Common Core - My Thoughts

As I sit and consider what to say, more importantly, how to say what is needed at the public hearing this Wednesday in Wausau on the CCSS it makes me consider my thoughts.  I was reading an article in the City Pages by Peter Weinschenck who's take on the CCSS clearly has no expertise since he says it calls for all students to take Calculus and misses every major point emphasized by the CCSS, namely the thing all non-educators miss...the Math Practices.

Do I think the CCSS are a good thing?

• Yes, without question.  
• The Math Practices alone are enough to put me clearly on that side.  Even if teachers only focused on Math Practice #1 (Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them) we are further along than with the previous standards.  However, just the fact that if the standards are implemented in all states then the knowledge that students will be coming in with the same minimum expectations no matter where they are coming from.  For those who work in the school district understand how big of a deal this is.  Not to the same level as the Practices but big.
• The Practices are much more sound at the elementary level focusing on depth of instruction and an understanding of concepts.  In the middle school they clear up several issues but really not a whole lot of changes post 6th grade.  The changes in the CCSS are centered around 4th - 6th grade.  The high school...well lets just call those standards unfinished.
• The emphasis on tasks that demonstrate conceptual understanding forces teachers to apply their knowledge.  Can this be screwed up...certainly.  That is why we have curriculum people to make sure it doesn't.  

Do I think there are issues?

• Of course, as with most anything it can be improved.
• My issues with the CCSS are centered almost entirely around the high school standards.  In the appendix they offer the standards by course but it is frustrating to see the quantity of standards necessary to "cover" the CCSS.  
• Geometry is still just Geometry.  If any course in the high school has an opportunity to be a new 21st century course I believe it is Geometry.  However, there is just so much of the same old in the standards that it makes it more difficult to change it.  That said, it can be changed with the right amount of attention.  If teachers truly realized how much Geometry is in the earlier grades they would realize they have about a semester to apply math.  We have some work to get there.  
• The largest issue I have is NOT ALL STUDENTS NEED ALGEBRA 2.  There, I said it!  Whew...I feel so much better...
• Many of our students need application through a CTE course that integrates math with a focus on the skill leading to the application.  
• Personally, all students need Algebra 1.  All students need Geometry (the application form...not necessarily the proof form of Geometry.  Inductive proof can go a long way towards math practice #1).  After Geometry, most students will be Juniors.  By then, don't we have a responsibility to our students to prepare them for their future, college or a career.  There are LOTS of students who have no business going to college (4-year university).  However, all can go to a 2-year or technical college and have great futures.  By the time students are Juniors we know those that are headed towards a career in a CTE field vs. those in a  "math" field.  Why not prepare them the right way for those careers by showing them how the math they know will help them while pushing them a bit more into the CCSS and demonstrating those applications also. 

So, where do we go from here...I don't know.  Ask your legislatures.  Maybe they can give us an idea.