Education

Core Knowledge Does Not Equal 21st-Century Skills

February 03, 2009 1 min read
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The folks at Common Core and Core Knowledge take issue with Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland’s equating core knowledge with 21st-century skills. In blog posts here and here, the organizations take shots at the Democrat’s P-16 education plan, outlined in his 2009 budget proposal. It calls for “mastery of core knowledge, critical thinking, possibility thinking, knowledge creation, development of strong interpersonal skills and effective work habits.”

I have a feeling that the governor and the Common Core/Core Knowledge advocates have two distinctly different ideas about content.

“For the sake of Ohio’s students, we hope the governor and his advisors learn the difference between knowledge and skills,” Common Core’s Lynne Munson writes.

Over at Core Knowledge, Robert Pondiscio includes a rather humorous comparison of the governor’s colorful circle chart with the artistry of another, more famous Ted: as in Geisel, A.K.A. Dr. Seuss.

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A version of this news article first appeared in the Curriculum Matters blog.

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