Common Core Standards

Common Core Standards

Just like Tommy, I really didn't know what common core standards meant. So I had to research Common Core Standards and offer my answers to the to twitter questions from Dr. Cullen. I did some internet research and I went to amazon to look up the book Tommy mentioned in his blog called, "Pathways to the Common Core" by Calkins, Ehrenworth, and Lehman (2012). I did order the book, but I also used the “Look Inside” feature which allowed me to read selected chapters of the book. From my internet research and the chapters read in “Pathways to the Common Core,” The following is my refection of Common Core Standards.

The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The shift to a national set of standards will definitely have an impact on schools and education, before Common Core Standards, each state had their own standardized test, so there was no way to compare scores accurately and rank states. With Common Core Standards, all states will have the ability to compare standardized test scores. The move to Common Core Standards will also mean The United States will be able to compare our standards to other countries favorably. Common Core Standards will allow students to better understand what is expected of them which will allow students to get the “big picture” of what and why they are learning something. The Common Core Standards will provide teachers with meaningful professional development which will promote collaboration and a sharing of best practices. It will be interesting to see how teachers across the nation, who will be using the same curriculum, use this new standard to communicate and compare what works and what does not work in their classrooms.

But, there are some cons that come with Common Core Stands. Great fear comes with great change. I can see some of our best veteran teachers leaving the classroom and finding other jobs in different areas or even retiring. I don't want to see our special needs students falling in the cracks of a more rigid and quicker pace learning curriculum. Also, I found that Common Core Standards only have standards for English-Language and Mathematics. So what about social studies and science?

I hope we spend quality time in class discussing Common Core Standards. Sorry I did not post last night, but I had so many thoughts going through my mind - I was a little foggy. I found myself thinking about the No Child Left Behind Act and I thought, “oh no, here we go again.”