Talking about the "things that matter most" on October 23
4:00 - Direct to My Desk
5:00 - Common Core and Catholics
We have received an overwhelming amount of e-mails, letters, phone calls, columns, press releases, articles and more regarding the Common Core Curriculum. Today we delve into it with Dan Guernsey, headmaster at the Donohue Academy and serves on the board of the National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools, (NAPCIS), which provides consulting and accreditation services for more than 150 independent Catholic schools across the nation
While I was thrilled to finally see Kresta in the Afternoon do what I would consider a well-balanced and honest approach to the issue of Common Core, I think one big picture items was mentioned quickly by the guest, but not picked up on. The question so ask is this, if all the standardized test are being changed (they are) to comply with CC, and a Catholic School decides not to teach CC standards, then those students will perform poorly on the SAT/ACT and they will not get into college or reflect poorly in general, as their test scores will be lower. What I have seen and heard is that there is more concern with reading a technical manual for how solar panels work, or some nonsense like this, instead of the classics. So if a Catholic or any school decides not to adopt the Core and not to stick to the program, then those students will ‘appear’ to be ‘dumber’ or not test as well. It’s all about testing. We must teach to the test or our students look stupid, when in fact, it’s all about changing the test to make sure student learn what certain people in the Gates Foundation or Governors Association want kids to learn, not what they should learn. Additionally, the social engineering could be huge. All books are going to go electronic with e-readers. Parents might check out the books, but then with a click of a button, many things are changed once school starts or mid-stream, and how would we ever catch what’s going on? Impossible to vet. If a book and curriculum is printed and used for many years, the parents can vet it once, then approve it for the school and this could be used for many years. With e-books, simple clicks from some government entity might change things forever. Seems though, if the SAT and ACT tests are changed to focus on CC, then we DO NOT have a choice, and this conflicts with what your guest says. I am licensed to give the standardized test and they are changing them. So, if you aren’t teaching to them, because you did not take on CC, then your students will fail the test. It seems like they are controlling us through money and through testing. No local control. To me, this looks like another Dodd-Frank or Obamacare. Control from on-high, by unelected boards and groups and we have no say.
ReplyDeleteIf you'd like to hear more about Common Core, please visit the following link. While this show did a great job, I feel the e-book issue and the changing of standardized tests, as I mention above, are two issues that are critical and were not covered in enough depth. http://votevitale.webs.com/audio-and-video
ReplyDeleteHere you will find several more details about CC. Please read, learn and study this issue. It's another Obamacare. Education without Representation.
Nino, thank you for your comments. My son is a freshman at Hillsdale College in Michigan and this very topic came up during the Fall Convocation. The president of the school, Larry Arnn, said (and I'm summarizing here) "if the SAT and ACT is aligned with Common Core, then we'll find a new way of evaluating students for admission." Hillsdale is a liberal arts school in the classic sense and the common core standards are antithetical to the school's mission. I think we might see more schools adopt this attitude IF people wake up and demand something different. Honestly, I would be honored to have all of my kids attend this school (which, as an aside is very friendly to Catholics and all people of sincere faith).
ReplyDeleteI am working on a masters in theology at Franciscan and have taken several on line classes at Hillsdale as well. I have yellow pads full of notes. Hillsdale, although not Catholic, is probably a school I MIGHT let one of my 4 boys go to when older. It would be tough, not to send them to one of the 20 truly Catholic schools. Thank you for your comments. That's my point and I think it was missed. The guest said, Catholic Schools have a choice, and I kept saying, NO THEY DON'T. None of us, even us homeschoolers, will have a choice because my kid must test to the ACT and SAT and if it's geared toward the Core, my kids will not do well. Thus, it's all about the stupid tests, which some kids don't do well anyone, on a test or in a test environment. So even the current ACT and SAT are not what I would consider adequate. I am also licensed to administer the Iowa test and it looks like that might be changing to Core. Folks best wake up~
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