Opus 2015-5: Election 2016: Jeb on Education, part 2 of 3

Jeb Bush likes merit pay.  He is also a diehard supporter of Common Core Curriculum (CCC).  The Washington Times examines this in its weekend, print version, November 24, 2014, page 3.  It is also on-line.  They have different titles.  The print versions is, “Jeb Bush maintains support for Common Core.”  The on-line proclaims “Jeb Bush doubles down on Common Core, risking conservative ire.”  They are different, but you get the point.

As a public school teacher who has been to the indoctrination and meetings, read some of the material and listened to other teachers, I can tell you that Jeb Bush does not know what he is talking about.  He speaks as someone who listens to the gurus and consultants in education and shelters himself from the people in the trenches.

He is quoted as saying,

“...they are vital to improving the quality of education and, by extension, improving children’s chances to succeed in today’s economy.”

The biggest problem I see with the Common Core Standards is that they are nothing new.  They are simply a repackaging of the goal that public education has had for years.  I saw it when I started in 1987.  I have seen it repeatedly brought back with new smoke, mirrors and jargon.  Since most people ignore history and don’t look at the big picture they always think it is new and shiny.  Ultimately it is the battle to move from content to process.  The big quote you always hear is about rote learning, memorization and repetition not helping people to think.  The gurus of education keep up the mantra that it is more important to be able to think than to know the facts. 

The article shares a half truth.

“The standards do not constitute a national curriculum; instead, they lay out basic facts and principles that students are expected to master by the end of each grade level.”

The half truth is that the entire thrust is on the principles, not the facts.  The statement acts like they get equal billing but that is not true.  Homework becomes group projects in class.  Spelling is unimportant.  They are developing software so computers can grade the students writing.  Most of what I have seen emphasizes group work.  If you are a group of high paid professionals, group work might have a use.  I emphasize “might”.  Even there it does not always work.  For young people it is just a way to pool your ignorance and try to get someone else to get the work.

To be continued...

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