I’ve been hearing a lot about the Common Core standards for students in K through 12. When I first heard about what it was designed to do – bring all students up the same high standard of knowledge and understanding so that they are ready to enter the workforce or attend college without needing remedial education – I thought for certain that this was a great idea. Right now, some students are struggling in their first year of college. They may not be able to read or solve problems at what is considered to be “college level.” This is troubling to many, especially the student who has graduated from high school and now struggles to compete in college. We also hear about the extra cost because of the extra time students need to spend catching up on coursework.

So, according to some material I’ve read (for example, McShane, 2013; NPR Ed, 2014), the Common Core was developed by state governors, state school officers, and education experts with no federal government involvement. So, one has to wonder why people would rather create in their minds a federal conspiracy than focus on the fact that our children in K-12 need higher standards upon which to build their educations and lives. If state standards were as high as they needed to be across the board, students would not be struggling and there would not be such an outcry for improving student performance at the K-12 level.

A fact from the NPR site states that the standards do not dictate curricula, textbooks, lesson plans, etc. This is still the responsibility of the individual school districts and its professional force of teachers and administrators. I understand that the standards provide examples of the kinds of material that students should be able to process at specific grade levels. This seems, too, to have been misinterpreted as a requirement rather than a recommendation. At least teachers have a clear idea of what kind of material the standards speak to. Part of the problem, according to other articles written about the Common Core, is that the materials that are Common Core-aligned are problematic. Should this then be taken up with the creators of that material and not the source of the standards that had no part is creating this material?

This debate – the proliferation of misinformation, personal agendas, botched implementation, or whatever it is – reminds me somewhat about the discussions about Tuning, which also seeks to create standards for college students in specific academic fields. Having a set of standards that indicate what students should know and understand and be able to do seems only fair to them; they will have to know what they are doing once they graduate and practice in their chosen profession. Should they not be able to think critically, utilize resources in a way that demonstrates a deeper understanding than mere memorization can provide? We all need to learn how to think more deeply. Simply being able to state that the War of 1812 happened is not enough. Why did it happen? Can you compare that conflict to any recent examples in history? What makes them similar or different? Etc.

As we know, standards are NOT curricula. But some people would have us believe differently. We must then ask ourselves what their agendas are and then take that truth and help them understand the difference. Sometimes I wonder if it is the notion of giving up control over situations that leads people to push back. Do they think that they have been personally attacked for not knowing their business? It is they who are charged with educating their states’ children. Hey, if they had it together, and perhaps there are some who do, then let that shining example shine forth and lead others. We tend to splinter our educational system into small segments that may not collaborate/cooperate with other systems and defend that to the death, even if it means that our students continue to fail in the face of international and global pressures. Our children deserve better.

With the outrage over the cost of a college education ad the debt load students take on, we really need to focus on getting these kids up to speed so that they can not only compete on the world stage but be satisfied with their standard of living. If the implementation of the Common Core standards is to blame, then the states need to take a step back and look at what they are doing. If the process is rushed too quickly, bad things can happen. It looks like a lot of rushing has been happening and that sets in motion backlash. Then, that momentum builds and soon, everyone is blaming the mere existence of Common Core and creating conspiracies to take over state run-enterprises. Whew. It can be exhausting trying to keep up with this and that and who and why.

One thing I will probably always remember from my graduate education (and repeat more than you might like) is looking through the lens differently. It’s just like taking a picture. You can look at something from this way or that. But what if you chose to look at something from a different angle, one that you hadn’t previously considered? One that you thought might not be good or useful? What if you took step back or to the side and then turned this way or that? What do you see now? What if you zoom in or out? Tilt it a bit. What now? It can be hard not to do things the same way time and time again. We get caught up in our own way of doing things and it’s hard to change. What’s the incentive? We’re human, right?

No one is saying that the Common Core standards might not be less than perfect. But, without some set of standards, those developed by professionals who are genuinely interested in helping our children excel in their educational and personal lives, what do we have? Where is the alternative? And who said change would be easy? Pain is part of life. It’s not something we purposely strive for.

It will take years of dedicated work to see how the Common Core standards have affected students. This was the same case for Tuning. I wrote my dissertation on Tuning after it had been implemented for a few years. It will take many more to see the true impact, good and bad. But learning from what comes out of it is what is most important. Educators, parents, policy makers all need to come together and work together rather than at odds to help our children and youth. If a sensible alternative to letting our children continue to fail is defeated, nothing is gained. Our children will continue to lose in this increasingly challenging environment.

Cheers,

Dawn

References:

 McShane, M. Q. (2013, November). The Controversial Common Core. Education Outlook, No. 8. American Enterprise for Public Policy Research.  www. aei.org

NPR Ed, (2014, May 27). The Common Core FAQ. Retrieved from www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/05/27/…/the-common–core-faq