I've decided to dedicate this post to talking about the common core and the Sage testing system that Utah has adopted. There is so much confusion and misinformation out there and it's really frustrating as a teacher when I hear things from parents or online that people post and wonder, "where did you see that? Where are you getting your information?" Perhaps I am the one who is misinformed, but my understanding of the common core seems to be very different than the public's opinion. So maybe I can answer some questions or clear up some confusion. If nothing else, I at least want to offer an alternative viewpoint.
First of all, the common core does not come from the federal government. It comes from the governors of each state. They got together and created this. So if you're going to be mad at someone for adopting it in your state, it's the governor,r not the president, you should direct your anger.
Second of all, we've always had a core!! I don't think people realize this. The state has always had a set of standards they would like teachers to cover throughout the course of the school year. In the past, it has been up to each individual state to decide what those standards are. The only thing different with the common core is the word "common". This means that Utah and other states who've adopted it, now cover the same the set of standards for each grade. Why is this important? We live in a mobile society. I have students moving in and out from different states all the time. It's nice when a new student moves in that they are able to see that what they've been learning in their old town is similar and familiar. We also want students to be college and career ready--having a set of standards across the board helps students be college and career ready no matter which institution they choose after completing high school.
Having a common core does not take away teacher creativity or make teachers mindless robots who spoon-feed our students the same information. For example, in the common core it says students will: "demonstrate understanding of figurative language...interpret figures of speech"(language standard 6.5 in the core) In my classroom, this means we are reading a book called Love That Dog by Sharon Creech (a book written in poems) and discussing poetic elements and finding examples to fill out on our graphic organizers. Students are also keeping their own poetry journals (like Jack does in the story) and we are practicing writing different kinds of poems using figurative language.
In the back of the core there is a list of "suggested readings" to use in each grade level. This caused some people some concern. Do you have to use these readings? No. They are "suggested" and if your school chooses not to use those readings then they should be comparable to the suggested readings in relation to text complexity (basically, choose books that are appropriate, yet challenging for your students). Choosing books for students to read is always an issue. Parents have been getting upset about novels read in schools since the beginning of time. A common core didn't start that debate.
Some people feel the common core is not rigorous enough. To that, I would suggest getting on the common core website and reading the core standards in each subject for your child's grade level. I feel that they are incredibly challenging. I am pushing my students more now than I ever did with the old state core. Do you know the difference between a reflexive and intensive pronoun or how to use and punctuate an appositive correctly? My 6th graders do.
Some people feel that the common core is taking away student's creativity. Again, I disagree. It's true that at the middle school level and beyond that the focus starts to shift from narrative (stories) to more expository (informational). Students come to us at the middle able to write a story at the drop of the hat. And that's great. We spend an entire trimester (12 weeks) letting students practice that. Then during second trimester we introduce essay writing and the proper format of that type of writing. Isn't that important too? Unless your child majors in creative writing, they will need to know how to write a report in college and in their job. Even jobs that don't require a degree will still require them to write a report of some kind. Third trimester we focus on argumentative writing. We teach students how to do conduct research using reliable websites and books and how to use their research to back up their opinions (instead of just saying ...because it's the best or ...because I like it.) All three kinds of writing are important and being able to read all three kinds of writing is important too. Students should be well rounded. I don't know about other districts, but at our high school some of the electives offered include classes that focus just on creative writing or reading science fiction or reading memoirs. Students are also welcome to work on their interests outside of school. Nothing says they can't write stories at home. As parents, I hope we don't just leave it to the school to provide creative outlets.
Now the SAGE test. Another tool that is greatly misunderstood. Again, Utah has always had an end of the year test. In the 8 years that I've been teaching, this is the 3rd change in end of level tests I've seen. The other two changes were fine with no complaints. But this new test has gotten people all hot and bothered.
The old testing system (NWEA) was multiple choice test. The SAGE test has part of it that is multiple choice, but other parts that are not. For example, instead of asking students to read a passage and then select the main idea from options A,B,C,D. It will ask students to read a passage and then use their cursor to highlight the main idea. As a teacher, I love this. With multiple choice, a student can have no idea and still get the answer right. It's still possible to guess and get the answer right using the new system, but the chances are slimmer. Why are people freaking out about this? Yes, the questions are linked to the common core. But if your student has been taught the common core all year long, doesn't it make sense that they are tested on it at the end? There is also a writing section to the test which is new. Students are required to write 2 different essays on a different topics. Apparently people against the common core have found so-called "political agendas" in the writing prompts. I think you can read political agendas into almost anything.
Also, the SAGE test is not a federally mandated or created test. The SAGE test was created specifically for Utah by the Utah State Office of Education. Most other states are using a test called "SmarterBalance" for their end of year testing. Utah opted out of this and decided to create its own test. There are rumors going around the during the SAGE test, random personal questions questions pop up and students have to answer them before they can move on to the next section. These are RUMORS! Totally untrue. Do you think Utah, one of the most conservative states in the US, would create a test like that? The Sage test questions were also reviewed and approved by a panel of Utah educators and Utah parents.
In short, I feel like opponents of the common core are basing their information on fear. Fear that government is doing this big brother/1984 type thing and is watching our every move through our children and tracking our political views through testing and I just don't see that. If there's a question on the SAGE that says, "How many guns does your family own" then I'll start to get nervous. Until then, it's just a test and the common core is trying to help our students be college and career ready.
For more information on the common core go to: corestandards.org
For information on the Sage test and to see sample test questions in each subject area: sageportal.org
**Update April 28, 2014: Thank you for being concerned about your child's education. Also, thank you for realizing that I wrote this mostly to get my own feelings/frustrations out. Yes, the information is simplified bc I was not intending to write a scholarly article for the few readers (friends/family) who check my blog.I definitely don't claim to be an expert on the CC or Sage nor will I claim that it is perfect. And as someone pointed out, I know I am a teacher and this post is riddled with spelling/ grammar errors. I am a teacher, but also a wife and a mother--I write quickly when I get a few minutes. I also want to add that although many of you feel like I am just reiterating old points, where I live, these are some of the most common questions I get from friends and parents. Good for you if you know all this already, but many people still don't and have found this information helpful. If this information is not helpful to you, feel free to disregard it and continue with your day.
***Update 2016: Florida was ranked #1 on the Nation's Report Card with a score of a B+, based on how their students performed on end of year testing. Interestingly enough--Florida bought the SAGE questions/program from Utah to use as their own end of level test. Utah was #17 in the nation with a score of a C+ and this score has improved over the last few years since adopting the common core.
