This video by Aaron Kasparov explains the Common Core approach to math and English/language arts. Many states are seeing this type of math for the first time, however we in Washington state have been subjected to this type of math for years. We experienced this “constructivist” math during the WASL period. In some districts, subtle messages undermining traditional values in the language arts courses have also been in the curriculum for years.
Watch the video.
As we said before, robo-graders just evaluate whether a piece of writing contains complex sentences, long words, observes the punctuation and grammar conventions, and has other writing features which can be programmed into a computer. The computer can’t tell if the writer has made factual errors. According to Les Perelman, Director of Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “E-Rater doesn’t care if you say the War of 1812 started in 1945.”
To prove his point, he and three students from Harvard and MIT created an app which generates essays that the robo-grader will deem well-written, according to the algorithms of its programming. They call their program BABEL– Basic Automatic B.S. Essay Language Generator.
Now, because of Perelman’s criticisms–which the assessment company cannot refute–the Educational Testing Service is refusing to cooperate in further verification trials. See the article about Mr. Perelman being censored.
“Critical thinking” is another one of those terms which have been perverted by the education program developers. They know that parents want their children to become critical thinkers, so they use the term to introduce concepts and lessons to which parents might otherwise object. A few months ago, students in the Rialto School District in California were given a “critical thinking” assignment — to write a Holocaust-denying essay. Read more…
Find out more about semantic deception from our website, linked here.
Bah! Humbug! Those of us educated before the Common Core will know what literary work is referenced by that exclamation. Okay, so those who watch movies may also know…but they will understand that the movie was made from the book. All that is changing. The Common Core English Language Arts standards will require 50% of […]
Commentary by Dr. Patrick Groff, Professor of Education Emeritus, San Diego State University who has published over 325 books, monographs, and journal articles and is a nationally known expert in the field of reading instruction.
Read the Thomas B. Fordham Institute’s analysis of the way reading is being taught. October 1, 2000
A commentary from the late 1990s:
– “The out–of–touch educational establishment has given us a set of Language Arts (English) Standards that make the universally condemned history standards look acceptable by comparison.”