Curriculum and Common Core

The Kindergarten teacher I am working with uses the following curriculums in her class:

National Geographic Reach for Reading is used for the reading/writing standards.

Bridges in Mathematics is used for the math standards.

Foss Next Generation is used for the science standards.

I have briefly looked over the National Geographic curriculum. From what I’ve noticed, the students use a lot of worksheets from the workbooks. The worksheets include tracing letters, identifying words that start with particular sounds, and some reading. Every morning, the teacher writes a message on the board for her students and then reads it to them. Sometimes it has missing words or punctuation for them to fill in. She teaches how to write uppercase and lowercase letters. Each student uses their own whiteboard and marker to write with. They have a sight word slideshow that she projects and they all read the sight words together.

According to OSPI’s webpage, “The standards require a practical, real-life application of knowledge that prepares Washington students for success in college, work and life.” They were developed so the requirements and expectations would be the same throughout the country which would make it easier for students who moved and easier for collaboration between teachers and schools. They were adopted by Washington State in 2011. Teachers are to be given guidance on how to implement Common Core in their classrooms. For the implementation of the Common Core standards, teachers and school leaders needed to make sure their curriculum was aligned with the Common Core standards. They hoped it would improve the quality of teaching. One way they are being implemented in Washington state is through “Bridge to College” courses. This course is designed for 12^th-grade students who are performing in reading and math at the 10^th-grade level. After taking this course, they should be prepared for college coursework. The “Bridge to College” course is based on the Common Core standards.

Positives of Common Core:

The Common Core helps prepare students for college and future work.

It helps students learn the subjects on a deeper level than if the students were given many topics to learn about.

They spread the subjects over many grades so students get exposure to them over time instead of just in one grade.

It teaches students multiple ways to solve math problems.

It helps them think more creatively about the math problems they encounter which can give them more excitement about learning it. It can also help them see math in different ways instead of just learning about one method with a right or wrong answer.

Negatives associated with Common Core:

No one really knows how much a of a benefit the Common Core actually provides to students.

They don’t provide any instructions on how the states should implement it or what to do with the funding they provide for it. Every state can implement the common core however they want, which leads to a problem similar to the one they had before.

According to some people, local schools should decide what their students learn, not the state. One person asked, how can the federal government know better how to educate students than they do locally?

It’s more difficult for parents to help their kids with math because it has changed a lot.

Resources and Videos:

Why Students in the US Need Common Core Math

Common Core: 101 – 5-Minute Breakdown with Dr. Duke Pesta

ABC 10 Studies the Pros and Cons of Common Core

What is the Common Core? The Controversial Standards Explained

Common core: A Positive Transformation

K12.wa.us. (2019). Bridge to College Courses. [online] Available at: http://www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/BridgetoCollege/default.aspx [Accessed 25 Feb. 2019].

K12.wa.us. (2019). Common Core State Standards. [online] Available at: http://www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/CCSS/default.aspx [Accessed 25 Feb. 2019].