Back in the 1980's, my son was in grammar school when it was decided that memorization and math tables were bad for kids. So for about three years, kids just sort of floundered in terms of math. Then the educators finally gave up, and taught math the way it had traditionally been taught.

Because we damned well know it works. Instead, the bribed by the Gates Foundation very smart Education honchos here are dropping the Curriculum Frameworks for Common Core.

It's insane.

"We're going to just use your kids as guinea pigs here during their formative years. They won't be able to get those learning years back, but stand back, nothing to see here."

a good thing. Their primary complaint is that the curriculum is designed to teach "critical thinking" and they say that should be the role of parents and the church. Wouldn't want little Johnny thinking for himself now would we.

What is it exactly about common core that has you concerned it's bad for children?

And giving MILLIONS to corporations to do it. Isn't that enough to be concerned about?

I'd like some reasons to be concerned that it wouldn't work. Are there specific things about it that give clues that this might not work?

if it's good or bad, only that the right-wing's main complaint is that it was designed to teach critical thinking and that is their main objection to it.

There is too much in the curriculum. There is not enough time to teach critical thinking. There is also not enough funding to support the schools in order to meet this new accountability. I have children in the school system right now. Believe me this is not a good thing. They are pushing too hard too fast and they are punishing our students and teachers for not learning fast enough and they are punishing them by decreasing their funding even more than they were before. This is not a good thing.

educational fads since fairly early in the 20th century.

Remember the "Look-Say" reading approach in the period right after WWII? Or the still current "Whole Language" rejection of phonics? Or the "New Math"?

It's been one disaster after another.

Americans are always looking for a quick and CHEAP fix for problems caused by poverty and hopelessness among students, by the influence of toxic cultural memeson the students' and parents' attitude toward education, and by the undermining of teachers' authority in the classroom and the micromanaging of their practice by people who have no training and have never spent even a minute teaching kids.

Furthermore, teachers aren't paid anywhere near enough, so many must moonlight to make ends meet--which seriously reduces the time and energy they have left over for preparing material, grading work, and making themselves available outside of class to help students, as well as the time and energy they need to continue their education in the field.

multiplication tables anymore. That would require too much time. They are so busy advancing the curriculum they are skipping over fundamental elements. Neither one of my children could tell you what 11x11 is right off the top of their heads. They have to use pen and paper to work it out or use their calculator.

the other day and we have started using them. I actually review their math work daily and much of it is good and interesting. The multiplication stuff has fallen by the wayside though. Since we own a small import company and travel a lot, it's been easy for us to explain to the kids why it's important to be able to multiiply/divide very quickly in their heads.

My kids have the advantage of attending a small rural school which has very small class sizes and great teachers. Wish all kids could have the same experience!!

because they are unable to do grade-level work in math, since they do not have any mastery of the basic math facts.

It isn't even multiplication--though that is certainly something they don't know. These kids also can't do basic addition and subtraction, even at low numbers (4 + 6; 2 + 3; 9-5; 8-2--etc.), without counting on their fingers!

Even then their multiplication skills are dismal. They are being taught the method and they do it right, they just can't do it quickly in their heads. I consider it majorly important.

our children. When Bush was president people shouted get rid of No Child Left Behind. Now that Obama is doing the same thing with Race to The Top and Common Core Standards no one is shouting get rid of Race to the Top.

using children as their meal tickets.