Letter: Computers can’t replace teacher help

In “Glendale teachers prepare for Common Core standards,” Sept. 21, it was mentioned that the new Common Core standards are slowly and efficiently being implemented in Glendale schools and that teachers are teaching the new material to other teachers. It was also mentioned that students are being transitioned into the new standards through tests proctored through computers.

I believe that the methods used for transitioning both teachers and students into Common Core from the old standards are effective, however I cannot fully agree on the testing method used on children.

Letting educators teach the new standards to other educators keeps the standards relevant and leaves educators on the same page. I do not think that it would be at all effective if the new standards were explained by someone who is not as familiar with the classroom environment.

I have mixed feelings about the testing method used on children to further help transition students from the old standards to Common Core. Using computers to test children is great because of how relevant technology is to today’s society.

In many cases, students who are in first grade are already familiar with how to use any kind of electronic device. I think Common Core will be extremely useful in incorporating technology in the school system, which may be helpful in the future for higher educational purposes or career purposes.

However, I still don’t think that giving a child a simple test to transition them into Common Core standards is enough to improve a student’s education. A computer can’t fully compensate for the personal attention a child may need from an instructor.

If computers are going to be responsible for testing students, then teachers should have considerable leeway in controlling the tests.

Angela Capiral
Glendale