Like you, he explains things well. For me, his article connected some dots that were always a little fuzzy (or missing) in my mind. I know this obsession with focusing on standards and standardized testing is harmful for our schools (at my public school, it's basically the ONLY professional development we get). I just didn't know why, how it got started, and perhaps most importantly, why it doesn't change. I realize now that it can't change. Me, my superintendent, my school board, even my state and federal politicians can't change the way school is conducted. Only the elites at these colleges, who dictate what's acceptable in intellectual culture, would have any real impact. David Coleman, the "architect" of the common core standards and the one who famously said, "nobody gives a shit what your students think or feel," was one of those elites and he just doubled down on the whole system. It won't change in my lifetime or my kids'. Fortunately, they're almost out of high school. As for me, I've carved a nice niche for myself this year and I hope to stay in this role until retirement, which is hopefully 5-8 years in my future. I'm not the same teacher I was at the beginning of my career. I miss that person. He never got the chance to make a difference, but now I realize he was just ignorant and naive.