Pearson Education and Our Kids

This year our school started the language arts program "Reading Street".  This program is based on the new common core standards.  As a parent, I have not been impressed with the program.  My son gets a bunch....I mean a ton of worksheets each week based on their weekly units.  Many times the homework sheets have language on them that my son does not even understand.  I wish I would have saved all of the papers so I could specifically share them with you.  But, I didn't.  Now, that it is May, many of these worksheets come home half way completed.  I ask him if it is supposed to be turned back and he says, "no".  I have asked his teacher via email...but have never heard back.  Each night we also have a homework worksheets and he completes each one.  However, when I comment on the quality of his work he just replies,"It doesn't matter, she doesn't look at them anyway."  I think..."rrrr...busy work."  So, lots of busy homework, and lots of in-class worksheets.  I do not like either.  I think that subjects should be taught in units with meaningful applications to their lives.  Teachers know how to do this.  Programs like "Reading Street", take away the teachers creativity in being able to engage their students interest in learning language arts.  So, if the common cores purpose was to raise the standards, the scripted programs that our districts have purchased seem to lower them to worksheets and bubble tests.

This brings me to the weekly testing.  Each week they have a unit test that includes multiple choice tests for vocabulary, word analysis, and comprehension with a total of approximately 50 questions.  (This is in addition to the daily quick checks both in math and language arts).  I have included in this post two copies of the comprehension tests that are written by Pearson Education. I most always read all the worksheets (it is a big job) and one day I read my sons test and was shocked.  I found the comprehension piece titled "Goal", bothersome as it sneaks in stereotyping of physical features.   I wondered why this would have to be included in the essay and I wondered why the teachers did not catch this?  If I had a child who had red hair I would have been appalled!  I took in a copy to our principal and she agreed that it was not appropriate.  She directed me to the curriculum department.  I called there, left a message, and never heard back.  Then a month passed by and my son brought home another test titled, "Positive Video Games."  I was again shocked at the material they were given to our kids as tests.  This article is a biased opinion in favor of children throwing away toys of the past and instead playing video games.  It seems as if this essay was written by an 8 year old.  And many of the 8 - 9 year olds in 3rd grade argued with their parents after taking the test about how ridiculous the parents were for limiting their screen time.  This time I emailed our principal and told her that I would be contacting the curriculum department again and that I had never heard from them the first round.  This time, I got a return call from the curriculum department.  She thanked me for voicing my concerns about the testing material.  And she informed me that these were not written by them but by Pearson's and she would pass on my concerns.  So, that was that.  Where is the responsibility?  Really, curriculum department, all of Pearson's material for each grade should be proofed before passing it along to the entire district.

In conclusion, I am not a fan of Reading Street, or any other common core scripted program that our district purchases.  If my sons teacher has lost the ability to uphold the quality of reading material and the pace that is given in her class it is a big concern of mine.  I do not like to hear, "oh, we had to have them read it, because it was what is directed for us to teach."  I would like my sons teacher to be able to make choices about what she teaches in the class and that it is appropriate.  Now, I find myself wondering, "what about the other things they read that I never see?" and "what happens when they are given other testing materials from Pearson's or any other testing company for that matter?  What do you think?  Sometimes I think I care too much.