Common Core Standards Draft Released

The Common Core Standards are an initiative to standardize American public education.
Each state has had its own disparate (sometimes a very long list) standards.

The comments are open to the public until April 2nd.
In New York, the link is: Toolkit for Common Core Standards NY
To post comments: http://www.forms2.nysed.gov/emsc/ocis/ccssm.cfm

The GED is a Common Standard

http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ged/test/math.htm

A Common Core accepted standard is the GED.

National Educational Standards...Leadership

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/05/opinion/05herbert.html?_r=1&ref=opinion
This Bob Herbert op-ed piece outlines a new Harvard Ph D in Educational Leadership that will emphasize reform, learning and policy. He discusses the challenges of public education in our country with its video game culture and high dropout rate.

Leadership is essential in education at the national, district, school and classroom level. Will add some leadership links later in the month.

Goals for Math Classes: Reasoning and Sense Making

This brand new NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) guidebook Focus in High School Mathematics: Reasoning and Sense Making highlights reasoning opportunities in five specific content areas of the high school mathematics curriculum.

Reasoning with Numbers and Measurements
Reasoning with Algebraic Symbols
Reasoning with Functions
Reasoning with Geometry
Reasoning with Statistics and Probability

Core Standards for Math

http://www.corestandards.org/

This is an interesting initiative supported by many governors, the College Board and Achieve in a quest to form national standards.

34 = 65

This article by Diane Ravitch highlights the curve of Regents exams. On the Regents administered yesterday 30/87 (34%) results in a passing score of 65. With higher standards and clearer meaning of scores in grades 3- 8, expectations and learning will improve.

Here's the link to the article: http://www.nypost.com/seven/08132009/postopinion/opedcolumnists/toughen_the_tests_184289.htm

National Standard? How's the SAT or ACT?

The Obama administration plans to spend $350 million on national standards -- perhaps Mr. Duncan and his team will consider the SAT and/or ACT which provide an acceptable and common body of knowledge for the college admissions process and is the closest to a national exit exit exam. http://mathconfidence.blogspot.com/search/label/curriculum

In NYC, the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) is a similar indicator for early eighth graders. While some may not prefer standardized exams, test prep can be a tool for teaching and learning especially if old or sample exams are available. Many common Math mistakes and misconceptions can be diagnosed through the use of multiple choice with “good wrong answers” -- this seems to make a stronger impact than just teaching them the right way to do it!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/14/AR2009061402660_Comments.html