NOW National PTA Wants Your Opinion on Common Core
Kind of late but okay. Cast your vote. Currently it's 89% against (38K+ votes) and 11% for (4600+votes). PTA tweeted this yesterday:
The link in the tweet takes you to a poll which is tied to an upcoming debate. The event will be live streamed here on September 9th at 6:45pm EST.
Where Do You Stand?
These tougher, more stringent standards will do the opposite of their intent: instead of creating fairer, more equitable K-12 schools, they are widening the gap between the haves and have-nots.
School districts and teachers should have the autonomy to create their own standards and curricula at the local level, rather than being held to national criteria and impossible standardized tests.
The narrow focus of the Common Core standards places high value on certain skill sets while overlooking others, such as creativity, imagination, and vocational training.
Have your voice heard on #CCSS! Poll in advance of Sept @IQ2US debate wants to know if u "Embrace the #CommonCore" http://ow.ly/AveEH
The link in the tweet takes you to a poll which is tied to an upcoming debate. The event will be live streamed here on September 9th at 6:45pm EST.
Where Do You Stand?
For The Motion
The Common Core
is a set of clear and consistent standards, based on extensive
research, that encourage critical thinking skills. They are designed to
give teachers flexibility in how they teach to individual students’
needs.
Higher and more rigorous standards will better prepare American students for college and the workplace, and help to close the achievement gap between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. (Center for American Progress)
The Common Core has a great deal of support, from educators, the public, business leaders, and the over 40 states that have freely adopted its standards.
While the inaugural curricula face issues, these are growing pains in implementation, rather than flaws inherent to the instructional philosophy.
Higher and more rigorous standards will better prepare American students for college and the workplace, and help to close the achievement gap between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. (Center for American Progress)
The Common Core has a great deal of support, from educators, the public, business leaders, and the over 40 states that have freely adopted its standards.
While the inaugural curricula face issues, these are growing pains in implementation, rather than flaws inherent to the instructional philosophy.
Against The Motion
The Common Core was created with little input from teachers or the public, and there is no governing body tasked with oversight now that they are in effect. (New York Times)These tougher, more stringent standards will do the opposite of their intent: instead of creating fairer, more equitable K-12 schools, they are widening the gap between the haves and have-nots.
School districts and teachers should have the autonomy to create their own standards and curricula at the local level, rather than being held to national criteria and impossible standardized tests.
The narrow focus of the Common Core standards places high value on certain skill sets while overlooking others, such as creativity, imagination, and vocational training.
Comments
You wouldn't buy a house without an inspection (unless you're tearing it down), or a car without checking it out. So why was it OK to force standards on students and teachers before anyone had checked them out to make sure they were truly appropriate? How much money has been wasted converting all this curriculum, all this training to common core crap with stickers and trademarks before anyone had a chance to test the standards out? The state and national PTA each have a huge share in the blame game when it comes to the wasted $$ that could have been better spent in low-income schools with struggling populations, reducing class sizes and providing additonal resources and staff. I no longer support the PTA in any form. Too little, too late. They showed their true colors and now want to backpedal.
CT
Steep climb back from that perception.