The Importance Of Common Core In American Education

The newest push in American education is a nationalized curriculum, otherwise known as Common Core. It has been adopted in 46 states and the District of Columbia, and implementation will begin in the fall of 2014 (Ravich “Why”). Common Core makes widespread changes to math and language standards, as well as reading content. One of the major changes national educational experts have made is regarding the types of texts students read. Common Core places a greater emphasis on informational texts rather than fictional text. By introducing students to print-rich materials and digital media with the goal of producing students better prepared for college and career. But does a lesser emphasis on the great literary works of Western history serve students well? Students who are only exposed to “informational texts” such as websites, blogs, and magazines (Greene 23) will suffer in the areas of vocabulary and critical thinking.

Simply put, if students are reading it for the information it contains, it’s informational text. When students are only exposed to the dry, simplistic writing found in these sorts of documents, their vocabulary suffers. Classic literature is a source of rich vocabulary; not just words, but words in a descriptive context which helps with usage. A 1990 Harper’s Magazine article stated the average written vocabulary of 6-14 year olds has decreased from 25,000 in 1945 to 10,000 in that year (Adams). The result of Common Core reading standards will likely be devastating to students’ ability to acquire a rich and diverse