EDUCATION TAKING SIDES

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EDUCATION TAKING SIDES

This has been an issue in question whether or whether not the American schools need a common curriculum. America being a democratic state, various individuals have taken sides in this with each having their reasons and explanations.

The Albert Shanker Institute (2011) argues that the United States needs to create a body that will link student standards and curriculum guidance to teacher preparation and development. According to me, this would be of great importance to the state’s current and future education. The existence of such a body would leadto higher expectation for achievement. This system has succeeded in countries such as Singapore who rank highest in terms of education standards and therefore would succeed in the states. The existence of this body will lead to creation of a follow up team that will move around the schools monitoring whether the set standards are being met. However, such a system would require teachers to have better training. I would support the idea of the government establishing of such a body and funding it well. To the advantage, the system would ensure that matching resources such as technology and teacher materials as well as field trips are offered to all the students.

Greene, et al., (2011) suggest that education expectation for all children should be similar regardless of their state of origin. They also suggest that a curriculum should be designed before assessments are made. I agree with there being a common core of standards in the education system. A common core standard ensures that all students are equalized and they all work towards pre-set requirements. A well-designed curriculum connects culture, appreciates the diversity of students and their experiences and therefore will serve to maintain culture. (Abbeduto, 2000).This will ensure that equality is maintained between students for the development of a competitive system of education. Having different curriculums in different states leads to a limitation of the student not having the qualities to work in different state.A common core of standards will ensure that a well-designed syllabus is developed to serve international requirements. This will open more opportunities for all the students after school or on their next level in education. Before any assessments are developed,a curriculum must be designed to ensure that the assessment is standard. (Kendall, 2011). This will ensure that the teachers are well conversant with what they should teach and therefore will be able to know what to test in their assessments. Preparation of assessments before a curriculum is made may lead to the test being below standards and should be highly discouraged.

Common core standards would be of great importance in class. They would ensure that at the beginning of every secession, we havein mind what is expected by the end of the study. They will ensure that the students can study prior to the teacher and hence bring about better understanding. This will also give chance to the students researching more thereby acquiring a wider scope of knowledge that will help them in their next level of education or in the job market. A common core standard will act like a plan for success of the students.

References

Abbeduto, L. (2000). Taking sides: Clashing views on controversial issues in educational psychology. Guilford, Conn: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill.

Greene, J. et al. (2011, May).Closing the door on innovation.In J. W. Noll (Ed.) New York: Viking Press.

Kendall, J. S. (2011). Understanding common core state standards. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.