It is early afternoon here in Kansas, and I have been busy updating another blog. The weather here is mild, windy, and rainy. Typical for a Spring day in Kansas I guess. As I have been sitting here, though, I have been thinking of so many different things. Will I get a job teaching next school year? Where will we go on vacation this summer? What can I do about Common Core? Should I read for awhile?
My brain typically has a million things going on at any one time, although I probably only focus on a few. After getting my teaching credentials in May 2011, I have not been able to get a full-time teaching position. I am truly hoping this will be the year I get a job. Unfortunately, education has taken what I believe to be a HUGE step backward with the adoption on Common Core. It is a cause I am fighting against, and one that I have to be careful about. I feel that having standards are important for teachers as they help us in developing our daily objectives. We can then use the curriculum that is available to support those objectives to fulfill the standards. Common Core is a nationalized set of standards that I do not have any say in, cannot change in any way, and cannot really choose the curriculum. Many of the standards are very rigid and tell the teacher how to teach the standard--thus making the standards curriculum. The standards are also developmentally inappropriate for the younger grades, which is what I will be teaching. I will not go against the school or district policy, but I will continue to try to get Common Core taken out of the state, and try to get new standards written.
So, this is what has been taking up much of my thought process today. Most days my thoughts revolve around teaching and my kids. I want what is best for them and I do not believe they are getting the best right now. I believe they are getting a watered down version of education and they are missing out on so many wonderful things. I do not blame teachers, as they cannot break away from what the requirements are. I blame the government, No Child Left Behind, Race To the Top, and so much more.
Just some random thoughts on this Thursday!
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