[cdad]

Common Core is a set of standards that most states will use, although some have opted out. If used correctly, the lessons should hold each teacher and school district accountable. Basically, you have the students figure out where the answer comes from and work together to form opinions and answers. We teach this way already at our school.

I was hoping you would answer the question about the transgender law that was passed in California and the mandates that you may or may not have been advised of.

[teacherjenn4]

I was hoping you would answer the question about the transgender law that was passed in California and the mandates that you may or may not have been advised of.

OOPS, Sorry. Yes, we had a meeting about it last week. We were told that any child may choose which restroom they wish to use. So, a boy may use the girls, and vice-versa. It's not too popular, but who are we to decide? We are told that this is law and we must abide by it. There is a lot of anti-bullying attached to it, also. We're definitely on the lookout. I doubt it will happen too much in my grade, but I did have a 4th grade boy a long time ago who insisted we all call him Helen. I guess this new law was right up his alley.

[Wondergirl]

I did have a 4th grade boy a long time ago who insisted we all call him Helen. I guess this new law was right up his alley.

Was there a staffing about this, or how did other staff handle it? Did anyone (children, adults) call him Helen?

[teacherjenn4]

TJ, If I can ask about class size, what's the curriculum, including any extra curricular activities, parental involvement, meal program after, and before school programs, teacher support systems and most important the average income for the students parents. Do you have individual counseling and tutoring or special needs program, and program for at risk students. I would just love to pick your brain for things that could work elsewhere.

We have 30 to 1 in K. 32 to 1 in 1-3, and 4-6 is 35 to 1. No aides. Parents are involved if they care to be and many of them are super involved. We have lunch only and if the student qualifies, it is free or reduced fee. We have no before school programs, but after school we have the Boys and Girls Club for care. It is at a cost. We also have extra activities like Math and tutoring provided by outside companies for a fee. We have district counselors on site as needed. We have all of the special needs children housed at our school for the entire district. At risk students are at every site in our district.
The difference here is choice. We were interviewed and chosen for our positions. Normally, we place a transfer to move from position to position. Students are chosen by lottery. They can be from our district or outside of it. Parents must provide transportation and they also must purchase uniforms. This is new an innovative, and it works. Everyone has chosen to be here, from staff to students.

[teacherjenn4]

Was there a staffing about this, or how did other staff handle it? Did anyone (children, adults) call him Helen?

He told me about it and his classmates. It took place in my room and we all called him Helen. I wanted to inform his parents, but I thought they'd think I believed something was wrong with him. I just let it go.

[Wondergirl]

He told me about it and his classmates.

And at bathroom-break time? (When I taught Pre-K and subbed in K, we had two one-toilet bathrooms, so "Helen" wouldn't have been a problem.)

[teacherjenn4]

And at bathroom-break time? (When I taught Pre-K and subbed in K, we had two one-toilet bathrooms, so "Helen" wouldn't have been a problem.)

He never brought it up, but we probably wouldn't have accommodated that type of thing in those days.

[Tuttyd]

Back to the problem with public schools...and this whole "inclusiveness" bullsh*t.

Educational relativism has as an important element the need for inclusiveness. You cannot dismiss the problem with a one-liner that skirts around the problem.

In an odd sort of way you bemoan the very thing you want to defend. That is the right of the state to make their own educational agenda.

[talaniman]

Most people who don't know just the costs of printing school books makes us slaves of the larger states. To be specific since Texas uses more book and revises them to the conservative point of view, smaller states adapt those books for themselves and learn the conservative views of Texas.

Rooting for a Uniform Nationwide Education Curriculum - Health Related Reading

See this together with how the Texas Board of Education has just decided that it doesn't want any federal money since refusing it gives it the freedom to bring religion into its education curriculum (they are making sure that Thomas Jefferson's writings are all excised from Texas schoolbooks), and you begin to see a very special occurrence taking shape.

How Texas Inflicts Bad Textbooks on Us by Gail Collins | The New York Review of Books

Texas is hardly the only state with small, fierce pressure groups trying to dictate the content of textbooks. California, which has the most public school students, tends to come at things from the opposite side, pressing for more reflection of a crunchy granola worldview. “The word in publishing was that for California you wanted no references to fast food, and in Texas you wanted no references to sex,” Quinn told me. But California's system of textbook approval focuses only on books for the lower grades. Professor Keith Erekson, director of the Center for History Teaching and Learning at the University of Texas at El Paso, says that California often demands that its texts have a Californiacentric central narrative that would not be suitable for anywhere else, while “the Texas narrative can be used in other states.” Publishers tend to keep information on who buys how much of what secret, but Erekson said he's seen estimates that the proportion of social studies textbooks sold containing the basic Texas-approved narrative range from about half to 80 percent.

[Tuttyd]

Most people who don't know just the costs of printing school books makes us slaves of the larger states. To be specific since Texas uses more book and revises them to the conservative point of view, smaller states adapt those books for themselves and learn the conservative views of Texas.

Rooting for a Uniform Nationwide Education Curriculum - Health Related Reading



How Texas Inflicts Bad Textbooks on Us by Gail Collins | The New York Review of Books

Spot on.Yet another example of the argument I have been putting forward that has fallen on deaf ears. I know that most of us from time to time want to bury our heads in the sand, but this is getting to the stage whereby we just about have the whole body covered in sand.

[speechlesstx]

Educational relativism has as an important element the need for inclusiveness. You cannot dismiss the problem with a one-liner that skirts around the problem.

In an odd sort of way you bemoan the very thing you want to defend. That is the right of the state to make their own educational agenda.

We've always had standards, SATs. etc. you seem to be under the impression there is only one road to get there. Does Australia use the same curriculum as France or the UK? Do your private schools mimic the public schools?

I see no conflict in having a goal to reach and having different methods of getting there. I am speaking specifically of public, taxpayer funded schools getting back to the basics of educating instead of indoctrinating, left or right. It's just like the IRS scandal, the government is supposed to be neutral.

[Tuttyd]

We've always had standards, SATs. etc., you seem to be under the impression there is only one road to get there. Does Australia use the same curriculum as France or the UK? Do your private schools mimic the public schools?

I see no conflict in having a goal to reach and having different methods of getting there. I am speaking specifically of public, taxpayer funded schools getting back to the basics of educating instead of indoctrinating, left or right. It's just like the IRS scandal, the government is supposed to be neutral.

To try and answer all of your questions. I get all of my information about Australian schools from my wife.

Yes, you have always had standards. They were good enough in the past, but they are now inadequate in a competitive national and international market.

If I have given the impression that there is only one answer to education (federal dominance) then I have mislead you. In Australia there is a power sharing arrangement.

As to the exact nature of the overseas curriculum I am not sure. Apparently when we formulated the National Curriculum we contracted people from different nations to add to the input.

Indoctrination is bad. You probably don't realize this but the right has more to gain from a national curriculum than the left.

[Tuttyd]

Almost forgot. In Australia public and private schools teach to the same curriculum

[talaniman]

Removing Thomas Jefferson from school books isn't indoctrination?

[tomder55]

In Australia there is a power sharing arrangement.

Same here... there is zero constitutional mandate for the Federal government to get involved . The power is shared by giving the power to the states. As for Tal's booohooo about text books... it's nonsense . There are many large states that also influence the market and I can assure you ;the text books my daughter brought home were full of progressive pablum.

[speechlesstx]

Common Core in a nutshell...

[Tuttyd]

Common Core in a nutshell...

So long as we can sum it up in some type of nutshell everyone can be rest assured. Now that this issue is solved we can more onto the next forum.

I though we had a tacit agreement that we were going to have an honest discussion and dispense with the canned responses? Apparently not.

[speechlesstx]

So long as we can sum it up in some type of nutshell everyone can be rest assured. Now that this issue is solved we can more onto the next forum.

I though we had a tacit agreement that we were going to have an honest discussion and dispense with the canned responses? Apparently not.

A picture is worth a thousand words. If the shoe fits, etc. The question is, is the picture right or wrong? Let's get to the honesty about that.

[NeedKarma]

is the picture right or wrong?

It's wrong obviously.

[Tuttyd]

A picture is worth a thousand words. If the shoe fits, etc. The question is, is the picture right or wrong? Let's get to the honesty about that.

It is not possible to have an honest discussion over clichés. Clichés are used for the purpose of exaggeration and dramatic effect. It show that I admire your persistence. Most people would have been prepared to drop the argument at this point.