Stress Inducing Standards

In 2009, a controversial development process known as the Common Core State Standards were implemented across the United States. The Common Core serves as a predetermined set of expectations of the comprehension of students in English and mathematics. The purpose of these standards is to prepare students to excel later in life in their college experience and careers. Although this plan was put into action for the greater good of the students across the nation, there are a fair deal of issues that can greatly increase mental health issues.

One of the major disadvantages of the Common Core Standard is that it forces children to retain knowledge at a much faster pace than before the standard was implemented. With new standards, workload and intensity is increased, causing children to think more critically at younger ages. While this may be beneficial to a child's overall knowledge, this makes them more susceptible to mental health issues and stress that stems from the rigorous learning while their brains are still in the process of development.

Another problem that originates from the Common Core is that it values standardized testing even more highly than in it was in the past. While a student's performance on standardized testing was considered to be a crucial key to their future before, there is now even more pressure on students to excel. The reason behind the increased competition is that the Common Core allows different states to accurately compare their performances against other states. Most students deal with immense amounts of homework, extracurricular activities, and lack of sleep, which ultimately can cause deteriorating mental and physical health. With the added pressure to do exceedingly well on standardized tests like MCAS, ACTs, and SATs that can determine their future, the chances of increased stress skyrockets.

Ultimately, the Common Core State Standards were put into effect for the greater good of a student’s learning. While they are beneficial to increasing knowledge from a young age, they certainly are not good for demeanor of children of all ages. The standards are set too high for young children, and that is something that needs some serious reconsideration.