Common Core State Standards

The more familiar I become with the CCSS, the more I like them. When I originally found out about them, I was concerned that the standards were too similar to nationalized curriculum that would not be able to account for the range of backgrounds and experience across the country. But as I've learned more about eh standards, it is becoming clear that they leave teachers plenty of freedom to decide on their own curriculum, and what is needed to bring their individual and unique students up to the standards. People in some parts of the country might feel that they value different standards then the people in a different area. But standards being applied everywhere are important in the modern, interconnected, and globalized world. Students might need to communicate, cooperate, and compete with students from any and all parts of the country and with counterparts from around the world. Holding students across the United States to these standards will help them to be able to navigate this environment successfully.

When reading through the standards this time, I spent more time looking at the elementary standards than I had in the past. I was more struck this time with how the standards build on themselves year after year, so that students are brought up to the final standards in a reasonable manner. I was also surprised to see the map of which places have accepted the CCSS this time. I had underestimated how many states had accepted them, but I was more surprised to see that a couple of places like Guam had also accepted them. This showed me how useful the standards to get the new, interconnected world of students on more equal footing as they leave school and move into the workforce.

When I began working with the English teacher I was placed with last quarter, I asked her about the standards and whether she liked them for herself and for the students. She liked them because they consist of skills that are good for students to know, and were structured in a way that would be brought into curriculum without too much trouble. She also felt that they would be very beneficial to students who start with the standards from the beginning of their schooling. However, she felt that it would be difficult for students who switch to the standards several years into their schooling. They will have to adjust and get caught up on the skills in the CCSS without having the foundation properly prepared for them. She feels that there will be a few years of students caught in the transition that might not do as well because of having to adjust.