Recent evaluations of the state's preschoolers have determined that only 47 percent are ready for kindergarten, compared to 83 percent judged ready last year. This drastic drop isn't the result of an abrupt, catastrophic decline in the cognitive abilities of our children. Instead it results from a re-definition of kindergarten readiness, which now means being able to succeed academically at a level far beyond anything expected in the past. For example, a child entering kindergarten is now expected to know the difference between informative/explanatory writing and opinion writing. The concern is that preschoolers without that knowledge will not succeed at meeting the new higher-level Common-Core standards. However, I think a more pressing concern is: Why do we have educational standards that are not aligned with even the most basic facts of human development? Clearly these test results show that the problem is with the standards, not the children.
Educational attainment is part of human development, and fundamentally this is a biological process that cannot be sped up. We cannot wish away our biological limitations because we find them inconvenient. Children will learn crawling, walking, listening, talking and toilet training, all in succession at developmentally appropriate ages. Once in school, for skills that require performing a physical task, that are in what Bloom's Taxonomy classifies as the "psychomotor domain," it is understood that children will only learn when they are physically and developmentally ready. No one expects four-year olds to type fluently on a computer keyboard, play difficult Chopin Etudes on the piano, prepare elaborate meals in the kitchen or drive a car.
We only had to switch to Common Core because certain subgroups, one in particular, couldn't pass the No Child Left Behind tests. Common Core was piloted nowhere before it was adopted by most states. We can thank those who never achieve for this mess.
If a chef can't make dinner for 12 out of one chicken leg, buying him a new cookbook won't help. Maybe the problem is what he's been given to work with.
I hope you all signed the petition to remove common core from MD. Common core must die! Or your grand kids will be good little boxed up commies
ReplyDeleteI hope you all signed the petition to remove common core from MD. Common core must die! Or your grand kids will be good little boxed up commies
ReplyDeleteWe only had to switch to Common Core because certain subgroups, one in particular, couldn't pass the No Child Left Behind tests. Common Core was piloted nowhere before it was adopted by most states. We can thank those who never achieve for this mess.
ReplyDeletethis common core is just to advance the Obama stupid kids.
ReplyDelete"...For example, a child entering kindergarten is now expected to know the difference between informative/explanatory writing and opinion writing."
ReplyDeleteHalf of adults don't know the difference so how can we expect children to know.
Just can't fix stupid!
ReplyDeleteIf a chef can't make dinner for 12 out of one chicken leg, buying him a new cookbook won't help. Maybe the problem is what he's been given to work with.
ReplyDeletethey are no longer considered "children" - they are HUMAN CAPITAL UNITS
ReplyDeleteTo me Common Core is to dumb down children so there is more workers and less elitists.
ReplyDelete