-testimony-about-common-core/">http://whatiscommoncore.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/expert-testimony-about-common-core/</a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Michelle Malking has recently written about Common Core Standards here:</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rotten to the Core (Part 1): Obama’s War on Academic Standards </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://michellemalkin.com/2013/01/23/rotten-to-the-core-obamas-war-on-academic-standards-part-1/">http://michellemalkin.com/2013/01/23/rotten-to-the-core-obamas-war-on-academic-standards-part-1/</a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rotten to the Core (Part 2): Readin’, Writin’ and Deconstructionism</span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://michellemalkin.com/2013/01/25/rotten-to-the-core-part-2-readin-writin-and-deconstructionism/">http://michellemalkin.com/2013/01/25/rotten-to-the-core-part-2-readin-writin-and-deconstructionism/</a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 2in;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span> </p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rotten to the Core: Reader feedback from the frontlines</span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://michellemalkin.com/2013/01/31/rotten-to-the-core-reader-feedback-from-the-frontlines/">http://michellemalkin.com/2013/01/31/rotten-to-the-core-reader-feedback-from-the-frontlines/</a></span></p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via email</a> from <a href="http://concernedabouteducation.posterous.com/active-links-for-midriversnewsmagazine-lte-on">concernedabouteducation's posterous</a> </p> </div>concernedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14374789062880735051noreply@blogger.com0