A Common Core Documentary review and DVD giveaway
I recently was given the opportunity to review a documentary describing the new Common Core standard produced by the HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) called Building The Machine. In the spirit of full disclosure, the group provided me an evaluation copy and the ability to offer one copy as a free giveaway. They in no way influenced my review and even though we home school our children and are members of the HSLDA (in order to obtain the legal protection and advice they provide), I reviewed the documentary as an independent blogger and without any compensation or influence.
The documentary is information-focused material presented in a debate format that allows you to decide for yourself about the issues surrounding Common Core.
The videos cover the major issues that Common Core creates:
- changes in primary education
- bench marking internationally
- potential consequences for colleges
- changes in testing
- tracking systems that are implemented as part of the overall educational reform process.
The documentary consists of 3 DVDs, the first being a balanced presentation of basic aspects of Common Core. The producers managed to present both sides of the issue fairly well. From my perspective, presenting both sides of an issue as politically-charged as Common Core lends a lot of credibility to the production and also treats you, the viewer, as a smart adult who can think for themselves.
One of the best attributes of this documentary derives from it’s debate style. The result is a fairly balanced presentation of both sides of the Common Core issues that allow you to decide for yourself. Too many documentaries today take a stand and present issues in a biased manner, thus losing credibility with those the documentary is, or should be, trying to convince. An issue like Common Core is so critical to our future that it is really important for someone to take a balanced look at both sides of the issue. This documentary series does just that.
The second DVD in the set is a disc that is titled Parent Interviews. The candid statements that these parents give describing the effects of Common Core implementation on their children is riveting.
The last of the DVDs in the set covers the extended discussions of parents and experts that were used in shortened form in the other two discs. This may be the most important of the video segments. I almost wish the producers had included these full interviews in the initial first disc, but then the main documentary would have ended up being nearly 2 hours.
If you have children and you are not fully committed to Common Core, or even if you are and you want to expand your understanding of both sides of the issue with an open mind, this DVD set is invaluable.
And so we come to the giveaway…
Submit an email to dvdgiveaway@byebyebrickandmortar.com before December 1 to be entered to win a free copy of the documentary set, to be mailed to you in December.
