What Is Core Knowledge?
Why is it called “Core” Knowledge? “Core” Knowledge is so called because this body of knowledge consists of the concepts and facts most essential for literacy in contemporary society. Authors, newscasters, politicians, employers, and the like assume that their readers, listeners, and employees know basic concepts and facts in order to understand, debate, and carry out their jobs. Any issue of the New York Times, for example, may refer to more than 2,000 facts and concepts, most of which are covered in Core Knowledge.
Why is it called Core “Knowledge”?
Core Knowledge consists of the basic building blocks of concepts and facts necessary for mastery of any field, discipline, or profession. The concepts, facts, stories, songs, and poems that make up Core Knowledge have been selected and vetted by panels of scholars and teachers to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness. Because literacy in our increasingly globalized society must also be multicultural, Core Knowledge reflects the cultural diversity of our contemporary society.
How are Core Knowledge schools different?
In many elementary and middle schools, process and skill acquisition is considered more important than acquisition of specific content. Thus, teachers are less likely to focus on content in a sequenced way from grade to grade. Topics of study may be chosen based on their "perceived interest" to students and teachers without regard to the bigger picture of building a solid foundation of knowledge. For example, an American history teacher might choose to focus on the Pilgrims or the Great Depression, but essentially ignore the Colonial experience and WWI. The advantage of such "project-based" teaching is that the teacher is likely to love what he or she teaches; the disadvantage is that the students inevitably have gaps in their basic knowledge. Moreover, particular projects on the Pilgrims or the Great Depression are more meaningful in the context of knowledge of American history as a whole, but often no teacher is responsible for teaching that whole. Core Knowledge does indeed permit teachers to teach special projects and units on their favored topics, but it also requires them to convey the sequenced whole body of concepts and facts. Therefore, in a Core Knowledge school, each teacher knows in advance what the incoming students have learned, so that each grade builds knowledge upon existing knowledge in an upward spiral.
Isn’t it more important that my child master basic skills than Core Knowledge?
Basic skills in reading, writing, and math are essential and compatible with Core Knowledge. This program allows one-half of the curriculum left open for teaching basic skills. Many of the concepts and facts of Core Knowledge are learned precisely in the context of mastering basic skills in reading, writing, and math. There is compelling research in cognitive psychology that demonstrates that mastery of skills depends upon comprehension of basic concepts and facts. How can one learn grammar without vocabulary, or mathematical operations without math facts? So, skillful mastery of a subject matter rests upon a body of “core knowledge.”
Where does Core Knowledge come from?
E.D. Hirsch, Jr., a professor of English literature at the University of Virginia, asked why his college students could not read and effectively understand literature. His inquiries led him to discover that students often displayed large gaps in their knowledge base. These gaps precluded college-level understanding of English literature. Hirsch realized that literacy depended upon much more than the ability to simply decode English grammar. Literacy depends upon a knowledge base shared by author and reader alike. Hirsch solicited the advice of hundreds of scholars and teachers and found a wide range of agreement about what knowledge and background information is essential for literacy in our increasingly globalized society. Hirsch then established a non-profit Core Knowledge Foundation to assist schools like Monticello in implementing Core Knowledge into their curriculum.
For more information regarding Core Knowledge, click here. For direct links to information by grade:
Core Knowledge at a Glance
