As learned from my conversations of late with the Caldwell County Board of Education, the local boards are refusing to opt out of the state “suggested” curriculum until the NCGA frees them from the Common Core end-of-course testing mandates. It is for this reason that we must keep the pressure on our NCGA legislators to repeal Common Core from our general statutes this short session. In my latest article on PunditHouse.com, I outline some of the reasons that the Common Core standards are fundamentally wrong for our public schools:

“Common Core Standards are detrimental because they are not developmentally appropriate, meaning that the standards do not take into account the physical brain development of children. It is common knowledge in child development fields that a child’s brain physically differs from an adult’s brain, and different stages of development provide for a distinguished range of capabilities.

Early elementary students are not physically suited to engage in abstract thinking activities, such as those outlined by Common Core Standards, because the region of a human’s brain tasked with such activities is yet undeveloped in young children. If you would like more information about how the Common Core Standards are incompatible with stages of child development, I would recommend watching the following 30-minute presentation from Child Clinical Psychologist (and mom) Dr. Megan Koschnick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrQbJlmVJZo.”

Please send the information contained in the article to the common core committee members and let them know that we need legislation to be heard this year, not pushed off until 2015! If your representative does not vocally condemn Common Core, my suggestion would be to and place your name on the ballot to primary them this filing period.

Contact info for the NCGA Common Core Study Committee Members:

Dan.Soucek@ncleg.net, Chad.Barefoot@ncleg.net, Warren.Daniel@ncleg.net, Martin.Nesbitt@ncleg.net, Buck.Newton@ncleg.net, Earline.Parmon@ncleg.net, Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.net, Tom.Apodaca@ncleg.net, Bryan.Holloway@ncleg.net, Marcus.Brandon@ncleg.net, Tricia.Cotham@ncleg.net, Jeffrey.Elmore@ncleg.net, Craig.Horn@ncleg.net, Larry.Pittman@ncleg.net, Michael.Speciale@ncleg.net, Tim.Moore@ncleg.net

Alternative Education Approach

On another note, if you are interested in learning about an alternative education method, the Morganton Classical Conversations home school group will hold an open house on Monday, in which they invite the public to observe their tutor session and learn about a classical approach to education. Information from the Director, Elizabeth Gould:

“Classical Conversations is a nation-wide, Biblical worldview-based classical education program. Its mission is to equip and support parents along the homeschooling journey through weekly, child-focused educational activities. Grade-school children learn history facts, the basics of English grammar, science and math facts, geography, and a bit of Latin through music, games, and other activities. The idea is to, week by week, lay a foundation of knowledge for the children to build on when they are older and ready for more analytical thinking. Also, each week, students give short presentations on topics of their own choosing, and our tutors lead a science experiment and an art project. To learn more about Classical Conversations as a model of classical education, please visit their website, http://www.classicalconversations.com.

 The best way to understand what Classical Conversations is all about, though, is to come watch us in action. We are having an open house on Monday, February 3 at First Advent Christian Church in Morganton (211 Lenoir Road) from 9 a.m. to noon. Anyone who is interested in learning more about our program is invited to attend. Feel free to pack a picnic lunch and join us for lunch afterward. Please email Elizabeth Gould (ewgould@compascable.net) if you plan on attending our open house or if you have any questions. We hope to see you there!”

North Carolina Residents Speak Out

The next Raleigh meeting of the Common Core Study Committee is Feb 20. Please help arm our representatives with information by sharing the content of this article with them: http://pundithouse.com/2014/01/common-core-what-difference-does-it-make/

Once again, no public input will be allowed at the meeting. Study Committee Member Rep. Larry Pittman is holding a Common Core town hall of his own in order to hear the input of residents. The Citizens Study Committee of Common Core will be held on Thursday, Feb. 13, 6:15 PM at Jay M. Robinson High School 300 Pitts School Rd SW, Concord, NC 28027.