Most students in the class of 2018 know how it feels to be so used to a type of learning style and suddenly have it all switched up within one year. That is what Common Core did to us and what it is going to continue to do to us. If there’s a real purpose to the common core, please feel free to inform me, because right now all I see is a huge waste of time and money for a technique that hasn’t even benefited students or teachers at all.

Changing the curriculum compared to what we were used to was a complete act of incompetence. I don’t understand the logic where you teach a set of standards for so long and suddenly change on what the standards should be, especially when it was first given to a set of 8^th graders and those below them. Doing that caused nothing but confusion and struggle. Why not wait to change the already difficult curriculum until the next generation? For example, students in the first grade should be taught the common core standards and by the time they reach middle or high school, they would only have that type of knowledge, unless of course the standards are changed again.

Also, why weren’t all students at the time of the change affected? Why weren’t students above the class of 2018 changed to the common core? Well from what I’ve heard from a knowledgeable teacher on campus is that before the changeover to Common core, Hoover was already aware that they need to prepare their students for the upcoming switchover. So while the 8^th graders at the time had this being all new, Hoover students smoothly transitioned into where we are now. However, I still am seeing many flaws in this technique mainly because many students, and teachers are still not understanding the curriculum included along with Common Core.

Classes most affected by this curriculum are math and English. Although common core has cut down on the state testing and does ensure a compromise of what we should have knowledge about, but it does not make up for the constant confusion and struggle it has put on us students. Not only does common core cause failure with students, but teachers will also have to learn this new material before they teach it, which makes it less effective than teaching what they’ve been used to. Taking the time to learn, and teach different material is such a waste if it is not actually needed, as shown by the common core. I understand unity, but for what price? Why risk everything for nothing, especially in education.