The standards, which are based on "grade level," pretend that every child at a certain age can know the same amount of material. Educators in the U.K. have begun to implement "stage not age" education, but in the U.S. these standards try to preserve the factory model of schooling.
The standards are also gender biased, failing to take into account the dual facts that a) males have less ability than females in language (both written and verbal); and that b) boys mature more slowly, especially in the language areas, than girls. The grade-level standards say everyone, even students with disabilities, must perform at the same level at the same age.
Even rural one-room school teachers of 100 years ago knew that boys mature about two years behind girls, and had girls mentor boys in English. We predict the standards, trying to preserve the obsolete factory model school of the last century, will fall into disrepute around 2015.
The gracious masters of our schools have allowed you and I a few days to comment on the grand scheme. You can do so at corestandards.org and then click on "Survey."
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