Parents may be thinking, “I live in Indiana. We have Indiana State Standards, not the Common Core.” This thinking is 100% correct, but Indiana’s State Standards are very closely tied to the Common Core.
There are many articles available that explain how Indiana’s standards were developed, but that’s not what this article is about. This article will focus on two completely different educational philosophies. The biggest similarity shared by both is the word “Core” in their names.
So which “core” is best? That depends on the child and the wishes of parents. Both cores identify what students should know and be able to do at certain stages. In addition, both cores teach children how to read and do math. Both cores agree on when to teach some, but not all, concepts. For example, both agree that working with numbers up to 1,000 is a second-grade skill.
The what and when of teaching and learning different sets of knowledge is very different. For example, Core Knowledge classrooms may begin teaching young children in K-1 classrooms ancient and world history. Children in the earliest of grades learn to recite classical poetry and read classical literature. In government schools, the tendency is to focus more on skills. For instance, students read more passages paired with questions formatted in the style of a standardized test.
The Indiana Standards, as they are referred to, are government regulated and are required of all accredited government schools. It is not a curriculum, but a set of standardized guidelines for schools These schools are also required to administer a government mandated standardized test, which is currently the ISTEP. If a school is accredited by the state, then by law, it must follow the Indiana Academic Standards.
Core Knowledge, if this is new to you, is a distinct, classical curriculum conceived by E. D Hirsch. Schools using a Core Knowledge or other classical curriculum choose not to be accredited and prefer to maintain the status of a private, completely independent school. These schools choose their own curriculums without government mandated constraints. They focus on building a deep content knowledge starting at a young age and building on this knowledge cyclically at deeper levels as students progress through the years.
Overall, children learn with either model, and great things happen in both types of schools. So which core is best for your children? It’s up to you! The choice is yours.
· Interested in learning more about a classical education for your child? Core Knowledge Sequence
· Follow this link to see Indiana's Standards
· Here is a link to an article that helps to understand how Indiana’s standards came to be: Math Standards
· Classical Curriculum Schools available nearby: Bright Minds Academy
