Sunday, November 25, 2012

A Quick Peek at the Common Core Educational Standards

For the uninitiated, educational standards are intended to help teachers ensure that their students have the skills and knowledge they need to be successful. The plan behind common core standards is to provide, for the first time, clear goals for student learning based on "college- and career-readiness." These goals are said to be aligned with college and work expectations; include rigorous content and application of knowledge (to promote high-order thinking skills); draw from current state standards with an eye on the standards of top-performing countries. The standards are also said to be evidence- and/or research-based. The plan is that if all states follow the common core, all students will be prepared to succeed in the global economy. At present, 45 states and 3 territories have adopted; Kentucky being the first.

The National Governor's Association, which owns the copyright on the common core, says the  standards ensure that all students - from school to school and state to state - are prepared for success in postsecondary education and the workforce. Teachers having the ability to share best practices across the states builds instructional capacity among the faculty.
Standards do not tell teachers how to teach, but they do help teachers figure out the knowledge and skills their students should have so that teachers can build the best lessons and environments for their classrooms. Standards also help students and parents by setting clear and realistic goals for success. Standards are a first step – a key building block – in providing our young people with a high-quality education that will prepare them for success in college and work. Of course, standards are not the only thing that is needed for our children’s success, but they provide an accessible road map for our teachers, parents, and students.

This from the Teaching Channel on YouTube:


  • Introduction to the Common Core State Standards
 

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