If recent experience with my kid's education is any guide, private schools may be getting a shot in the arm from familes turned off by Common Core.


My son's hybrid homeschool/online private school gives us a lot of flexibility, but he does have to turn in several work samples in literature and math over the course of the year. We can move units around, abandon lesson plans to use our own teaching methods, and avoid repetitive practice, so long as we provide some demonstrations of his work and progress.


Unfortunately, the work samples (unlike what we're actually teaching him) are based on Common Core standards. There's a heavy emphasis on abstract concepts, such as mental math anddrawing out themes from assigned texts. In my opinion, it's a bit much to ask of a nine-year-old.


In a regularly scheduled call with my kid's "homeroom teacher" (basically, our point of contact with the school), she mentioned some points he'd missed on his latest literature sample, which consisted of analyzing several texts.


"I looked it over and I thought he did well," I answered. "Especially for a kid in fourth grade. Some of what's being asked is awfully abstract." Continued ...

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