Common Core

After reading the articles about Common Core, I am not sure where to stand, for or against.  At first I was for Common Core.  My principal explained it so well.  It sounded like students will be more successful with the Common Core than what was in place before.  She talked about "learning pathways" that students could take.  If students were interested in nursing, they would take a lot of science classes and maybe attend the vocational school's nursing program.  Or if someone wanted to go into business they would take math and computer classes.  This all sounded so great!

Then I read Diane Ravitch's article.  It changed my mind.  She makes Common Core sound like educators had nothing to do with the making of it.  She makes it sound like it was all political.  She talked about how NCLB and Common Core rely on standardized tests.  There are some schools that would only teach to the tests.  If the students were going to be tested on math and literacy, that is all they taught.  How can we get students to become well-rounded learners if they aren't learning about science, social studies, arts, P.E., health, etc.?  What if some of those students were our next astronauts, scientist, or historians?  They would have never gotten to experience all those subjects that would have made them great.

Ravitch also stated that our students are the most over-tested students in the world.  So, what are the other high-preforming countries doing differently?  Their students are successful and preforming great on standardized tests. 

One thing that Common Core or standardized test measures is the child's home life.  Some of these students come from foster families, a home with one parents, some are hungry, and some haven't bathed, some come from low income families.  Some students come from homes with two, loving parents, homes with books, plenty of food, and clean clothes.  These students are going to perform differently on a test than the students that are hungry.  Some how, this needs to be incorporated on how we evaluate out students. 

Ravitch also stated that the Common Core will take 12 years to show any effect.  In 12 years our government will be moved on to something else!

So, is the Common Core good, or bad?