The case for this (from three testing experts: MT: What is your advice on the right balance between validity and reliability, especially if we want to embrace the goals implicit in the Common Core? HE: I think the importance of reliability has been overblown. BL: I agree it is less important than comparability and validity and fairness.  It […]

When everything new seems like something old, sometimes it isn’t… You should go in and observe teachers with seniority, not new teachers, because when I talk to them, they are very excited about being able to teach again and not just work from a textbook -paraphrasing comments at October 17th Sacramento City Unified School District […]

As a teacher “implementing” Common Core, I’ve enjoyed reading the Burkins and Yaris blog. Their writing is pretty accessible, and they are great at separating the wheat from the chaff with the standards. A recent post on their blog was pretty disheartening. Kim Yaris’ son had come home after a week of lessons on the […]

A routine has settled with the class, but all is not perfect, which is as one would expect at this point. Still the signs are good. I feel like there is a good base to build on with this group. The class is both productive and both want to learn and please me (not a […]

The creation of Common Core standards were not just “new” in the sense of having new standards as a final product, but new in how they were written, edited, etc. You can see from the critique from folks who have participated in the writing of past education standards like Sandra Stokoksy, and Diane Ravitch. First, […]