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4. Misinformation about the role of non-fiction in the Language Arts/English classrooms in the middle and high schools. One of the new buzz words that are coming out of the common core is “non-fiction”, but the problem is that the word non-fiction is not new. Teachers from all grade levels (especially science) have always taught non-fiction materials. Social studies teachers use primary documents in the classroom and use the text to answer text-based questions. In science classrooms across America, teachers are having students write lab reports that could arguably be non-fiction. So what’s exactly new? With all of the buzz words floating around, there are some upper-level teachers English teachers who have been made to believe that their literature rich classes will now be non-existent. The truth is that by the time a student reaches 12th grade, their entire day will be 70% filled with non-fiction reading, not just their literature classes.  So it’s safe to say that their literature teachers can teach Hamlet or The Life of Pi, and not be called on the carpet about not teaching solely non-fiction.

In addition, there are literature teachers who already use nonfiction to teach classics such as The Odyssey and Oedipus Rex, so the only change is that now it is in the standards..right?

5. Not discussing the issues students already have with rigor. The “dirty little secret” in education is that there is a segment of the student population who struggle with rigor with our current standards. What happens to them when these standards are introduced? Will teachers be blamed when some of the students fail miserably with these standards? There have to be honest conversations with all stakeholders about how to help kids bridge the gap with the expectations of the  Common Core.

Some of the kids who will struggle with these “new” standards are not college bound, but instead want to work as an electrician, plumber or another needed field.  Something has to be done to connect this curriculum to these students so that they are not lost in the shuffle and eventually drop out. Last, but certainly not least, parents have to be in the conversation on how these standards will change their child’s learning.

These are just some of my concerns with about the Common Core, what are yours?

For fifteen years Franchesca taught English/Language Arts in two urban districts in Atlanta, Georgia,...

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