Photo credit to scubasteveo on Flickr
The Common Core standards are basic rules for grades K-12. They are
important because they set a specific set of goals to be accomplished prior to
entering college whether it be for two years or four. Pros and cons vary
(unarguably), though I found a blog that not only presented both sides well but
discussed them in depth. There was one pro vs. con that specifically stood out to me.
"Pro: The Common Core Standards are not finding the lowest common denominator to build on, but are in fact designed to build upon the best standards so that even states with successful standards will be taking a step forward in education. Con: The Common Core Standards is a program pushed by the government – Adopt the program or no money" (Common Core).
I think the idea behind it all is brilliant. I love the idea of everyone being able to improve including states that have previously been successful. However, I think that budget is and always will be the elephant in the room.
"Budget has always – and probably will always – be a point of contention and concern for institutes of education. It costs money to educate others, so when the federal government promises money in return for adhering to new educational programs, many schools cannot help but jump through the hoops disregarding the purpose of education in order to maintain numbers and jobs" (Common Core).I think it's great that the government's trying to be more involved in order to better the futures of both current and future students, however "opponents assert that more government involvement will not necessarily translate into higher quality education" (NES). However well-intentioned, I think one program for so many diverse schools/counties/classrooms is a bit far fetched.
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The pendulum swings can become quite evident in controversial subjects. Like you, I believe that there are some qualities that make Common Core somewhat desirable. For me, though, the implementation is key and I've found over the years, that the larger the initiative with such specifics, the more difficult it is to accomplish! Then there's the issue of missing the 'creativity' aspect...
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