PARENTS nationwide have been expressing their concern for the new Common Core state standards, which proponents say focus on critical thinking and problem solving. In California, which first adopted the standards in 2010, the rigorous standards put emphasis on skills, such as critical reasoning and communication, and in creating more space for technology.
However, parents are concerned that with the technology information emphasis and rise of tech gadgets in the classroom, test scores are going down and students are no longer learning “by the book.”
“Parents are more worried than their kids,” said parent Matt Stuart. “People don’t like change. They tend to have a knee-jerk reaction.”
About 3.2 million California students in third through eighth grades, as well as 11th grade, will take the new computer-based Smarter Balanced tests in math and English by the end of June, said Pam Slater, spokeswoman for the California Department of Education. The tests will measure knowledge of each subject, as well as critical thinking, analytical writing and the problem-solving skills necessary to be college and career ready.
Other states that have already begun administering Common Core tests saw a significant performance decline in the first year. For instance, the percentage of New York students that scored at a proficient level fell from 55 to 31 percent in English and language arts, and from 65 to 31 percent in math.
The potential for that kind of drop has put parents and educators in California on edge. Education leaders in the state have already decided not to use this year’s test to determine each school’s Academic Performance Index, a compilation of student test scores that in past years allowed for school comparisons across the state.
Children Now conducted a statewide poll in California to see how voters viewed Common Core. According to the results, two-thirds were in favor of the new standards, including 67 percent of those who have children in public schools and 82 percent of those who work in education.
In addition, 75 percent of Asian American voters embraced the standards when identified as “Common Core,” which was developed by governors and state superintendents from around the country.
The computerized exam method seems to be favored among the younger students, who are already used to doing their homework on iPads and touchscreens rather than traditional paper tests.
One Filipino parent, San Jose resident Marichu Manaois, says she wants to see her daughter succeed in high school, but is concerned about all the technology making her child’s virtual education seem almost “invisible.”
“I don’t see her do any homework,” Manaois said. “I expect her to bring books home to work on, like in the old country. But she doesn’t. I don’t see any resources the school gives her, so I really don’t know what the problem is when she tells me it’s ‘hard’…I can’t really supervise her that much because I work nights, and I can’t teach her because even I don’t understand the lessons.”
Despite efforts by school districts around California to inform parents about the changes, many like Manaois are still in the dark, struggling to make sense of all the notices.
Her daughter, Isabella, is a freshman at William C. Overfelt High School in San Jose. She said she’s tried to explain that information in the textbooks is different from what’s available online, and that these days most of her assignments are done in school or online.
Still, countless numbers of parents educated the “traditional” way, especially back in the Philippines where hard work is encouraged, have blamed increased use of technology on students’ study habits.
“Sometimes too much technology is not good because they end up lazy,” said Manaois. “I keep telling them to study hard.”
Other families welcome the technology change, saying digital devices in the classroom can make learning more engaging and easier to visualize. Under Common Core, students must be able to articulate the process for problems, rather than just provide the correct answer.
“School’s easier here than back home,” said high school junior Albert Datuin, who arrived from the Philippines last year. “I can solve the problem, and even get Google to translate to English from my cell phone.”
Datuin appreciates the fact that students in the US are encouraged to communicate about their problems in school, rather than keep silent about what they are having trouble with.
Though not as up to speed on technological developments in the classroom, Manaois sees her children’s academic success as a strong priority. Like many working-class immigrant parents, she sees education as the foundation for a better life.
“We want you to graduate so you can have a life my husband and I never had,” she told her daughter. “I can’t guarantee that the opportunities will be there forever.”
(With reports from Inquirer, The Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle)
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend May 9-12, 2015 Sec. A pg.7)