Emily Ude April 17, 2013 EDUC 201-01 Reflection

The purpose of the new Common Core State Standards are to provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn. In theory, the standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. Essentially, the new standardized tests are doing more harm than good. The new tests, given to third through eighth graders, are aligned with the new Common Core standards. The Common Core focuses more on critical thinking skills, abstract reasoning in math and reading comprehension. However, the standards are so new that many of the schools have yet to fully adopt the curriculum. Reading material such as textbooks remain out to date, and lesson plans and exercises do not match the new curriculum. The state officials have provided lesson plans and tutorials for teachers to implement in the classroom. However, these standard lesson plans are not be suitable for each individual classroom or each individual student. While, the state officials acknowledge that the scores will likely fall from last year, they find it more important to switch the tests now. The Common Core is hoped to raise the effectiveness within the classroom. Merryl H. Tisch believes most New York high school graduates are not ready for college-level work and that the common core will be the stepping stone to creating better students. Though the Common Core and new standardized tests may seem like a good idea, it is important to keep in mind those who are most effected by the tests, the students.

Students are feeling a level of anxiety that they have never undergone before due to the pressure of this new exam. For example, on Staten Island a parent recounts how his son had woken up from a bad dream mumbling that he had forgotten to fill in a bubble answer. Nearby at Public School 24 in Riverdale, a fifth grade teacher Walter Rendon, found himself frequently soothing the tense ten and eleven year old students as they pore over test prep exercises. As a result of the new standardized tests and Common Core, the city has spent $125 million, training sessions, weekend prep classes, and modified yoga during class time to sooth the students. The Common Core may be causing more damage than effectiveness to those who it concerns the most, the students.