The basic premise behind having a common set of standards
for the whole country is that it will provide consistency in education that
will better prepare students for success in their future. This will in turn contribute to the success of
our nation’s future. This sounds like a
really good plan when you first look at it.
However, I have to wonder if making education common is really making it
better.
A Few Questions I Am
Pondering…- What about the cost? Implementing new educational standards in
Math and Language Arts makes old curriculum obsolete. This means that every school will have to
purchase new curriculum. With the lack
of funding to some schools, this is not an easy undertaking.
-
What if the new standards are more rigorous for
some states than their old ones?
Students may be starting out behind with the implementation of new
standards. Catching up may be very
difficult and confusing. Causing
education to be frustrating for them and not a good experience.
-
What if the new standards are less rigorous for
some states than their old ones?
Students may find themselves bored and less engaged with learning.
-
What effect will this transition have on
teachers? Teaching is a very demanding
and high-stress profession. They will
have to be the ones to deal with re-vamping their lesson plans, aligning to new
standards and finding and incorporating ways to teach the new standards
effectively. This sounds like a daunting
task in a field that already has high rates of burn-out.
-
Who is really in control? The responsibility of education has been a
duty of the state. The Common Core State
Standards initiative is said to be led by the states. However, with the push and incentives offered
by federal government to sign up for the initiative, it makes me wonder how
much control the states will retain once this goes into effect.
Pros And Cons Of The Common Core Standards
Prezi - Pros and Cons of Common Core
Common Core - Arguments for and Against
Does Common = Ordinary?
So, does making it common make it better? I don’t have an answer to that question! However, I can say that the word common does
not conjure up images of individuality and diversity that we have worked so
hard to cultivate in America. To me, the
first thing I think about when I hear the word “common” is ordinary. As a teacher, I am hoping that the education
the students receive in my classroom is as individual as they are and encourages
them to go beyond the ordinary to reach their full potential as individuals. This is my goal, no matter what the standards.
