Friday, April 1, 2016

Common Core Confusion: To Test or Opt Out?

It's that time of year again.  Next week, children in grades 3-8 in New York State will start taking state standardized tests associated with the common core standards.  Several years ago, New York, along with nearly every other state in the country, instituted the common core standards.  The state of education has been a disaster ever since.
Nathan taught himself to read, write and started learning
math at age 2.  Common core standards have ruined his
love of learning
I'll never forget when Nathan started third grade, I had to go to the state's website and print out the entire third grade math syllabus.  I had to reteach myself third grade math!  I just couldn't understand why 5x3 didn't equal 15, and neither could he!  The reason?  Well, because according to New York State, 5x3 = 3+3+3+3+3 = 15.  If the child writes anything else, they get the answer is wrong!  5x3=15 WRONG!  5x3 = 5+5+5 = 15 WRONG!  The only acceptable answer is 5x3 = 3+3+3+3+3 = 15!  Don't ask me why.  2 and a half years later, I still don't get it!
In this Facebook post, I expressed my frustrating in trying to learn
3rd grade math along with Nathan!
Nathan started school when he was 18 months old and always loved it.  His beautiful autism mind is like a sponge. He doesn't care about making friends and socializing.  He cares about learning.  He's known that 5x3 = 15 since he was 2.  But since the day he started third grade, Nathan now hates math.  He doesn't love school anymore.  He doesn't HATE school (well, sometimes he does), but he certainly doesn't love it like he used to.

We opt Nathan out of state testing.  We opted out before opting out was cool!  There is no way we would put him through it.  I sent my opt out letter to our school district months ago.
In 3rd grade we let Nathan take the common core test.  This was his
reaction to his first day of math testing- he hasn't taken any state tests since!
Drew is completely different.  He is in third grade this year and still loves school.  He works hard on his school work, does very well, and takes pride in his work.  He totally "gets" the common core standards.  It works for him.  I never really thought much about the common core testing when it comes to Drew.  He's never expressed any concern or anxiety about the tests, but in recent weeks and months, the opt out rumble has turned into a roar.  Rob Astorino, the Westchester County executive, said he's opting his kids out, Betty Rosa, the brand new chancellor of the NYS Board of Regents, said if her kids were in 3-8 grade, she would "opt out at this time", and more and more parents within our own district and around the state have said they are opting out.
When the state announced big changes to common core last year,
I thought it could mean the beginning of the end.  It didn't.
So in the last few days, I finally started giving serious thought to what to do about Drew.  My husband, Jason, and I discussed it.  We agreed that there is really no benefit to taking the test- other than learning the important skill of test taking.  We also agreed that we don't want our child to be used to advance the state's education agenda, but we also decided to talk to Drew about it.  I assumed Drew, like most third graders, would be happy to opt out.  He wasn't.  He kind of freaked out, he said he's been working hard toward this for 3 years.  He said he's ready for the test, he's super-confident and excited about it, and he doesn't want to just walk away from it after working so hard.   I told him that a lot of his friends will not be taking it.  He said he didn't care.  I told him he may be the only student taking it.  He said he didn't care.
Whether Drew is working on a project for school,
practicing baseball, or discussing the presidential campaign,
he doesn't do anything half way.
Okay.  Well, I guess Drew will be taking the test.  I am proud of the decision he made.  Jason and I have raised a child who is an independent thinker, makes his own decisions, doesn't give into peer pressure, and knows how to follow through.  He understands that you have to work really hard to achieve your goals.  How can I tell him that after all his hard work, he can't take the test?  That's like telling him after all his hours and hours of practicing baseball he can't play in the game.
Let's celebrate all our kids!  Instead of creating
a one-size-fits-all education system,
let's teach kids the way they need to learn!
But I have a message for the next president, Governor Andrew Cuomo, the US Department of Education, the New York State Department of Education, the New York State Board of Regents, and the Elmsford Union Free School Board, even though one of our children will be taking the state tests, this is in no way an endorsement of common core from the Cook family.  Drew may be the kind of kid who wants to take tests, and who NEEDS to be challenged, but not all kids are.  There is no one size fits all way to teach.  Every child is different.  Every child learns differently.  We should celebrate that!  We should celebrate ALL children. Think about how boring the world would be if we were all the same.

Good luck fellow parents as you make your decisions.  It's not an easy one, but you know your child better than anyone else- go with your gut!