Common Core Standards

Understanding difficult texts

         Educators are up in arms about the implementation of the Common Core Standards, and the reason eludes me. From what I gather, the Common Core Standards are standards for what children should know at each grade level.  I do not see anything wrong with that. I agree with the fact that all students in the United States should adhere to nation wide standards.  However, what I do not agree with is that all students should be able to read the exact same texts and texts should be appropriate for all different cultures.  Not all students have the same background knowledge to be able to understand all texts.

For example, I was observing at an Early Childhood Development Center in Bridgeport, CT. The classroom in which I was a guest consisted of eight three year olds.  We were looking through a book about a farm.  I showed them a picture of a cow and asked them what animal this was.  No one knew.  If I visited a preschool in the next town over, Fairfield, CT, I can almost guarantee that all children would know what a cow looked like.  This difference in culture should be addressed in the Common Core.  As Jacqueline DeForge tells it: “All students should have the opportunity to see themselves reflected back, as well as to be exposed to cultures and experiences that may differ from their own, in the literature and nonfiction texts we study.” (DeForge, The Open Book) So far, most of the books that are recommended for the Common Core are about and written by white people. This is wrong. All cultures should be represented in the material we study with the students.  Students should be able to recognize themselves and their friends in what they read.  This would create more understanding for other cultures and would celebrate diversity.  Education is not only about being able to understand a difficult text, but more importantly about understanding each other.