On twitter recently I spotted a post from a Common Core supporter that implies that the new standards will solve our problems when it comes to history instruction in our schools.

Here we have another CCLS advocate who ignores the reality in our schools:

In this era of high-stakes testing what is tested will determine what is taught.

As a middle school social studies teacher I have witnessed the impact of elementary classrooms which focus primarily or exclusively on the tested subjects of ELA and math, leaving history and science with the crumbs. (Let’s not forget the arts and physical education as well.)  When students enter my Seventh Grade classroom they are lucky to have superficial knowledge of history content and skills in the social sciences.

As a parent I was very excited to learn that my daughter would be receiving daily instruction in social studies and science this year. Our rural school has four fifth grade classrooms and the students have been rotating to each teacher for a different core subject. Finally history and science will not be a novelty for “when time allows”.  But this format is now changing as the first quarter of the school year wraps up.

The school has decided to double up on ELA instruction.  Social Studies and science will be rotated by unit with one teacher and the current science teacher will teach the extra period of ELA. Any guesses as to why the changes are occurring?  Test skills in ELA of course.  This change ignores the fact that skills such as reading and writing are not exclusive to ELA class.  When your school feels the pressure of raising test scores logic and experience are thrown out the window.

Now that we are entering the second year of educator evaluation by state assessment scores in New York this situation will only become worse.  Unless?

Will the Common Core save history and science? Do the Common Core cheerleaders really believe the new standards will help give our children the diverse educational experience they deserve?

Not in my opinion or experience.  Based on the roll out of the Common Core in New York, the emphasis  will continue to be placed on ELA and math assessment results.  Can the Common Core and high-stakes testing be separate entities?  I agree with P.L. Thomas that the Core and testing are tied together.

My response to the CCLS supporters who claim that the Common Core is not part of the testing madness would be to advocate with every bit of energy you can muster to end high-stakes testing if you want the new standards to survive.  Impossible task?  Absolutely.

So tell me Common Core fans, how do we produce informed citizens if our children do not receive instruction in history?  Do the CCLS supporters also declare a STEM crisis in America?  How does bypassing science class in elementary education help solve that issue?