Common Core Thesis

Preface
Most people have heard of the Common Core, but they may not know that it is now in use in 42 of the 50 states in the US. Now that the Common Core has been so widely accepted, it is as well-known as it is controversial. Since I was aware that there were many concerns about the Common Core, I wanted to know more about them. During the course of my research I hoped to discover a number of things. First, I wanted to know exactly what the Common Core is and some about its history. Second, I wanted to know why this change is so important to people. Lastly, I wanted to know why it is such a divisive subject. These questions deserve to be looked into because the Common Core is affecting and will affect many students across the United States.
Dietz wrote the scholarly article “The Dangers and Opportunities of the Common Core”. They begin by stating their view: learning should not be standardized such that the same companies produce all curriculum materials and tests. Brooks and Dietz believe material that teaches to the test is not as valuable to student learning as flexibility. The authors emphasize that new standards cannot make ineffective teachers more effective, but they can inhibit good teachers. Brooks and Dietz close by stressing that true solutions to problems in education must begin in the classroom, not from government agencies. While Brooks and Dietz cite meaningful reasons and examples against the Common Core standardization, their article lacks specific suggestions for improvement. Their title is also somewhat misleading, as they include virtually no information about opportunities provided by common core. After reading this, I am more aware of the inherent dangers of standardization in education such as that of the Common Core. I am left wondering how and why the Common Core has become so
Kopke, Lisa K. Hawkins, Gary A. Troia, and Natalie G. Olinghouse inform teachers about the role of writing in Common Core curriculum and offer advice for its implementation. They first highlight the importance of writing in relation to professional success, and discuss the current lack of students with passable writing skills, observing that Common Core does not sufficiently emphasize writing. The authors next provide strategies to remedy this problem, and close by stressing that they hope the Common Core is not perceived as difficulty but as an opportunity for professional development. The authors’ emphasis on students’ writing skills in relation to Common Core requirements engages the readers’ sympathy with their dilemma. Mo et. all base their suggestions on the ideas, work, and research of many researchers and scholars before them, lending credibility to their article. Before reading this article, I had no idea Common Core’s minimum requirements barely address things like peer reviews and keyboarding, and cursive. I now have a better understanding of the effects of Common Core on English classes, and am left wondering how other subjects are