Something Common Core opponents need to recognize is that people like the concept of uniform national standards (as does the Mad Biologist):
Opposing national standards per se is doomed to fail, especially in an era where families have to move repeatedly due to work. Many parents have experienced the frustration after their kids have switched school districts and are either ahead of or behind their new peers. The real problem with the Common Core is that this particular set of standards is mediocre. We have standards that work–we should adopt those in every state, instead of reinventing a square wheel.
mikethemadbiologist
All of a sudden a comment made to me by a retired politician makes sense. This must be what she meant by “they’re getting rid of algebra II.”
I am against any type of “top-down” standards. The Frameworks in Massachusetts is one such set. It was not, however, cast in stone. Over several years it morphed into a more useful form. The MCAS, on the other hand, changed how we taught our ninth and tenth graders forever. After a student had passed MCAS we were able to teach in the manner we thought best. It looks like that will be coming to an end soon as well.
(35 years math/science teacher, and your fan)
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