Monday, October 08, 2012

40 Year Old Paper on Math Instruction Cuts to the Heart of My Critique of Common Core ELA

S.H. Erlwanger via Dan Meyer:

Individualization in (Individually Prescribed Instruction Mathematics) implies permitting (the student) to cover the prescribed mathematics curriculum at his own rate. But since the objectives in mathematics must be defined in precise behavioral terms, important educational outcomes, such as learning how to think mathematically, appreciating the power and beauty of mathematics, and developing mathematical intuition are excluded.

This is what struck me about Common Core ELA as soon as I started looking at their early international benchmarks: Common Core had edited out everything that couldn't "be defined in precise behavioral terms." Basically, they're trying to make ELA as testable as our math curriculum.

That's the core of the problem. We need a better story to explain it.

I would also note that I don't think it is a controversial statement. I'm sure they're proud of the extent to which they stuck to "precise behavioral terms."

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