Common Core Standards and SLO's

That was an image found on the latest email from NYSUT. I thought it was too humorous, unfortunately, not to use.

So what's the deal with the "Common Core?"

I had an Art Networking Conference yesterday and usually it's one of my more favorite things to look forward to during the school year. I get to hang out with the art teachers of other local districts, share lessons, discuss other related agendas appropriate for the art room, all that good stuff..

But yesterday was different... we discussed the Common Core Standards and SLO's. To be honest, I'm still not sure what the heck they're all about- all I know was that I left very overwhelmed and with a head ache.

We did have a Professional Growth Day earlier in the year that was for our whole district to discuss the Common Core, but as you all know, when speakers come to speak to the masses, us art teachers often get overlooked as to how this applies to us.

I was excited to learn how this could pertain to our field with some good, specific and concrete examples as to what the Common Core Standards are for the Visual Arts and how to create some SLO's. From my understanding, there is already a lot of overlap with what we currently do, but with a lot more emphasis of higher level thinking and analysis from the students. Think- VTS times three.

When it's all said and done, I've come to two conclusions. One, it just seems like "they're" once again asking for more while giving us less to work with. Our budgets are cut almost every year, my faculty alone has dropped considerably in the mere 4 years I've been working and classroom sizes are getting larger. On top of all that, we have all the testing we need to accomodate to and be flexible with while teaching art history, different cultures, basic fine motor skills, produce quality products, hang and display for bulletin boards and shows, mentor ... (the list goes on.) I mean.. when was the last time these people were teaching in a classroom?

My main concern is, when are we supposed to do all that and ask my students to really look and study art and artists while creating a project when I only see them once a week for 50 minutes? I'd love to really have a nice long discussion about a piece, trust me, I think it really sinks in for many kids that way, but I find it very hard to imagine spending twenty minutes each class to have an open conversation about art without actually producing anything. Heck, sometimes I need at least 10 minutes alone just to do one demonstration for one step of a project!

My second conclusion was, I'm trying to be brief, is that.. honestly, by the time this is implemented and integrated into our school system, there will be something new. I was speaking to a student teacher about what she is learning currently in undergrad and it's very different from what I was doing- and I graduated less than a decade ago!

I appreciate the evolution of education, of couse I do, but it just seems as if everything has become so "standardized." CHILDREN ARE NOT STANDARD. Neither are our budgets, our locations, our communities and everything else that goes along with teaching our future. Instead of trying to have our children reach the same test scores, goals and achievements, wouldn't it make more sense to look at each child as an individual and teach to their strengths? (I know, I know, that's asking a lot... but there's gotta be another way!)

On a side note, this morning on the announcements, our Principal reminded our 3rd and 4th grade students in a peppy tone to look over their packets which will help them with their ELA assessments that take place right after break. Talk about a buzz kill. : /

Maybe I still don't understand the Common Core really and maybe you can enlighten me as to why this is a good thing and explain it better.. but as of the conference, I'm just another cranky art teacher that left completely confused.

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