I don’t mean to imply that this video fits the generally accepted definition of propaganda; I don’t find anything particularly biased or misleading. Instead, I applaud the Common Core State Standard Consortium in their attempt of tackling the huge task of informing educators about what the Common Core Standards are all about. I just wish it wasn’t so cheesy.
This is a HUGE time in education. The “powers that be” are finally giving educators standards that blend both the “what” and the “how” of education, have built in structures for students to fail (on purpose, crazy huh?), and demand that we bring real world challenges into our classroom on a regular basis. While technology will play an increasingly important role in that last idea, what will be more important is that educators be willing to let go of entrenched lessons, projects, and activities that only reinforce the “what” of education. If someone could create a piece of propaganda that speaks to the honest need for serious change in “how” we educate students, I imagine it would be much less “cutesy” than the above video.
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My concern about CCS has little to do with content and everything to do with implementation. If simply adopting new standards would change instructional practice, then I’d be in full support. But the reality is that most states have had rigorous standards for years, and the evidence–made clear in this video–is that we’re not doing much to put them into practice. The problem, in my opinion, isn’t a lack of standards. It’s an instructional system that is willing to let students fail at achieving standards if they can’t do so in the 9 months alloted. Until our instructional system changes, CCS won’t have much effect. My fear is that we’ll feel as if we’ve done something important, when in fact we haven’t.
And that’s why I so excited about the Common Core. It’s focused on the practice standards, not the content. I have yet to see a body of standards that put its emphasis on the practice and process standards of how students learn. I couldn’t care less about the actual CCSS Content Standards myself, I’m salivating over the Practice and College & Career Readiness Standards.
Why? Because we finally have an assessment consortium that’s being designed to assess the Practice Standards, and not the Content. While I agree with you, if the implementation fails, then there’s nothing to cheer about. However, if the implementation fails, then come the 2014-2015 school year you’re going to see a LOT of students and schools fail because the assessments that are being drafted now are going to be a balance of the Practice and Content Standards, including a very robust Performance Assessment (on the Math Assessment at least).