By now many are aware of the teacher “walk-ins” Monday, but few people know the real concerns on teachers’ minds: Common Core Standards.
A week ago, my attention was drawn to this flyer, which went home with students who attend Holly Ridge Elementary School. I decided to attend and observe the event.
My assumption was that the walk-in would involve teachers and some parents getting together at this North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE)-backed event to discuss the raises teachers have not received and how recent budget cuts are hurting teachers and schools. To my surprise, the attendees took a much different approach.
It’s not because union and liberal groups weren’t involved. This was still very much an NCAE and Organize2020.com backed event. President of Wake NCAE Larry Nilles was front and center through much of the walk-in. In pictures below, he is thanking those in attendance and giving special recognition to certain individuals.
The surprising part came when the discussions started. We had three different questions given to the group and were asked to write our questions and comments on sticky notes and then stick them on each question.
Teachers and parents jumped in to air their frustrations. Suggested by the picture below, there were more notes expressing concerns than there were for the other two:
Few of the concerns were about recent budget cuts, and while there were concerns raised about teacher salaries and lack of raises, the most mentioned issue had nothing to do with money. The biggest concern was about testing and the Common Core Standards. Teachers are beyond frustrated with these standards and they are very worried about the toll Common Core is taking on students. Some of the concerns raised in regards to Common Core include:
- Children not being developmentally ready.
- Too much testing under Common Core.
- Having to keep up with too much data.
- No transitional year; “Building the plane as its flying.”
These are some of the same issues opponents of Common Core have been raising for months. Hearing this from teachers is eye-opening. How can we expect the students to gain anything from these “superior standards” if the teachers aren’t even on board?
This event was completely different than what I was expecting. I was pleasantly surprised to find out how opposed teachers are to these standards. If teachers are truly upset with Common Core then they need to come together, take control and make that clear.
Melissa,
Sorry, but your comments are misleading at best. “By now many are aware of the teacher “walk-ins” Monday, but few people know the real concerns on teachers’ minds: Common Core Standards.”. Teachers may well be concerned with the Common Core requirements, but the overwhelming majority of educators are concerned about the direction our wonderful NCGA is taking public education in this state, not to mention the appallingly low wages our educators here receive.
Did you even talk to any of the teachers in attendance?
Why did they go to common core? Just let the teachers teach and use their own creativity. We don’t want our kids and grand kids tested so much. It’s very stressful to some and that is not what school was originally suppose to be about. Just let the teachers teach the old reading, writing, math, and history, science, geography.