The Biggest Fallacy of the Common Core Standards- this article talks about how the Common Core is so unfit for the states at this time. The author says that students will not be able to pass these ridiculous tests with the practice rates showing 5percent students with disabilities and only 17 percent of the African American race passing. This is asking for drop out rates to sky rocket. Also the author explains that the government has basically drilled into the states heads that they need the money and program if they want to be economically stable in the next couple of years. The author states that there is no known "person" behind all of this nonsense other than the government forcing a program that they are ignorant about.

I think this article was well written. It was easy to read and touched on different aspects of the common core. It didn't focus so much on the problems it will cause, it focused more on why we acquired it and how shady the whole process was. The author got my attention when they talk about "...why is the nations major corporations and chambers of commerce now swear by standards that they have very likely never read". It is like some unknown source (most likely the government) has done something to make these people all of the sudden agree with something they don't necessarily know will help the nation. After reading this article, I want to go do some research on this because it all seems a little sketchy to me.

The Common Core's fundamental trouble article is an informative article on how people are viewing the Common Core coming into schools, who thinks it is a positive thing and who thinks of it in a negative manner. Although the author mentions why people think that Common Core will be a success in schools, his main focus is on the problems with the program. One of those main problems being that the No Child Left Behind reform was initially put in play in order to "help" children with test taking and have them practice grades 3-8. The fact of the matter is, all NCLB act did was make for a lot of failing schools. Common Core is basically just making these tests even harder for children which will eventually lead to many more failing schools and an incredible increase in drop out rates. The author basically has a fear, along with many others, that these test are going to be almost impossible to pass and the "failing" rate of students will increase dramatically.

I think that Valarie Strauss does a wonderful job of explaining the Common Core by starting off with a non biased opinion. She starts her article giving us good reasons that people have to be excited for this program coming into the school system. She very quickly moves on to the problems of it though, real problems. She talks about how it has not been tested properly and incorporates the NCLB act that was a failure when schools tried it. She also talks about how "extremely challenging" some of these tests were and says that even after being in school and receiving  many degrees, she still may not be able to pass it. This article gave a solid explanation of her opinion on this topic. She did a great job using supportive examples and facts as well.

Fred Sitkins article How Teachers Are Integrating Tech Common Core talks about how Common Core is now introducing technology in the program. He says that the iPad and certain other new technology advances are perfect for children to learn more in depth. He says that with the internet access they can learn to look up how to pronounce words and find their meaning. Throughout the article he showed through his examples and enthusiasm that he was very positive about this coming into the common core.

I think this article is very biased on how technology is coming into the Common Core program. His examples of first graders using technology was weak, in my opinion and he did not give enough examples of how this could be a positive thing for students. One thing that I would have incorporated would have been the use of technology in the world today and how fast it is advancing. Advancing technology is obviously something that is a positive for children learning technology so early.

Introduction

My name is Mary Kathryn Lauderdale and I am a junior Elementary Education major at The University of Southern Mississippi. When I graduate I hope to move somewhere in Alabama and teach second grade in a nice school system where I spent my first couple of years. After seven years in Alabama, I moved to Madison, MS and was enrolled in yet another, awesome school system. If the Alabama school system does not work out for some reason I plan to return to Madison and teach at Madison Avenue Lower Elementary; but for now, I still have two more years in left as an undergraduate student in college. In my spare time, I work with a family after school and spend time with my sorority sisters. The children I keep after school are ages 3, 6 and 9 and they are very fun and exciting to be with every afternoon. My love for children and teaching will hopefully be key to my future career as an elementary school teacher.