{"id":43510,"date":"2013-11-18T12:27:59","date_gmt":"2013-11-18T17:27:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/danielschristian.com\/learning-ecosystems\/?p=43510"},"modified":"2013-11-18T12:35:40","modified_gmt":"2013-11-18T17:35:40","slug":"reflections-on-common-core-standards-ten-colossal-errors-cody","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danielschristian.com\/learning-ecosystems\/2013\/11\/18\/reflections-on-common-core-standards-ten-colossal-errors-cody\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflections on “Common Core Standards: Ten Colossal Errors” [Cody]"},"content":{"rendered":"

Common Core Standards: Ten Colossal Errors<\/strong><\/a> — a solid article from edweek.org by Anthony Cody<\/p>\n

Excerpts (emphasis DSC):<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Error #1:
\nThe process<\/strong><\/span> by which the Common Core standards were developed and adopted was undemocratic. \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

At the state level in the past, the process to develop standards has been a public one, led by committees of educators and content experts, who shared their drafts, invited reviews by teachers, and encouraged teachers to try out the new standards with real children in real classrooms, considered the feedback, made alterations where necessary, and held public hearings before final adoption.<\/p>\n

\u00a0The Common Core had a very different origin.<\/span> <\/strong>When I first learned of the process to write new national standards underway in 2009, it was a challenge to figure out who was doing the writing. \u00a0I eventually learned that a “confidential” process was under way, involving 27 people on two Work Groups<\/span><\/a>, including a significant number from the testing industry. Here are the affiliations of those 27: ACT (6), the College Board (6), Achieve Inc. (8), Student Achievement Partners (2), America’s Choice (2). Only three participants were outside of these five organizations. ONLY ONE classroom teacher WAS involved – on the committee to review the math standards.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Error #2:
\nThe Common Core Standards violate what we know about how children develop and grow.<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

Error #4:
\nThe Common Core creates a rigid set of performance expectations for every grade level, and results in tightly controlled<\/strong> <\/span>instructional timelines and curriculum.<\/p>\n

\u00a0At the heart of the Common Core is standardization. <\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>Every student, without exception, is expected to reach the same benchmarks at every grade level. Early childhood educators know better than this. Children develop at different rates, and we do far more harm than good when we begin labeling them “behind” at an early age.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Error #6:
\nProficiency rates on the new Common Core tests have been dramatically lower — by design.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From DSC:<\/span><\/em>
\n I’m trying to give the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) a fair look\/review\/analysis.\u00a0 But the statement under #4 strikes me as being particularly relevant and extremely true:<\/span><\/p>\n

At the heart of the Common Core is standardization.<\/strong> \u00a0Every student, without exception, is expected to reach the same benchmarks at every grade level. Early childhood educators know better than this. Children develop at different rates, and we do far more harm than good when we begin labeling them “behind” at an early age.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Backing up a second and to let you know the “lenses” that I’m looking through…I believe that we have been incredibly designed and created by God, and God is extremely detail-oriented<\/em>.\u00a0<\/strong> For purposes of time, consider just a few examples:<\/span><\/p>\n