Tavares, FL Dec. 30, 2013
To: The Lake County, FL School District Board and interested parties
Common Core Update: Extremely good 7 Minute Video by 4th grade teacher on dangers of Common Core for Elementary Students & Why She Quit Public Schools
This is a very clear 7-minute video explanation by a grade school teacher on why Common Core Standards are bad for young elementary school students, and why she quit public school teaching – “Common Core was the last straw”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGg8XXk8ArU
She continues to support the idea that many mandated Common Core learning topics for grades 1-5 are not “developmentally appropriate” because their brain has not grown to the point to understand or remember the topics. It re-affirms the statements of others I have read that the developers of Common Core have no clue what young kids are capable of learning, and the excessive Common Core standards for elementary school students are disrupting the entire learning path for kids.l
My Recommendation is that the Lake County school board should have some PUBLIC workshops with 1st through fifth grade teachers and specialists in early childhood learning just to hear if they think the CC standards are appropriate for young students. Care is needed to ensure the teachers have not been warned not to tell the truth. An alternative is that Board members should have their own personal meetings at some of their schools with 1st-5th grade teachers and learn about this issue (and invite me).
Lake County School Board members need to not just accept Common Core, but to question legitimate concerns like this and develop alternative policies if warranted.
If you want more evidence of this issue, go to my factsheet on Common Core at www.tinyurl.com/HaltCommonCore and download the 100 page attachment of internet bookmarked links on Common core and find some other reports for more background.
Vance Jochim
Lake County Fiscal Rangers
Chief Fiscal Watchdog
Volunteers Searching for Ways to Improve Local Government Fiscal Management, Efficiency & Effectiveness
Tavares, FL 32778 (Lake County)