I feel that the pushback from parents around the country in regards to common core/college and career ready standards is in part due to being “the last straw” in a rapidly changing landscape in education with new technological and pedagogical practices like BYOD and ‘flipped-classrooms”. Without a background as to the “why”, it is too much, too fast and too different from what the institution of education has been for generations. So now states, districts, bldg admin and teachers are left backpedaling to explain to frustrated consumers why these changes are needed for the 21st century learner. Yet, the majority of schools still employ outdated styles of learning when dealing with parents, like the “back to school night”, where parents are put in rows in their children’s classrooms to receive a briefing from a teacher on how learning needs to be interactive and engaging etc. It’s an incongruent message. Opportunities to get the parent truly invested in education 21st style is going to take a concerted effort and more change on the part of the institutions.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/educating-parents-about-education-tom-whitby?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=blog-educating-parents-about-education-link
Here is a resource for parents: http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/guides/edutopia-parents-guide-21st-century-learning.pdf
