Friday, 14 February 2014 12:04

Perspectives On Common Core In Curriculum From Teachers At South Glens Falls

By Colette Linton | Education
SOUTH GLENS FALLS – Two teachers from the South Glens Falls School District relayed their viewpoints to Saratoga TODAY about the implementation, effectiveness and applicability of New York’s Common Core standards. For elementary math teacher Jerilyn Hogan, a teacher of 22 years, and high school English teacher Kathleen Skellie, in her 20th year as an educator, said that working with Common Core entails regularly reading and discussing the learning standards with other faculty in their grade level and how to apply them within their respective grade levels. It is the framework that these two teachers try to plan into their daily curriculum. Some of the challenges in implementing Common Core have been the need to “catch up”, as Hogan put it, to meet the “new standards and curricular material so that they (the students) can successfully learn what we are teaching currently”. Skellie said that it is the New York State Module, a packaged curricular translation of Common Core standards that educators use to implement Common Core, which sometimes creates the challenge. Here’s what else they said: Q: Do you see Common Core as an effective way of evaluating teachers and students? Hogan: Yes, I believe that it is a piece of how teachers should be evaluated because it is our responsibility to instruct students based on this set of standards. However, many other aspects of our day are also taken into account to evaluate us as professionals, not just the Core. Students need to be evaluated on what they are learning in school to ensure that they are reaching the standards set for them. Since they are learning based on the Common Core, they should be evaluated based on the Core. However, just as much more is taken into account for teachers, many other methods are used daily to evaluate students to help them learn in a way that best suits their needs. Skellie: Herein lays the challenge. This is the issue that has driven the conversation that ends up focused on the Common Core, but is really about the linking of assessments to teacher and student performance. […] Tests were realigned to the new learning standards in some cases prior to students having been exposed to or educated under the learning umbrella of these new standards. Therefore, basing student growth and teacher performance was a bit premature considering the lack of transition time between the roll out of the new learning standards and the change in the testing. Q: How do you respond to parents who feel Common Core eliminates the creative ability of teachers and doesn’t allow them to tailor education to individual student needs? Hogan: In the early stages of the implementation of the Common Core, creativity may not seem as apparent, but it is there. Speaking for myself, I feel that I am much more comfortable with the core at this point in the school year and am able to be more creative with lessons, activities and projects within the class. Through this creativity individual needs of students can be met through differentiating the types of activities to suit individual learning styles. Skellie: As a parent I understand the concern and how this could be the perception. There are many issues driving this change, one is fear. As a district strives to meet the Common Core and chooses the modules to achieve this goal there needs to be time for teachers to work through the new materials (what needs to be taught) and merge the how (which is the creative, individuality a teacher brings to the classroom and profession) to create the ideal learning experience for all stakeholders. If this time and internal supports are not provided, it may feel like their child is being buried with worksheets. However, this isn’t a symptom of the Common Core but a symptom of how the districts are implementing the Common Core. Q: Do you think that Common Core will better prepare students for the future workforce, or simply better prepare them to take tests? Hogan: The Common Core allows students to look much deeper into subjects to understand their relevance finding the “why” along with the “how” to get the answer. The Core is creating thinkers, problem solvers, and learners with the goal of developing productive citizens and a workforce ready to face the demands of the 21st century. The tests assess what the students have learned within the Common Core. Skellie: It all depends on the fidelity with which the changes are implemented. I truly believe the standards and learning targets represented in the Common Core will better prepare our students for the future workplace. […] I use an analogy when I am explaining the differences I see between the Common Core and the previous NYS English Language Arts (ELA) 2005 Learning Standards. With the 2005 standards I felt like I was skipping stones across the surface of the ocean to hit the vast learning targets in the 2005 standards, whereas with the Common Core it feels more like deep sea diving, I have the time to take students to greater depths of understanding on core learning targets and increase the rigor of those experiences, instead of just touching the surface. Q: How do you balance standardized test preparation, testing and the general curriculum? Hogan: Each day, students learn concepts, skills, and content within the Common Core Learning Standards. Tests throughout the year are given to assess how students are learning and to collect data guiding teacher instruction. The NYS assessments near the end of a school year, measure student achievement within the Core. Third grade is the first year students take the New York State examinations in Math and ELA. Before the tests are administered, we take time to familiarize students with the format, so the students are properly assessed on learning standards and not whether they understand the format of a test. Skellie: This is going to be a much more personal answer. When I first started teaching in 1995, two experienced and master teachers gave me the best advice, teach to the students’ needs and the standards, which is teaching beyond the test. Then the exams will just be moments along the students educational journey. I know this sounds highly idealistic but it is my belief system and as an educator who has taught classes of students with a range of a Third grade reading level to a college reading level, in the same class, it works. I focus on the student and provide a rich, aligned curriculum with the testing expectations in mind, but not driving the work. Q: The state Board of Regents slowed down reforms on Monday that give New York public schools five more years to fully implement the standards in place and give teachers two years’ amnesty from the consequences of tests linked to the new standard. How do you feel about this? Does it take some pressure off your work? Skellie: I agree with the two year amnesty from testing because I felt that they were rushing the implementation of the testing when the teachers and students hadn’t even had the opportunity for a continuum of exposure and experience with the new curriculum. In terms of taking pressure off yes and no. It gives an opportunity to approach the shifts with time to read through all of the resources, explore the intent and meaning with colleagues in building their understanding of the Common Core learning standards and provides teachers the time to merge the what (content of what students should be taught) with the how (the instructional strategies, creativity and unique approaches to instruction that each teacher brings to the profession).
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