On my mind, E.D Hirsch and Core Knowledge program. Known for it's essentialism ideals, it's geared towards putting every child on equal footing, and from there, it's up to the children to make the most out of it. It's comprehensive, and only offered at a few Arizona schools.
Parents, what do you already know about Core Knowledge? Teachers? Please let me know!
His philosophy says that, "a reading problem, is a KNOWLEDGE problem." I challenge teachers to comment on this as well. Hope to hear from you all!
I think that Core Knowledge is a great program that gives students a huge stepping stone to lead into the rest of their life. I do not know as much about this program as I would like, and I feel that the more that I use it, the more that I will learn. I think that going off of the ideas in "What Your ___ Grader Needs To Know" and then building on this with the reading curriculum will create advanced students. What I mean by this, is that the curriculum is broken down in a way that students can learn from it. I do feel that there are some pieces missing, but it may just be that I have not learned about that part of the curriculum. I look forward to seeing what else Core Knowledge can offer.
ReplyDeleteThe quote, "a reading problem, is a KNOWLEDGE problem" is an excellent way to look at learning. If a student cannot read as they advance through the grades, they will not be able to gain the knowledge that is required of them in today's schools. Many schools require reading outside of class and very few people can be successful in school without that additional reading. Note that I said, "very few". As I say this however, I must point out that not EVERYONE has to enjoy reading, nor do they necessarily need to read to have knowledge. There are examples of people who cannot learn from reading. I am one of those people. I struggle with reading and find absolutely no pleasure in it. I am not illiterate, don't be confused, but I struggle with tracking and comprehension. I have to read the same paragraph over and over to be able to comprehend and then apply what I have read. Has this caused me problems? Yes. Absolutely. Have I come up with coping techniques? Again, yes. Have my coping techniques changed my willingness to read for "pleasure"? Not at all, I don't do it.
Now, all of that being said, do I feel that I have a knowledge problem? Sometimes. I feel that my vocabulary is not as advanced as it could be with more reading (how many times have you heard someone tell you that they read for pleasure in order to expand their vocabulary?). Do I feel that I am behind my peers in knowledge though? No, not at all. I learn through "doing" and the more that I "do" the lessons in Core Knowledge, the more that I learn about it.
Hello Kim,
DeleteGreat post, enjoyed hearing about your thoughts on what this quote means, "a reading problem is a knowledge problem." It actually means something a little different than what you've eluded to. It means that comprehension (reading) problems are a direct result of not having enough, "background" knowledge, instead of what you said, "If a student cannot read...they will not be able to gain the knowledge that is required." While this is true, it's an entirely different issue. Instead, the quote means that instead of focusing just on reading skill, teachers should focus on building background knowledge of the students, so then, when they do attempt reading, comprehension is that much more easy for them.
Your thoughts?
I know about the Core Knowledge because I teach it. There are many things about the curriculum that I like. It's a great curriculum to get students on equal footing and based on the last blog there are many different areas so hopefully every child can find something that they like and can connect to.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the quote "a reading problem, is a KNOWLEDGE problem", I don't completely agree with that. I believe that knowledge is more difficult to attain if you cannot read but reading is not the only way to acquire knowledge. People can be auditory learners and gain more of their through hearing it. Other students can learn from hands on experiences.
Hi Emily,
DeleteThat's not what the quote means actually. It doesn't mean, what you've said, that "knowledge is more difficult to attain if you cannot read but reading is not the only way to acquire knowledge."
Instead, the quotes meaning, is not to use reading to acquire knowledge...not this quote anyway. Instead, it's saying that knowledge comes first, for proficient reading comprehension. With that new understanding, do you agree, or disagree with that statement?
I have enjoyed teaching from the Core Knowledge Sequence curriculum for several years. I appreciated the research and thought process which created the foundation from which this curriculum was established. We learn best when the subject matter intertwines allowing us to experience history and language arts as a whole, for example.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the training which is given by the Core Knowledge staff; they guide us through the lesson planning/pacing process which lessens the time spent in weekly planning. We are not left alone, the staff will support us though the learning process as we incorporate the Core Knowledge sequence curriculum.
I know about Core Knowledge because we use it. It is an all inclusive program but it doesn’t have a whole lot of information in the areas of math, science, art, or music. I would like to know more about the curriculum and be able to use all of the resources. It does create equal education for all students and my students really enjoy it. I often pull in additional resources with the Core Knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the quote that the more students know the better they can read. The students who know about a subject can often use their background knowledge to be able to fill in unknown words.