Why are we moving to Common Core?
September 12, 2014 Last updated: Friday, September 12, 2014, 9:28 AM
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Why are we moving to Common Core?
Marlene Burton
To the Editor:
I have spent some time looking at the Common Core ELA standards, as well as the math. A couple in particular caught my eye:
The first, and I quote: “With guidance and support from adults, explore a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.”
For what age child is this intended? You might think a 6th grader, but perhaps too ambitious and too grandiose for an 11-year-old – certainly a diversion from more fundamental activities.
But no, it is a kindergarten standard. The proponents of the Common Core want 5-year-olds on computers exploring digital tools to publish their own writings and the writing they have done in collaboration with their peers.
Here is another one: “Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of books by a favorite author and express opinions about them).” Also a kindergarten standard.
They did collaborative writing on computers in first grade in Somerville at least 10 years ago. I don’ see why kindergartners can’t do it.
Maybe parents don’t like what they do not understand. “It wasn’t that way when I went to school and I turned out ok.”
Some parents think that elementary education is so simple that anyone can do it. Just because you graduated from 8th grade it does mean that you could teach elementary school. Get a degree in education before you start proposing curriculum changes. It is not easy to actually teach a roomful of kids and be evaluated on their state test scores.
Recently certified teachers understand common core and embrace it. Some experienced teachers do not like change and see it as a burden. Growth and change are good. Let’s move ahead.
The opponents think of this as another reason to jump all over the federal gov’t…not realizing this is an initiative adopted by state government.