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Drilling Through the Core
For the first time in history Americans face the prospect of a unified set of national standards for K-12 education. While this goal sounds reasonable, and Common Core has been presented as a state-led effort, it is anything but. This book analyzes Common Core from the standpoint of its deleterious effects on curriculum—language arts, mathematics, history, and more—as well as its questionable legality, its roots in the aggressive spending of a few wealthy donors, its often-underestimated costs, and the untold damage it will wreak on American higher education. At a time when more and more people are questioning the wisdom of federally-mandated one-size-fits-all solutions, Drilling through the Core offers well-considered arguments for stopping Common Core in its tracks.
- GenresEducation
377 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 20, 2020
There are countless books out there on Common Core, and many of them are rather well done.
However, out of all the books available, this one resonated more than most.
Drilling Through The Core does an exceptional job of detailing the Common Core issue trenchantly.
The book’s impartial approach to bring objective analysis to Common Core is something to be highly regarded due to the impeccable way in which the authors/contributors went about in highlighting the disaster that Common Core became. In fact, even Bill Gates was even forced to admit its failure years ago.
Carrying out a true nuts and bolt approach, the authors/contributors detail varying parts which showcase that Common Core essentially is picking up where the national disaster of No Child Left Behind [NCLB] left off. And that’s not an understatement either.
There is a reason NCLB has gotten a bad reputation, and it’s because it didn’t work. The data has shown this to be the case, which ironically is the very reason many are arguing for Common Core.
Along with that troublesome point, the data mining of our children for corporations is also a noteworthy issue to consider. After all, one thing is information being used for our children’s benefits. Something else entirely is the information gathered being used for corporate benefits.
Another nefarious component that’s addressed in the book is the connection Bill Gates and his foundation has. The unprecedented power that The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation had in helping manipulate what takes place with Common Core is downright concerning.
As if that were not enough, the way in which teaching of history is going to take place totally eviscerates the whole point of teaching it in the first place, which the book covers rather incisively. And that’s quite noteworthy, because without a solid foundation in history, an individual will not know the context of what is currently taking place, which is priceless.
Delving further into another issue in respect to mathematics, the executive director of Eagle Form, Glyn Write, notes:
“The math standard focuses on investigative math, which has been shown to be a disaster…With the new math standard in the Common Core, there are no longer absolute truths. So 3 times 4 can equal 11 so long as a student can effectively explain how they reached that answer.”[1][Bold & Underline Emphasis Added]
If that doesn’t leave one’s mind spinning, nothing will.
Furthermore, as a contributor notes:
“The Common Core emphasizes teaching students to think of what they learn as “evidence” that can be put to use in making “arguments” as opposed to “facts” that help the student discern how things are. For the most part, the Common Core steers away from giving students a concrete picture of the world.” [2][ Bold & Underline Emphasis Added]
To think, the above are just snippets of the countless issues future generations will face.
If we don’t protect the right for individuals to have a robust and well-rounded education, who will?
We already have some examples of what works, as the book elucidates. Why not use them? Why not return to classical education that was stripped out of the education system in the early 20th century, as the late John Taylor Gatto did an exemplary job of noting in his books?
The future of America will ultimately rest on how our nation is educated, and given the failures of No Child Left Behind and Common Core, the future of education looks grim at best. It will be up to individuals to take control of their own education to become autodidacts, or risks letting others with nefarious interests do it for profit and control. And we’re seeing how well that is working so far.
To succeed now, yet alone in the future, individuals will need a firm foundation in education, and not public schooling, which are not the same thing. Gatto also spoke about this difference in his books. This is why it’s imperative for individuals to create self-directed learning curriculums, to be able to actually attain a robust learning method that can last a lifetime, and not simply become a cog in a machine.
Thankfully, there are many options to consider as far as education is concerned. Just make sure that whatever option you consider, it’s a sound one, because time invested erroneously, yet alone in a way that holds you back, is time you cannot ever get back.
___________________
Sources & References:
[1] Sandra Stotsky, Drilling Through The Core, pg. 48
[2] Ibid., pg. 35
___________________
Socratic Logic V3.1 by Peter Kreeft Ph.D.
How To Read A Book by Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren
Philosophy 101b by Peter Kreeft Ph.D.
A Workbook For Arguments – A Complete Course In Critical Thinking by David Morrow
The Imaginative Argument – A Practical Manifesto For Writers By Frank L. Cioffi
The Trivium – The Liberal Arts Of Logic, Grammar & Rhetoric by Sister Mary Joseph Ph.D.
Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto
Rotten To The Common Core by Dr. Joseph P. Farrell & Gary Lawrence
A Different Kind Of Teacher by John Taylor Gatto
Weapons Of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto
Drilling Through The Core by Sandra Stotski & Contributors
Tavistock Institute: Social Engineering The Masses by Daniel Estulin
A Mind Of Your Own – The Truth About Depression & How Women Can Heal Their Bodies To Reclaim Their Lives by Dr. Kelly Brogan
However, out of all the books available, this one resonated more than most.
Drilling Through The Core does an exceptional job of detailing the Common Core issue trenchantly.
The book’s impartial approach to bring objective analysis to Common Core is something to be highly regarded due to the impeccable way in which the authors/contributors went about in highlighting the disaster that Common Core became. In fact, even Bill Gates was even forced to admit its failure years ago.
Carrying out a true nuts and bolt approach, the authors/contributors detail varying parts which showcase that Common Core essentially is picking up where the national disaster of No Child Left Behind [NCLB] left off. And that’s not an understatement either.
There is a reason NCLB has gotten a bad reputation, and it’s because it didn’t work. The data has shown this to be the case, which ironically is the very reason many are arguing for Common Core.
Along with that troublesome point, the data mining of our children for corporations is also a noteworthy issue to consider. After all, one thing is information being used for our children’s benefits. Something else entirely is the information gathered being used for corporate benefits.
Another nefarious component that’s addressed in the book is the connection Bill Gates and his foundation has. The unprecedented power that The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation had in helping manipulate what takes place with Common Core is downright concerning.
As if that were not enough, the way in which teaching of history is going to take place totally eviscerates the whole point of teaching it in the first place, which the book covers rather incisively. And that’s quite noteworthy, because without a solid foundation in history, an individual will not know the context of what is currently taking place, which is priceless.
Delving further into another issue in respect to mathematics, the executive director of Eagle Form, Glyn Write, notes:
“The math standard focuses on investigative math, which has been shown to be a disaster…With the new math standard in the Common Core, there are no longer absolute truths. So 3 times 4 can equal 11 so long as a student can effectively explain how they reached that answer.”[1][Bold & Underline Emphasis Added]
If that doesn’t leave one’s mind spinning, nothing will.
Furthermore, as a contributor notes:
“The Common Core emphasizes teaching students to think of what they learn as “evidence” that can be put to use in making “arguments” as opposed to “facts” that help the student discern how things are. For the most part, the Common Core steers away from giving students a concrete picture of the world.” [2][ Bold & Underline Emphasis Added]
To think, the above are just snippets of the countless issues future generations will face.
If we don’t protect the right for individuals to have a robust and well-rounded education, who will?
We already have some examples of what works, as the book elucidates. Why not use them? Why not return to classical education that was stripped out of the education system in the early 20th century, as the late John Taylor Gatto did an exemplary job of noting in his books?
The future of America will ultimately rest on how our nation is educated, and given the failures of No Child Left Behind and Common Core, the future of education looks grim at best. It will be up to individuals to take control of their own education to become autodidacts, or risks letting others with nefarious interests do it for profit and control. And we’re seeing how well that is working so far.
To succeed now, yet alone in the future, individuals will need a firm foundation in education, and not public schooling, which are not the same thing. Gatto also spoke about this difference in his books. This is why it’s imperative for individuals to create self-directed learning curriculums, to be able to actually attain a robust learning method that can last a lifetime, and not simply become a cog in a machine.
Thankfully, there are many options to consider as far as education is concerned. Just make sure that whatever option you consider, it’s a sound one, because time invested erroneously, yet alone in a way that holds you back, is time you cannot ever get back.
___________________
Sources & References:
[1] Sandra Stotsky, Drilling Through The Core, pg. 48
[2] Ibid., pg. 35
___________________
Socratic Logic V3.1 by Peter Kreeft Ph.D.
How To Read A Book by Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren
Philosophy 101b by Peter Kreeft Ph.D.
A Workbook For Arguments – A Complete Course In Critical Thinking by David Morrow
The Imaginative Argument – A Practical Manifesto For Writers By Frank L. Cioffi
The Trivium – The Liberal Arts Of Logic, Grammar & Rhetoric by Sister Mary Joseph Ph.D.
Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto
Rotten To The Common Core by Dr. Joseph P. Farrell & Gary Lawrence
A Different Kind Of Teacher by John Taylor Gatto
Weapons Of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto
Drilling Through The Core by Sandra Stotski & Contributors
Tavistock Institute: Social Engineering The Masses by Daniel Estulin
A Mind Of Your Own – The Truth About Depression & How Women Can Heal Their Bodies To Reclaim Their Lives by Dr. Kelly Brogan
March 20, 2016
I have much more to write about this ...
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews