What Parents Should Know
The Common Core State Standards were launched by the National Governors Association built up of state leaders and partnered with current teachers to create an outline of what students in any given grade needed to know and understand. They are designed to ensure students are prepared for today’s entry-level careers, freshman-level college courses, and workforce training programs. The Common Core focuses on developing the critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills students will need to be successful. Forty-four states, the District of Columbia, four territories, and the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) have voluntarily adopted and are moving forward with the standards.( The Common Core 2014)
The Common Core State Standards are a set of guidelines handed down to every school that breaks down what states have determined as essential for every student to know before graduation. Using these standards students establish a base of knowledge across a wide range of subject matter by engaging with works of quality and substance. They become proficient in new areas through research and study while they read purposefully and listen attentively to gain both general knowledge and discipline-specific expertise. Standards cover not only main content classes such as Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts; but also encourages successful listening, speaking and collaborative work that would be useful outside of the classroom.
Standards do not control specifics in the classroom. Teachers still have control over how students will be taught, strategies that students would be given, books used and topics covered. Teachers are free to provide students with whatever tools and knowledge their professional judgment and experience identify as most helpful for meeting the goals set out in the Standards.
Standards do not control specifics in the classroom. Teachers still have control over how students will be taught, strategies that students would be given, books used and topics covered. Teachers are free to provide students with whatever tools and knowledge their professional judgment and experience identify as most helpful for meeting the goals set out in the Standards.
"While the standards truly try to create a level playing field for students, there can never be
a one size fits all approach that completely works for our students. They are diverse learners
who need the flexibility go through education at a pace better fit for their needs.
Some students may excel in the standards, some may need more support.
We as teachers must close the gap left by standards to help all students achieve THEIR best."
- Forety (South Salem High)
How the Common Core Standards are used in this class
In my classroom standards in the Common Core are used to create clear goals in every lesson giving both students and teachers clear expectations of material that will be covered in the unit. This ensures that students, teachers and parents are all on the same page providing the best learning environment for out students. For example when completing a novel in class the one of the standards in class may be that students will follow an assigned character through out the novel to track character development, how he changes and how that impacts other characters. By completing this exercise students will have successfully completed one standard while using critical thinking and completing content work. When reading the novel students may be asked to act out their chosen characters speech, again this meets a standards and provides students with the opportunity to relate to a character and become more involved in their learning. Standards will not dictate what novels or plays are used in my class; simply how I will used them to best set up students to achieve their goals.
For Language Arts the Common Core is broken down into: reading, writing, listening, and language/ conventions to create a rounded curriculum that gives students an overall understand of the English language and how it can be used effectively.
Helpful Link for more information on the Common Core
Read The Standards
Common Core Facts and Opinions
Washington Post: Everything you need to know
Oregon Department of Education
References:
DC Public Schools. "Three Minute Video Explaining the Common Core Standards". Nov. 2, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s0rRk9sER0
DC Public Schools. "Three Minute Video Explaining the Common Core Standards". Nov. 2, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s0rRk9sER0