Debunking the Need for National Curriculum

[adnelson60087]

This is an awesome op ed. Darn, get this man into the Sec of Ed position...now! Just a bit of the piece....

Finally, what’s the purpose of demanding that every kid in every school in every state must be able to do the same thing in the same year, with teachers pressured to “align” their instruction to a master curriculum and a standardized test?
"A prescription for uniform, specific, rigorous standards is made to order for those whose chief concern is to pump up the American economy."
I once imagined a drinking game in which a few of those education reform papers from corporate groups and politicians were read aloud: You take a shot every time you hear “rigorous,” “measurable,” “accountable,” “competitive,” “world-class,” “high(er) expectations,” or “raising the bar.” Within a few minutes, everyone would be so inebriated that they’d no longer be able to recall a time when discussions about schooling weren’t studded with these macho managerial buzzwords.

But not all jargon is meaningless. This language has very real implications for what classrooms will look like and what education is (and isn’t) all about. The goal here isn’t to nourish children’s curiosity, to help them fall in love with reading, to promote both the ability and the disposition to think critically, or to support a democratic society. Rather, a prescription for uniform, specific, rigorous standards is made to order for those whose chief concern is to pump up the American economy and triumph over people who live in other countries.

If you read the FAQs page on the common-core-standards Web site, don’t bother looking for words like “exploration,” “intrinsic motivation,” “developmentally appropriate,” or “democracy.” Instead, the very first sentence contains the phrase “success in the global economy,” followed immediately by “America’s competitive edge.”





http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/01/14/17kohn-comm.h29.html

[Reader Rabbit]

1. Thanks for that.

I printed it out, and I think I might post it in our faculty lounge.

[FBaggins]

2. This is absolutely correct

A national curriculum is a huge mistake. The OP's point is a good one, but it goes even farther than that. When every 4th grader learns the same things about American History, then that means that NONE of them are learning SOME things. Far better to have some schools cover different materials so that those topics cross-pollinate as kids grow up and the information blends together. It's perfectly ok for one school to focus on Dr King even if that means that Ben Franklin gets dropped from the book... but if there's a national curriculum, then Franklin is largely forgotten.

More importantly, however, is the simple fact that education is a key parental responsibility. The level of government that drives education should thus be as close to the parents as possible. The Federal government should have as little to do with education (apart from funding key priorities that the states cannot) as is feasible.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. +1

[JackintheGreen]

4. I don't know about dropping Ben Franklin

I get your point, but maybe a better example would be Eli Whitney or Robert Fulton.

But heck, I remember being fascinated by barbed wire in high school and my history teacher, godblessim though I couldn't stand him, let me do an extensive report on the stuff. That'll never happen no more.

[tonysam]

5. National standards = national control

Not a good thing, for public schools are supposed to be under LOCAL control via elected school boards.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. I disagree in part.

In my classes, it is clear that there are some students vastly better prepared for college level work than others. At one point there was a salutatorian failing a 200 level class, most due to lack of adequate preparation. Its heartbreaking.

I believe that there should be a core group of skills and knowledge taught to all students and and additional set taught for those in a college prep track. However, it does not need to fill the entire day and be a teach to the test environment.

Though the Common Core State Standards are well meant, they are excessively broad and time consuming. Core stuff should occupy no more than 2/3s of a mythical standard school day. That leaves the rest for the arts and other electives to round out the day and the student.

[alp227]

7. kohn breaks the propaganda down real darn well.

He should be Education Secretary instead of Duncan Donuts.

[LWolf]

8. I DID suggest

Kohn for Secretary of Ed, lol.

I can find that post in my journal archives, but I can't link to it. Suddenly, a whole bunch of my previous posts about education cannot be linked to. There is a "bug," or they are just "missing."

But Alfie Kohn would certainly be a great choice, and would have supported "change I can believe in."

[adnelson60087]

9. Hear, Hear!! I have to read some of his books soon to better

appreciate his point of view! Why couldn't Obama listen to him instead of B-ballin' Arne??

[stopschoolpaddling]

10. Amen to that!!!

My kids repeatedly come home with the same repetitious homework that they could do in their sleep. Even if they knew it in Kindergarten apparently it's required, I asked. Everyday I ask them if they had any fun and they all say, "No, school is boring." Then they go crazy running around the house roughhousing and playing (sometimes fighting)with each other for at least 3 hours as if the suppressed energy from being made to sit quietly all day has to go somewhere. One 35 minute recess for my 2 second graders and my one Kindergartner isn't enough. For such a civilized country, why are we so stupid when it comes to "education" (fill in the blank)? I will home-school in the fall. I love my children way to much to let government education turn them into stupid mindless clones?

[Catshrink]

11. So you think everything should be fun and entertaining?

And you're passing that attitude on to your kids? Good luck with that. They're the kids I get at 16 who have no interest in learning and just want to hang with their friends and listen to their iPods all day. Parents are responsible for instilling a love of learning in their children. Parents are the primary educators in a child's life. Parents, whether by word, attitude, or action, teach kids what's important. I'm sure the teachers just love parents like you who question their every move.

By the way, that relearning business? It's called spiraling. While some content may have been learned before, when it's readdressed, it's normally built on.

And, if you do homeschool, please do it until your kids graduate. When homeschooled kids return to school, they're usually behind their peers and usually a behavior problem. There is a homeschooling forum or group on DU. You might be happier there than here trashing public education. Those of us who are teachers work our asses off and are dedicted to what we do. You don't have a clue about our jobs.

[stopschoolpaddling]

13. That's right, tell me to go away. Nice!!!

You wrote "There is a homeschooling forum or group on DU. You might be happier there than here trashing public education." What kind of attitude are you teaching? Intolerance! What's the matter the truth hurt? Please look at the figures of high school drop out rates, drugs and violence in schools and the increasing rate of adolescent suicide. You assume I am blaming teachers for this problem, that is contempt without investigation. Something I'd rather not teach my children to do either.
I think our public schools could be a great place to learn if the out-dated harmful political foundations they are built upon were blown apart and re-built. It's not the teacher's fault that our schools are failing so many children. The teacher's themselves are so stifled by useless regulations and requirements, it surprises me that they are able to function as well as they do. If all the teacher's in the U.S. were able to unite and re-structure the system without government interference, there's no telling what would happen but I believe it would be incredibly good. Peace.

[Catshrink]

17. You have no clue.

[FBaggins]

14. Lol... so you recognize that parents are the primary educators in a child's life...

...but have a problem with homeschooling?

Your perception, BTW, is flat wrong. Homeschool students returning to a traditional classroom are often (in my experience, "usually") advanced well beyond their peers (in classroom subjects anyway).

This is NOT because professional teachers aren't good enough at what they do... they're just at a structural disadvantage.

And, for the record... YES, school should be "fun and entertaining" (and yes... that's your job too). Does that mean you need to dance on the tables? Of course not... but if you didn't find your teacher training boring and ignore it... you might remember Gagne's nine rules/events/whatever from his Conditions of Learning? Number one is gain (and by implication , hold) their attention. If you can't do that... the other eight are just going through the motions.

Lastly... very little homework is an example of "spiraling". You'll find pretty strong agreement here with the notion that much of it is a big waste of time. Teachers know it... don't be surprised that parents and students know it too (and thus don't be shocked to hear "boring" on occasion).

[mzteris]

12. Do not listen to that . . .

you are absolutely correct. Kids love learning until they're taught not to. They NEED exercise and arts and crafts and music and freedom and challenge. (They also need to be free of fear of violence - I saw your posts about "paddling" and intimidation practiced in your school system.)

There is a hs'ing forum here on DU. You do need a star to post (i'm temporarily without. . .) but you could read. It's not very busy but you could get some ideas - and some truths about hs'ing. Also, if you have any questions about how to go about setting up hs'ing, feel free to pm me.

PS - why wait until Fall?

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[FBaggins]

16. It has BECOME a RW term... it wasn't always.

The early homechoolers were largely liberals (who did refer to public schools as "government schools"). They were mostly concerned with local government and/or school boards, but that IS the level of government controlling public education after all. It's also a widely-used term around the world (that has nothing to do with the RW).

I'm more leary of the exceptionally low post count than of the terminology.

But I guess we were all new once.

[stopschoolpaddling]

18. Not again

You write,"I think you are on the wrong board".
Is it more than coincidence that educators like to run off people they don't agree with? How mature! My school district superintendent tried to completely ignore my request for public school records until I sent him a certified letter quoting my right to information. I don't feel bad that his contract wasn't renewed after I took that information and made it public. No wonder he wanted me to go away! What are you hiding?

[tonysam]

19. Nobody's running you off, but the least you should do is call public schools

"public schools" instead of using right-wing terminology.

They aren't "government" schools.

[stopschoolpaddling]

20. Amen to that!!!

Here you go
My kids repeatedly come home with the same repetitious homework that they could do in their sleep. Even if they knew it in Kindergarten apparently it's required, I asked. Everyday I ask them if they had any fun and they all say, "No, school is boring." Then they go crazy running around the house roughhousing and playing (sometimes fighting)with each other for at least 3 hours as if the suppressed energy from being made to sit quietly all day has to go somewhere. One 35 minute recess for my 2 second graders and my one Kindergartner isn't enough. For such a civilized country, why are we so stupid when it comes to "education" (fill in the blank)? I will home-school in the fall. I love my children way to much to let public schools turn them into stupid mindless clones?