Common Core Kicks Butt

My butt, that is. 

We're getting it.  Well, the kids are getting it.  I, however, am struggling with it.  

The time that Common Core (CC) takes from my life is beyond measure.  


I wake to CC, work on CC, teach CC, stay late for CC, come home to CC, and sleep to CC.  I do not exaggerate CC.  It's real.  It's hard.  It's time-consuming.  It's slow death.


Louisiana Dept. of Ed. has chosen to use Common Core and to "help" us the DOE put out a CC example.  Our parish chose to use the La. version of CC and we are not to deviate from that example. We do, however, have to write lesson plans, prepare those lessons, write tests, grade student work, and mentor others on how to use CC.  I am drowning. 


What does that mean for my life? 
Well, I haven't made one stitch since school started.  My remodeling has been abandoned (my poor husband has been left to his own designs).  I haven't cooked or done housework (but wouldn't couldn't anyway). I've not been in a vehicle for longer than 30 minutes unless someone else is driving so that I can work, read, annotate, plan, create tests, etc.  I've even worked on the computer while Richard drove to Rayne to visit the grands.

All images from Google Images

Yes, absolutely, Common Core is kicking my butt.  And I have 24+ years of teaching English (and a few other subjects) from eighth grade to college courses.  

All that means I can fly--by the seat of my pants, on wings and magic carpets, on stories and literary works I have never read, and with students who do not want to be in an English classroom.  That's just how I roll used to teach.  Now I just struggle.  Thank you, Common Core.