3 years, 6 months.

Dear Jack,

You’re still a few years away from us having to worry about this, but there’s something called Common Core, and apparently, you and I are supposed to loathe it the way vegans across America cringe when they hear the word “Monsanto.”

From what I can understand, in an attempt for America to compete with the rest of the world in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (also referred to as STEM), 45 of 50 of the United States have adopted a teaching system which is intended to help students understand complex problems by picking them apart, rethinking them, and building solutions.

It’s also meant to prepare them for college and work expectations.

In other words, I suppose the theory is that America is too “right-brained.” We need to become more “left-brained” to compete on a global scale.

Maybe we need to start thinking more like computers and less like poets? (That’s my attempt at being sarcastic, by the way.)

I should be very clear to say, I cannot truly be a critic of Common Core, because I am not experiencing it daily, like so many parents are; who I see complain about it on Facebook and Twitter.

Seriously, I can’t scroll through my Facebook feed on any given day without at least seeing one complaint about Common Core.

So from that, I will just assume that you and I both will learn to hate Common Core within the next few years when the time is right.

However, something I will always teach you is to be open-minded. On paper, I love the concept of Common Core.

The question is, “Is it actually more effective?” I don’t know.

It makes a lot of sense to me, though. In school, I never did well in math or science; which ultimately led to me getting an English degree, because by default, it was the one thing I was good at.

Perhaps I could have benefited from Common Core when I was a kid? Maybe it could have taught me to think in a way where I would have actually liked math.

We’ll find out with you.

You know how I am. If I am believe it is ineffective, I’ll let you know.

But as for now, I want to like Common Core. I can’t dislike something I’ve never tried. We’ll give it fair shot.

It’s not like we really have a choice anyway, right?

Love,

Daddy

Source: TopMastersinEducation.com