How many of us know what the hell is going on in education? Unless you are an educator or a parent who has a vested interest in your child's education, most of us don't know about the educational revolution that has swept this country this past year.
Effective the 2013/14 school year, forty five of the fifty glorious American states have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). It is mandatory that these states adhere to the same curriculum standards. Before the CCSS, each state had their own curriculum standards. We were all over the board regarding the curriculum. Kids were getting to college and the professors all said the same thing- "These kids don't know shit?!" A change was and is needed.
Such a change hasn't happened this drastically in thousands of years. If you went to school before this year, then you learned in the antiquated pedagogy of a teacher telling his/her students what they need to know and if they don't know it, they fail. The US is so freaking far behind the ball education wise, that we literally look like a bunch of knuckleheads to the rest of the world.
According to the Internet, and we all know whatever we read on the Internet is true, the United States tends to boast about being the 6th richest country on the face of our planet earth. Awesome! Grand! We fahhhhkin rock America! Now how about putting some money aside for educators? Teachers teach the world's professions.
But back to the present- where is critical thinking? Where did higher order thinking skills go? Where did real life application go? Where did personal accountability go? Am I the only person who thinks that the current generation gets things spoon fed to them? Am I the only person who feels that some seem entitled and expect things to be done for them? I know that I am not after many conversations with colleagues, friends and parents. Did our parents have the same sentiment of our generation? I am sure they did! I guess it's generational to say such things cause you damn well know that our parents, grandparents said the same about us at some point when we were kids in the 70's and 80's. That's a whole other blog post.
I get it. I have been on the front lines, standing in front of a room full of fifty 7-year-olds as their teacher, 'Mr. V.' I have been there, molding the young minds that are gonna take care of our asses when we are ready to retire. Scary huh?
But now the game has changed. Not only has the landscape of education, but also the playing field as to how kids are getting their input. Books, actual books, are very much used in schools........for now. Another ten years, who knows what kind of tools will schools use? I had 1:1 iPads for all my fifty students. They are only a tool yet many students/parents use them as a crutch. Will teachers be needed in the years to come to guide instruction or will it just be automated? Scary huh?
Imagine when you were a senior in high school and someone told you that each student will have a small computer that can give you every answer to every question ever asked and do it in about 0.48 seconds. Who the fuck would have thought such a thing when we were struggling to get through typing class with word processors!! Word fucking processors!!!! Just sitting here typing out this blog, I am taken back because of how easy it is now to just type a 'document'. According to Wikipedia, a publicly 'trusted' resource of information, a document is defined as 'a written or drawn representation of thoughts.'
Moreover, I am using a bunch of plastic keys that are powered by batteries that works through an invisible 'Bluetooth' wireless connection. How do teeth and the color blue have any fucking bearing as how this magical signal is transmitted!? Shit, my mouse- (yes, it's called a mouse!) also works using the 'Bluetooth Force' that we thought only Jedis could use.
So with all that being said, I want to hear more about YOUR honest thoughts concerning the Common Core State Standards. What do you think? Don't be shy. If you don't know much about them, tell me! Let's talk about it. My goal is to open up this forum for people like us to chat about. Even if you are a parent or not, this will affect your future! I haven't gone too much into that actual standards. I just want to open the floor and hear what others are thinking. Whatever your opinion is about this subject, I appreciate your feedback. Thanks!
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