Heidi Ayarbe's Common Core Curriculum
Uff.
A lot is happening about the latest educational catch phrase "the common core." I'm not patient enough to read through the literature or educated enough about the topic to comment other than what I see is a lot of frustration and confusion and teachers getting more paperwork.
And there's a lot of weird math stuff??
I could be wrong. It could be the greatest salvation to our education system yet, right there behind No Child Left Behind (that was a winner), charter schools that cater to every whim (from theater to music to watermelon spitting), outdoor education a la Thoreau and more.
Common core sounds good, though. I like the ring of it. It sounds like the basics -- the basics to get by in life. So since I can't be bothered to actually read through the common core standards, I've made up my own, ones that every human being should learn. (Maybe it can get through legislation if I throw in loads of paperwork, hours of scan tron testing and such). I just feel like common core is common sense that kind of isn't so common anymore. And since I have an inflated ego, I'm going to name this new educational trend after me. (This should catch fire, I tell ya!)
THE AYARBE COMMON CORE
1. Breathe. Breathe in and breathe out. Fill your body with air. It's alarming how many people forget to do this and do it well. (If you cough while breathing... see #10).
2. Stand up tall. Hold your head high. Keep your back straight. Yep. Stop slouching. Don't hide behind your bangs, either.
3. Sit down to eat with nothing but your food, friends, and family at the table. (Okay, and utensils. We're not the Croods). No I-phones, cell phones, newspapers or TV. Just you and your food and friends and family. Chew. Taste. Enjoy. Swallow. Tell a story or two. Laugh. Repeat until full. When you're full, stop eating. Just sit and enjoy the company of your friends and family and be grateful you have a full stomach. (Then, for good measure, take your dirty plate to the kitchen sink and help wash up afterwards.)
4. Exercise. Run, jump, dance, jog, play hopscotch, plant a garden, walk, swim, climb a tree, fly a kite ... whatever. Move. Your body is a gift and movement is essential to its core.
5. Sing really loud, even if it's off-key. The world needs more music.
6. Look people in the eye and say, "Hello. Good bye. Please. Thank you." (Whichever might be appropriate for the occasion). Always make sure they hear you and know that you SEE them. Everybody deserves to be looked in the eye. Everybody needs to feel that his or her space in the world is real. When you look at somebody, you are saying, "You matter."
7. Listen. Really listen. Pay attention to the meaning behind the words. Ask questions. Listen more.
8. Make up silly stories. You don't have to worry about character development or plot arcs ... just tell stories and laugh and be nonsensical and create magic out of words. The structure will come soon enough. For now, though, just weave the threads of your imagination into whatever shape you'd like.
9. Be kind. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others. If you don't know how, learn how. It's not just something you do to look good, it's an extension of who you are on the inside.
10. Take care of your world (see #1). If you see something beautiful, leave it as you saw it. If you see a place that needs to be beautified, change it. You are the instrument for change in the world. You make a difference.
11. Work hard. Be useful.
12. Respect yourself. Respect your world. Respect others. And demand that others do the same.
I kind of think if all our kids graduate and have this common core, we'll pretty much be at the top of our game. Sure, you can throw in some periodic tables, quadratic equations, narrative essays in the mix. But make sure this is the core.
A lot is happening about the latest educational catch phrase "the common core." I'm not patient enough to read through the literature or educated enough about the topic to comment other than what I see is a lot of frustration and confusion and teachers getting more paperwork.
And there's a lot of weird math stuff??
I could be wrong. It could be the greatest salvation to our education system yet, right there behind No Child Left Behind (that was a winner), charter schools that cater to every whim (from theater to music to watermelon spitting), outdoor education a la Thoreau and more.
Common core sounds good, though. I like the ring of it. It sounds like the basics -- the basics to get by in life. So since I can't be bothered to actually read through the common core standards, I've made up my own, ones that every human being should learn. (Maybe it can get through legislation if I throw in loads of paperwork, hours of scan tron testing and such). I just feel like common core is common sense that kind of isn't so common anymore. And since I have an inflated ego, I'm going to name this new educational trend after me. (This should catch fire, I tell ya!)
THE AYARBE COMMON CORE
1. Breathe. Breathe in and breathe out. Fill your body with air. It's alarming how many people forget to do this and do it well. (If you cough while breathing... see #10).
2. Stand up tall. Hold your head high. Keep your back straight. Yep. Stop slouching. Don't hide behind your bangs, either.
3. Sit down to eat with nothing but your food, friends, and family at the table. (Okay, and utensils. We're not the Croods). No I-phones, cell phones, newspapers or TV. Just you and your food and friends and family. Chew. Taste. Enjoy. Swallow. Tell a story or two. Laugh. Repeat until full. When you're full, stop eating. Just sit and enjoy the company of your friends and family and be grateful you have a full stomach. (Then, for good measure, take your dirty plate to the kitchen sink and help wash up afterwards.)
4. Exercise. Run, jump, dance, jog, play hopscotch, plant a garden, walk, swim, climb a tree, fly a kite ... whatever. Move. Your body is a gift and movement is essential to its core.
5. Sing really loud, even if it's off-key. The world needs more music.
6. Look people in the eye and say, "Hello. Good bye. Please. Thank you." (Whichever might be appropriate for the occasion). Always make sure they hear you and know that you SEE them. Everybody deserves to be looked in the eye. Everybody needs to feel that his or her space in the world is real. When you look at somebody, you are saying, "You matter."
7. Listen. Really listen. Pay attention to the meaning behind the words. Ask questions. Listen more.
8. Make up silly stories. You don't have to worry about character development or plot arcs ... just tell stories and laugh and be nonsensical and create magic out of words. The structure will come soon enough. For now, though, just weave the threads of your imagination into whatever shape you'd like.
9. Be kind. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others. If you don't know how, learn how. It's not just something you do to look good, it's an extension of who you are on the inside.
10. Take care of your world (see #1). If you see something beautiful, leave it as you saw it. If you see a place that needs to be beautified, change it. You are the instrument for change in the world. You make a difference.
11. Work hard. Be useful.
12. Respect yourself. Respect your world. Respect others. And demand that others do the same.
I kind of think if all our kids graduate and have this common core, we'll pretty much be at the top of our game. Sure, you can throw in some periodic tables, quadratic equations, narrative essays in the mix. But make sure this is the core.
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