A recent development in public schools is the Common Core. There has long been a push for more and more standardization, but this makes the idea much more concrete. It lists a group of factors that each subject must complete at each grade level. Woe to any who fall short... or who would rather go ahead.
It all begs the question: why does everyone need to learn the exact same thing at the exact same time?
There’s a reason we’re able to cooperate so well in our economy. It’s specialization. We need people who understand architecture better than most. People who understand the law more than most or math more than most or chemistry or anything else. If everybody knew the exact same thing, the economy would be impossible, because there would be no experts.
At Sudbury schools, we recognize not only that individuality is an inherent good, but that Common Core takes all the joy and spontaneity out of learning while adding nothing but stress and judgment. We’d rather let each student study whatever pleases them whenever it pleases them, whether anybody else learns it or not.
Sean Vivier
It all begs the question: why does everyone need to learn the exact same thing at the exact same time?
There’s a reason we’re able to cooperate so well in our economy. It’s specialization. We need people who understand architecture better than most. People who understand the law more than most or math more than most or chemistry or anything else. If everybody knew the exact same thing, the economy would be impossible, because there would be no experts.
At Sudbury schools, we recognize not only that individuality is an inherent good, but that Common Core takes all the joy and spontaneity out of learning while adding nothing but stress and judgment. We’d rather let each student study whatever pleases them whenever it pleases them, whether anybody else learns it or not.
Sean Vivier
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