The Biggest Fallacy of the Common Core Standards

     This author begins by stating a lot of the skepticism she has with the Common Core. She states that they have yet to be tested, so there is no evidence that they are going to do anything that their boosters say they are going to do. She tells that their boosters claim that our Nation's Security is at jeopardy if all states do not adopt the CCSS. She also tells of other dramatic claims made by the boosters of the CCSS. She goes on to say that in the one place that they actually have been implemented and tested, that only 3.2 percent of English language learners passed the new tests. She continues by stating that the CCSS seems to be set in stone, that no state can change it, but that as States, they have the right to change them as they deem necessary. The author encourages a high standard for learning but not one beyond students' reach, and she believes that the CCSS is beyond reach and unnecessary for learning.
     I won't say that I am new to the Common Core State Standards because I had to use them all semester last semester while making lesson plans, but I never actually did any research about them. Now that I am actually hearing what they are, I cannot agree to them either. I do not understand 45 states implementing a standard that is going to cause students to fail just so they can gain some of the Race to the Top federal funding. I think that education has always been in the States' hands for a reason. Because there are different learners everywhere. Each state cannot go by the same exact standard and expect to get the same outcome. Each state is different due to many different factors such as geographical location, population, size, race, income, and other factors as well. How can we expect with so many differences to get the same outcome? I think some of our state leaders have their minds going in the wrong direction when it comes to our students' education. I think that the states should do what works the best for their individual state when it comes to education and leave the federal governments' money out of it because they have enough problems as it is.

The Common Core's fundamental trouble

     The author of this article starts by stating that all things that are said about the Common Core State Standards, are not all truthful. She then offers up a piece of writing by another organization that stands against the Common Core State Standards. Their article starts by stating a few things that others have claimed to be positive things for the CCSS. They go on to say that they would hope that these claims were true but cannot believe that they are. They tell that the CCSS is not actually funded or run by states at all, that it is ran by the National Governor's Association. The authors state that the CCSS has not been fully implemented or tested at all. They write that the CCSS is just a harder standardized state test than that of the No Child Left Behind Act, that they said failed miserably. They believe that what happened with NCLB will happen with CCSS just in a more intense fashion. They believe that failing percentages will be significantly higher leading to substantially higher drop out rates for high school students also leading to less students graduating and being "college and career ready" which is the entire point of the CCSS.
     I can agree that there does need to be some set standard or goal that students should try to achieve, but not an outrageous one setting students up to fail. As a future Special Educator, these extreme standards will not help my students achieve anything if I follow them. I think there does need to be a standard set but there should be flexibility due to the differences of students in each classroom. I went to a public high school where there was an array of learners and we all had the same teachers. My advanced classes of course had different standards than the normal classes. Both classrooms learned the same material, but the advanced classes just always went a little faster and little more in depth. I believe that each classroom across America is different and how can someone expect them all to learn the same exact thing in the same amount of time if they don't all have the same amount resources and opportunities?

How Teachers Are Integrating Tech Common Core

 The author of this article is very excited about the integration of technology into the learning curriculum. He states of different ways to incorporate technology for learning into the curriculum. He lists several Common Core Standards that have different types of technology in their specific standard. He thinks that this integration is necessary for students due to the emphasis on technology in real life.

     I also agree with the author of this article. I think that students use so much technology outside of school already and that incorporating it into their learning process will help keep their attention and better relate for them, ultimately increasing their learning experience. I also think that as a Special Education major, I know that there are necessary accomdations for certain learners that need to be made through technology and this integration will also be very beneficial for them as well.

Introduction

I am from Monticello, MS. I am a Senior Special Education Major at the University of Southern Mississippi. I am 21 years old. I honestly do not know where I will be in my life when I graduate, so I am not sure if I will be teaching a classroom or not. I do, however, plan on teaching a classroom at some point. Right now, I coach a Special Needs cheerleading team, so I plan on continuing that for a while before making any long term decisions.