CORE: There just has to be more

A recent Press article entitled, “What parents should know about Common Core,” leaves me thinking — is this all there is? The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers must have selected the curricula based on students entering a liberal arts college. As presented, the proposed curriculum seems to be inadequate for preparing students for technical or science degrees. English arts literature is the predominant factor in the outline while composition, science and history are mentioned in a bland note in the final paragraph of English arts. Additionally, students and the nation would be better served if required reading included “Edward Gibbon - The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,” in lieu of “Classic Myths and Stories” from around the world. The United States system of government was patterned after the ancient Roman Empire, and this and future generations should try to avoid Rome’s mistakes.

Sequencing of mathematics is important, but school districts need to adjust their math teaching periods. Mathematics demands a longer daily teaching period than English literature, and school districts need to recognize the differences. Math periods should include three phases, i.e. review of the previous day’s subject or homework, teaching the subject of the day, and daily in-class application. Since most modern parents do not have the time or expertise to teach modern math, it is critical that students leave their classroom each day understanding the subject well enough to do homework.

LEONARD BRANT

Post Falls