Balance: Core Curriculum

The word curriculum can mean something different to different people, even to different teachers who use the term almost daily (Manning & Butcher, 2012). However, it boils down to curriculum being what a student learns, both in terms of core subject content, as well as though social activity and elective/activity courses. However, there has often been a disconnect between different states and districts over what exactly should be in the curriculum for various grades and what is needed to prepare students for life beyond school, as well as providing little basis for comparing the US to other countries. That’s where Common Core State Standards (CCSS) come in. According to Teaching in the Middle School (2012), the Common Core standards were created in an attempt to provide curriculum standards that are “rigorous, internationally benchmarked, and aligned with college and work expectations”. Since its implementation in 2009, 42 US states and the District of Columbia have integrated the standards into their curriculums. (Core Standards, 2015)

Poverty is a serious issue which our society and children faces every day. It is a constant struggle that shouldn’t be ignored. UNICEF states “The study of OECD countries in 2007, over fourteen percent of Australian children under the age of eighteen are currently living in households who are defined as poor or with incomes less than half of the median national income”. The increase in the number and percentage of children living in poverty within our society has contributed to making today's classrooms more diverse than ever it has been. This highlights and makes both teaching and learning more challenging. Diversity exists in the students who are living in poverty and the education assistant and teachers must provide the concept of diversity

Common Core, a set of standards that are built for student from kindergarten through 12th grade in English language arts/literacy and mathematics. Throughout the country, about 43 states have implemented CC standards, which are designed to make sure that high school graduates are prepare to enter colleges and onto the workforce. Common Core is not a curriculum. It is guidelines for what students should know and be able to do at each grade level in math and English language arts. However, The CC standards currently only have skills associated with English/language arts and mathematics, while there are no skills that consisted with other subjects, such as science or social studies. This would means that it’s up to the individual in order to develop their own set of standards and assessments for these topics. This will also cause problems with children, being that “The CC standards will require younger students to learn more at a quicker pace than they ever have before” (Cody, 2013). With the increased in higher level thinking skills, student’s learning will become more rigid. With the CC standards only limited to certain subjects, the ones that are most needed for students will not be provided, which means that students will have less ways to be able express their creativity, learn how to think outside the box, or finding new ways to learn and understand.

It is a shame that students will miss out on the many benefits of arts programs and that the arts are still being cut even though extensive research shows they are beneficial, Sandra Ruppert, AEP Executive Director concludes that “the power of the arts lead the way in helping every child realize success in school.” (Hawkins) Schools are already pressured to meet the high demands of core curriculum reading, math, science, and history. Core curriculum is what is tested in schools, this testing is in interest of the school's proficiency and ranking, not in the interest of the students and what kind of person that student is growing up to be. Even though research has shown that arts programs are academically beneficial to students, these programs continue to be cut due to the emphasis put on the core

In particular, how do you think the demographic shift to a nation that is increasingly diverse will impact changes in our field? Because of the diversity in our students; teachers will be force to differate their teaching style to accommodate all students style of learning. The Common Core has begun that process for the teachers. Teachers are no longer presenting information to student in one form.

The core curriculum at Army War College and elective experiences are interconnected and supportive in many ways. The JLASS elective is much in support to the Theater Strategy and Campaigning Course (TSC) and European Regional Studies. TSC lessons the Join Operation Planning Process, Operational Art and Multinational Operations were key subject matter to frame and analyze the strategic environment, and to understand the problem. Furthermore, the DIME concept is another very important tool, which allows us to think and bring the different options to the problem. Regional Study was key to understand the relation and strategic dynamics that are going on in Theater of Operations under EUCOM AOR. However, the World Summery challenges and change some of the current security dynamics in the AOR. Create more creativity to think in different way, wicked problem, and moving from the liberal to more realism IR theories. The Regional Study, particularly the EU and NATO lessons were very helpful to understand the strategic decisions and organizational dynamics between EUCOM and NATO. Finally, the connectivity of the core curriculum and JLASS is great mechanism to comprehend and

The Common Core Standards are words that we are all formulary with. We all have heard those 3 words once before but I’m sure most of us didn’t know the real meaning behind it unless we work in a school or have young children in school, or a teacher.The common core is a set of high-quality academic standards in mathematics and English language arts with literacy, also can be known as ELA. These learning goals outline what a student should know and be able to do at the end of each grade. We are told that the standards were created to make sure that when the time comes for the students to graduate from high school they will have all the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in not only college, but their career, and life regardless of where they are from. The Common Core focuses most on developing the critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills students will need to be successful. Those are all things that students all around the world need in order to move forward, and continue to get their education. Having these standers make it easier for all the teachers around the world to know where they need to have their students be by the end of each academic school year, but what if there was a different way for our teachers to know where each child should stand without having to use the common core standards? What if some children don’t work well with it?

The Executive Branch of the United States Government and the President has the powers that can influence many things one of them is our Education and the Common Core law that had taken in to effect back in June 2010. Even before the Common Core States standards were, official dozens of states had adopted the standards.

Develops, weekly plans, and implements age appropriate curriculum (lesson plan) to nurture and stimulate all domains of children’s development in their care. Provides a developmentally appropriate classroom environment that reflects the children’s learning and growth. Perform on-going developmental evaluations of children as required by funding sources and develop lesson plans and follow curriculum implementation that addresses the individual needs of each child. Maintains a record of growth and keeps parents up to date with child's progress.

Elementary school observes, “It struck me that the work we were doing as teachers mirrored the

Teacher-directed is a 40 to 45 minute block of time where the teacher uses 15 to 20 minutes for explicit, whole group instruction. This is the time for the teacher to model and think aloud with students.  For the remaining, time the teacher is the

Balanced literacy instruction is a comprehensive program of language arts achievement. It is comprehending all of the components that is necessary for students to become a master in writing and oral communication. Balance literacy begins with creating a genuine gratitude for good literature. And it balanced by knowing students individually, direct and indirect instruction and activates that emphasize meaning for students. The strongest elements of each are combined into a literacy program that aims to guide students toward proficient and lifelong reading. There are numerous components of balanced literacy, but the most important components of balanced of literacy are: The read aloud, guided reading, shared reading, independent reading, word study, interactive writing, shared writing, guided writing workshop, independent writing also include phonic and grammar skills. literacy plan is most effective for children when the teacher is given direct instructional to support, and a variety of everyday reading and writing experiences. That are needed in the multifaceted process of becoming independent good reader and writers. This experience is providing to students to become more proficient toward their learning journey and apply as they move upper level in education.

After reading about the 7 guidelines of teaching in diverse classrooms I realized that they are all very interrelated and build on one another. For example, guidelines 1. Cultural responsive instruction, 2. Know your “cell phone”, and 7. Multicultural curriculum are all very closely related since they all have to do with being aware of different cultures in your classroom as well as your own and how they all need to be cherished in the classroom. The remaining four guidelines, 3. Engaging with learning, 4. High expectations for learning, 5. Flexible grouping, and 6. Differentiated instruction, are all related to how the curriculum or instruction in the classroom should be presented. Even with in these two groups of the guidelines they are also related or intertwined

This assignment will be exploring how the key messages of the Foundation Phase are applied throughout all aspects of the curriculum. It will analyse childhood theorists’ sentiments about the Foundation Phase, the notion of play in learning, both indoor and outdoor, and Personal & Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural Diversity.

Within the core of many educational institutions, diversity is a commercial tacit. While every institution cannot offer the same kind of diversity, the endorsement of such exists through various definitions. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges define diversity through the various classes: race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, disability, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and age (“Statement on Diversity”)