Tuesday, August 27, 2013

3. "The Common Core's Fundamental Trouble"


Valerie Strauss wrote, “The Common Core’s Fundamental Trouble” which talks about schools presenting the Common Core as the next big change in education across the country.  The Common Core is raising the assessment standards for high school students. They say that this will allow the students to be better prepared for their future outside of high school. These assessments were written mainly by academic experts and testing companies.  Although these standards have not been used or tested in schools yet, they are already promising to improve education and prepare students for their future. After considering the No Child Left Behind trial failed because of its demanding curriculum, how will the considerably harder assessments benefit the country’s education? Not to mention the how costly the transition to Common Core will be. It seems the Common Core is pushing more students to failure rather than aiding them.

It seems to me that the Common Core will do the country no good. We are already not able to meet the standards NCLB experiment that is in play today. I do not see how an even more challenging curriculum is a step in the right direction.  How will failing be pushing students to work harder and prepare themselves for college and a career? I believe that the first problem with the Common Core is who designed the assessments. Instead of an assessment expert, it should be school administrators. Each state moves at its own pace, requirements, and laws. I don’t see why they cannot continue to do what works best for them. I think the Common Core is a step backwards in education rather than forward.

2 comments:

  1. I appreciate the point that someone recognizes the authors of the tests. Teachers were not even considered until the tests were already published. I love the way that you also recognized that all states do not move at the same pace. Few have put emphasis on the fact that the entire purpose of the Common Core Standards is unrealistic in the scheme of America. Mississippi will struggle for years if we are held up to the same standards as a state like New York.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like how you point out that these standards have not been used yet, but are still promising success. If we cannot keep up with the "No Child Left Behind" act, how are we going to be able to keep up with the common core. You have a good point in mentioning that each state moves at its own pace. We will not be able to keep up!

    ReplyDelete