Do We Need Common Core Standards?

 I came across this article from the Huffington post written by a parent about the Common Core.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicholas-tampio/do-we-need-a-common-core_b_1497854.html

The article is interesting - especially the comments at the bottom. The parent in this article is distressed because his son's school put into place the Common Core Standards in February and his son has gone from a child skipping to school to one that drags his feet when time to leave.
 "The teacher started dedicating two hours a day to packaged lesson plans. Rather than giving the students free work choice, in which they build with blocks or paint, the students must sit on the floor while the teacher lectures at them. Rather than tailoring the curriculum to each child, she hands students books from a narrow, predetermined list."

Make sure that you scroll down and read the comment section of the article. Then continue reading my post......


I agree completely with the comments that the Common Core Standards are just benchmarks and that teachers should be allowed to approach them in a way that suits the needs of his/her classroom. Thankfully I am in a school that does not force me into pre-packaged units and respects my ability and knowledge to put into place units and activities that are thoughtful and meaningful to the curriculum we are teaching. I believe that worksheets have a place in the classroom, but should not be the sole base for instruction. In my experience, I have found that children learn best when allowed to explore and create. I think Benjamin Franklin said it best "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. "

If school districts have no trust in a teacher's ability to design curriculum to suit the needs of his/her students and simply offer a packaged curriculum with meaningless fill in the blank and multiple choice worksheets, then our students are certainly destined to hate school and never reach their potential. But if the Common Core Standards are used positively and teachers allowed to create curriculum that builds upon the Core in a meaningful and creative way, then our country is headed in the right direction. Every child has the right to an education and every child has the right to have teachers who believe in the potential of every one of their students. When school districts trust their teacher's ability to create units that are built upon the Core and  created in a way that allows students to become involved in their educational journey, then we are on our way to once again promoting students excited to learn and be in school.

I love the fact that our country's educational system is working to design a curriculum that mandates all states to have the same basic standards. Because of the transient nature of our country, it is  not unusual for a child to be in one state in the fall and another in the spring. It will also benefit our colleges and universities if all college freshmen are entering with the same standards. BUT, if teachers are not allowed to involve their students in their learning, then we are surely destined to failure. It is my hope that our country's schools do not end up like the one written about in the Huffington Post article. As a nation, we need teachers who inspire our students to dream and invent. Pre-packaged worksheets will not do this. Hands-on, inspirational, and involved projects and activities will!

Peace and blessings,

8 comments

  1. Great post, Cindy! I agree completely! Standards are not what cause children to dislike school! It concerns me when districts and individual schools embrace canned/scripted programs to meet standards! In the end, we are all teaching children, not programs!


    Laura
    Peace, Love, and First Grade

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  2. Love your thoughts on this and I agree!! Programs and worksheets are no way to inspire children to learn. Teachers can be so creative in their ways to teach what students need and need to be given the opportunity to do so. :)
    Lori
    Conversations in Literacy

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  3. Thank you for taking the risk to post this. Districts get so caught up in what ever educational "fad" that principals start to micro manage. My daughter was just called into her principal's office and asked to justify why she does Sustained Silent Reading with her 6th graders! He said they could read at home, and that she could make better use of her classroom time. :<(

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  4. Thank you for posting this! I feel so blessed to be in a school where I don't have administration breathing down my back dictating teaching strategies and methods.

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  5. "Pre-packaged worksheets will not do this. Hands-on, inspirational, and involved projects and activities will!"
    Could not agree more...how sad that teachers are being forced by their districts (usually someone who hasn't taught in years!!) to do things they know aren't best for the children. Great post.
    Vickie
    Mrs. Plant's Press

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  6. Thanks for the great post Cindy! I am afraid that my school and district are heading this way next year. Lots of talk about using the program with fidelity and sticking to all of the district adopted materials. Not creative or inspiring! I understand that we teachers need guidleines and standards as well, but I truthfully don't want to teach from our adopted materials so much that we have no time for the creative and fun activities that I know the children need and love. We teach children not programs. Love it!

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  7. Great article! Fun is slowly being squeezed out of learning, no time for art or music. Children are burned out on worksheets and pre packed programs. Education should be about people not programs.

    Kathy
    http://kafysbooks.blogspot.com/

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  8. Thanks for the great article! Can't wait to share it.

    Blessings,

    Jessica Stanford
    Mrs. Stanford's Class Blog
    My TpT Store

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