Tuesday, November 26, 2013

10 More Things to Do To Combat The Ill Effects of Common Core

re: 10 More Things You Can Do To Combat Common Core







1 Become a Hunger Games Mom or Dad.
   Raise the next Katniss Everdeen or Peeta Mellark.  (check out this wonderful blog post on how to
   do just that) http://nerdywithchildren.com/how-to-raise-the-next-katniss-everdeen

2.Develop the inner strength to resist authority.  Resistance is NOT futile.  The powers that be just
   like you to think it is.   Dr. Milgram's experiments with obedience to authority in the 1960's
   seemed to indicate that most people lack the inner resources needed to resist authority.  In other
   words- "Welcome to the Sheepdom."  This doesn't mean you have to be that way, though.  You
   can leave the herd and develop your resistance chops gradually.  By saying "No!" to the smaller,
   but still irritating edicts of the State, you will gain the confidence you need to tackle more
   serious issues.

3. Your Own Private Field Trip
    Once a quarter, take your kids out of school and allow them to design their own perfect
    learning experience. You might be surprised  to learn what really interests and motivates
   your child.  Find mentors that can show him or her what it is like to do a particular job.  You
   might go to a local restaurant and have your kid ask questions about what it's like to work as a chef,
   take a trip to an art museum, sail toy boats in the pond, build a model of a pyramid, volunteer to
   clean up your neighborhood park, do a wacky science experiment in the kitchen, make homemade
   donuts.  Return some of the wonder, joy, and excitement to the life of your child faster than Common
   Core robots siphon it out.

4. Celebrate uniqueness wherever you find it.  Your preschooler likes to wear one blue sneaker
    one yellow sparkly one?  Your middle school kid wants to dress like Gaga on Halloween?   First-
    grader insisting on coloring the skies in her world green?  LET THEM!   I know it's a bit much
    having to leave the house with a kid dressed in a pink tutu, brown cowboy boots, and Spongebob
    t-shirt.  But, don't you think your kid is made to conform enough throughout the day?  Common
   Core is only going to exacerbate the death of individuality.
   You've got the right to be who you are- let your children know that they have that same right.

5. Take a higher learning course  Demonstrate the joy of lifetime learning to your child
    by taking a course in a subject of interest to you.  Discuss what you are doing with your kids, show
    them your texts and workbooks and explain the subject matter and why it is of interest to you. The
    fantastic startup Coursera (https://www.coursera.org/) allows you to take courses from some of
    the world's most prestigious universities online- fort FREE.

6. Learn to ask more interesting questions.  Nowadays, "what did you learn in school?" is more
    likely to be met with shrugs of indifference, rolling of eyes, or "Nothing."  Instead of taking the
    same old same old approach, think of new, more intriguing questions to ask.  "So, what did you
    learn today that you remember?  "Why did that make such an impression on you?"  Get specific.
   " I see in your syllabus that you had a lesson on Asia.  Was there anything you learned about Asia
    that surprised you?  Why?  "If you had the chance to teach others about Asia, what would you
   tell them?"  "What is it about this particular math operation that is giving you a hard time?"  
  Use open-ended questions that force your child to open up a bit more and show that you have been
  following their progress with interest.

7. Send questions to your child's teacher about what he or she is learning.  Teachers are pretty
    overwhelmed these days, but most of them will read your email or text and respond as quickly
    as they can.  If you determine that the teacher could be personally hostile to CC, lavish him or her
    with extra attention and encouragement.  Understand that district policies and fear of losing a job
    might make it extremely difficult for a teacher to fight Common Core.  Let them know they aren't
    alone.

8. Learn everything you can about how to be effective in a parent-teacher- school district 
    meeting.
    If this means taking an online course in persuasion and influence or public speaking- do it!
    You might only have one chance at the bully pulpit- make it count!

9. Write articles, press releases, send photos, etc. to your area newspapers and radio stations.
     If you aren't media-comfortable, find someone in your inner circle of monkeywrenchers who
     is and set them up to give interviews to the local press.

10. Get the Big Picture.  Believe it or not, Common Core is just one cog in the bigger control freak
      machine.  It's important to know, understand, and be conversant about the context which has led
     to the promulgation of Common Core and other attempts to re-invent society.  Start with learning
     about the shaky monetary system.  Chris Martenson's excellent "Crash Course" is a good place to
     start.  http://www.peakprosperity.com/crashcourse.  I also post a lot of interviews with experts
     on privacy, the economy, corporatism, Obamacare, etc. on my Youtube page.
     http://www.youtube.com/tammydeleeuw


Good luck and chin up as you throw your monkeywrenches like a BOSS!

Tammy de Leeuw
www.myblendedmarketing.blogspot.com
www.ibankonme.blogspot.com