Are "Common Core" Standards Good for Our Kids?

     I have been recently made aware of the fact that my daughter, who is currently in kindergarten, is part of the first class of students within the Joplin R-VIII School District to start learning Math and English based upon the newly found Common Core program.  This program was designed by 48 states of the U.S. as a measuring guide to determine the educational success of each states' students.  It is equally appealing and exciting to find out that the nation has come together to create a universal set of educational goals and my child is part of the first class that will be raised on these ideals.  According to this article on national review, the new standards surpass English expectations of 37 states and Math standards of 39 states.  Students will be veered from old standards that created an environment of memorization and regurgitation of information and steered into an environment of complete understanding of vital skills that will contribute to a more successful life.  Even though this program has had minimal opposition, there are always those in doubt.  The funny thing is, the people in defiance of this extremely innovative way of educating our children, are those who feel intimidated by it.  Based on this article on truthinamericaneducation.com, a teacher in California is concerned about the measurement of success of teachers based on former testing guidelines.  He goes on about how he has prepared his students for state testing and his job performance is also measured by the students' performance on these tests.  He is concerned about the funding of this new format and how it will translate into his job.  I find this extremely selfish!  I thought that educators were supposed to put the children's needs above their own.  This new format will expose poor teaching habits and get rid of teachers who are not competent in teaching our children skills they will need to develop into successful adults.  According to the New York Times, the state with the highest regard for education (which is Massachusetts) is on board with this program because it will propel our kids into greater lifetime success.  Along with the 48 states that developed and adopted this program, I believe it will create a better society.  Children will be able to comprehend concepts they were previously forced to "breeze" through.  They will need to comprehend many comprehensive and mathematical situations that they were able to avoid in the past.  This will not only improve our general educational standards, but it will also begin to take an effect on higher learning as well.  The kids that excel within the new Common Core format will be able to move through the educational process more quickly and begin building careers that will have massive intangible impacts on our communities as a whole.