The Slow Death of Common Core

Canada Free Press ^ | 05/20/15 | Al Caruba

[Semperfiwife]

Common Core mathematics is the exact same thing that was foisted upon me in the 60’s as New Math. To this day, I can not multiply by without having to go up to the nearest ten and count back how many I am multiplying by rather than just knowing an immutable fact by heart.
My grandson is in 6th grade and I was able to help him with his Common Core math problem that took 20 steps to add numbers!! It was stupid in the 60’s and it is a travesty today. I

[Hardens Hollow]

“. All you teacher haters let me see you handle that one. “

I wouldn’t say we are ‘teacher haters’. I just don’t understand someone who works in a job controlled by liberals where they are forced to be ineffective, and worse - promote socialism/fascism. Selling one’s soul for money.

I have a credential in math, chemistry, and physics. But after seeing how dumbed down schools have gotten and how little I was expected to actually teach, not to mention all the liberal administration’s interference - in 2 states, CA and TX - I went on to something that would be a credit to my life and abilities instead of counting the days until summer or the years to retirement.

[prof.h.mandingo]

Let me bow down to my superior. It isn’t all bad. We have teachers with Bible’s on their desks. Liberal? I don’t think so. But we do have to tow certain lines that do wear one out.
We are non union and proud of it. I always wanted to teach and after about 25 years in the public (law enforcement) and private sectors ( business owner,insurance claims consultant) I had the opportunity to teach. My wife is in law so that allows me to be able to afford the profession. I could not afford to otherwise.
I am allowed to teach what I want at this point. I told you we ignore Common Core as much as possible. I am at an Alternative School. Drug, violence etc but most of the kids are not as bad as advertised. If you saw what they came from you would not wonder why they are in the shape they are.
I have the occasional victory, students who tell me the only reason they didn’t drop out was me and my class. So I guess I am a failure. But I can live with that.
I wish I could be as great as you obviously are.
You know there are private schools out there. But I guess you are too good for them.
BTW I am still here because my granddaughters are in private schools and it is not cheap.
Yes I want out of the trenches but maybe,just maybe, you are the coward for refusing to fight.

[Hardens Hollow]

Sorry you feel so defensive.

I am nobody’s superior, I just won’t fight a losing battle. If you are making headway and helping kids, that’s great. I left Mexifornia for the same reason - and people here have told me that I’ve run away from the fight. Oh, well, I respect those that want to fight to the bitter end. But for myself, I felt like I was wasting my life (in both issues) and wanted to do something different.

You started off talking about ‘teacher haters’, so the chip was already there, I didn’t place it. I was explaining, perhaps harshly. sorry about that. Being on a forum in a profession that is largely liberal will net that kind of response. Kinda like being a lawyer on most forums ;)

The big picture is public education, and even some private, is doing this country in because of liberal takeover. One school, a handful of teachers might be great - but the trend is not a good one.

I taught in a private school. The most expensive private Christian high school in Bakersfield, CA. It was sickening because the standards there were lower than public schools. In order to get more tuition money, they had to let in any student that could pay. Most parents expected A’s for their money, so they got them. And most students had to take remedial math once they got to college. OTOH, my son went to a great private school until I homeschooled him. So, no, I’m not too good to teach or put my kids in a private school. Weird how you would assume that. But not all private schools are good, it is buyer beware. I don’t know why I went into that...I guess because you brought up private schools, for some reason.