This post is specially for teachers, retired or current, parents and grandparents of children in the United States. The documentary is 39 minutes long, but worth the clear presentation of this new education initiative in the US. These questions are answered:
1. Why was it kept secret in its formation and implementation?
2. What was Bill Gates’ part ?
3. What is the difference of state/local standards verses national standard?
4. Who was involved in producing standards with the goal of making every child college or career level ready upon graduating of 12th grade?
5. What was Race to the Top? Why were states desperate for funds?
6. Goals of more charter schools, improved teacher evaluations, and higher standards are a good thing, right?
7. Who benefits financially from Common Core?
8. States and local communities had the control of local schools until the rise of Common Core? Is this better? Were teachers included in the the planning?
http://www.ijreview.com/2014/10/184911-documentary-trailer-movingly-cuts-core-common-core-really/
What are your thoughts?
TalesAlongTheWay 
I am from Ohio, my brother, mother, sister in law and I have been or are still, teachers. The common core is not that different from how we have had state standards for over 10 years here in Ohio. I was measuring preschool children’s testing ability and logging onto the state of Ohio website since 2000. That is 14 years ago… I am unsure of why some feel we have not had standardized testing for over 20 years: Fourth grade proficiency, etc. It is a challenge to come up with level tests, so my brother who is a professor, says they include for a 3rd grade, (4th grade proficiency) questions for the IQ of a 5th or 6th grader and ‘easy’ ones for a first grader. My good friend who just retired from an Ohio school says it will cost her school a lot of money to retrain the teachers, who have all learned how to use the testing from the common core. She was much dismayed to see her stepmother had a big sign talking about repealing the Common Core. Hope this is not against what you are interested in hearing, Annet. Take care and don’t know why there is such an uproar, since some can go ahead and home school or get online computer Ohio programs and not have to answer to anyone. Last but not least, the ones I hear at work complaining are the ones who would never pass the levies to help get a new curriculum to replace this one!
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Many thanks for your well thought out and lengthy reply. I agree that schools and teachers have always had a curriculum, goal, standards and standardized testing. My concern is that states and communities now no longer have control of education as they have since the beginning of America. I think that teacher assessment is crucial for the best education for our children. But I am a firm believer that teachers are professionals and should be treated that way. They should have the most current training and definite guidelines but also freedom to meet the needs of individual students. I feel it is impossible to make each student into a robot of her neighbor and that each child should be given an opportunity to learn to her full potential. This means that not every child will have the aptitude or interest for college, and skilled trade schools should be an option as they are in Europe. I am a firm believer in group work and integration of curriculum as well as project based learning , at least as a fraction of the options available to use in the classroom.
I would be most happy to share more , if you like. I am very happy to hear from you !
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