The Common Core State Standard For Language Arts

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)

Read children’s books (in English and Spanish) and prepared assessments using the Common Core Literacy standards. Prepared assessments according to LightSail requirements, in an accurately and timely manner. Read assessments in English and translated them to Spanish ensuring that all translations were accurate.

In 2009, states around the country began adopting the Common Core State Standards. These standards were put in place to ensure that each child was on the same academic level by high school graduation. As the global marketplace becomes increasingly more competitive, the United States hopes that Common Core will enable the coming generations to be better prepared. As of right now, my working thesis is Common Core is overall unsuccessful in its effort, and discontinuing or, at the least, replacing it would improve the testing scores /academic progresses, mental health, and attitude towards school of the children in the United States. My two articles, “Reading Don’t Fix No Chevys (Yet!): Motivating boys in the age of the Common Core,” by Jeffrey D. Wilhelm and Michael W. Smith (2014), and “Why Massachusetts Gave Up on Common Core,” by Mary Clare Reim (2015), both provide evidence on Common Core to support my thesis.

Common Core State Standards is being heard throughout the education world. Many cringe when the words are spoken and many fight to support what the words stand for. Common Core was introduced in 2009 by state leaders. Common Core State Standards were developed to prepare children for the business world or the reality after grade school. “The Common Core is a set of high-quality academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy, also known as ELA” (About the Standards, n.d.). The goals for the standards outline what students should know before leaving his or her current grade level. “The standards were created to ensure that all students graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college, career, and life, regardless of where they live” (About the Standards, n.d.). This is an ambitious goal, but with much support can be accomplished. According to Common Core State Standards Initiative (n.d.) The Common Core has been adopted by forty-two states already and is accompanied by District of Columbia and Department of Defense Education Activity. Common Core was developed to improve the academics in society’s schools. Academics in the past years have not been successful and the United States has fallen behind international education. “One root cause has been an uneven patchwork of academic standards that vary from state to state and do not agree on what students should know and be able to do at each

A political issue right now being argued over is if Common Core national education standards should be adopted by all states. The majority of Democrats support the adoption of Common Core standards while the vast majority of Republicans are against it. The Common Core State Standards states what K-12 students should know in Math and English at the end of the each grade, and to put in standardized tests. Whether or not these standards are put in place can determine if students succeed. Common Core will not allow teachers to individualize their lessons to help students learn the way they will understand best. These standards should not be adopted by all states.

Common Core, these two words have come to mean more, in the past four years, than two words with no similarities. 43 out of 50 states are signed on to the Common Core State Standards as of now (Khadaroo). This paper will review the good, the bad and the alternatives to the Common Core, from the eyes of a student that is affected by these standards everyday. Through researching this topic, it has become apparent that the common core has good intentions, however bad implementations.

I am assuming the role of a principal and I am questioning the support of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) within my school environment. Based on the information in Issues in K-12 Education Case Study Document 5, there are numerous issues concerning CCSS that a principal must consider for their school to be successful. These issues include: federal jurisdiction over curricula, the time allotted for implementation of federal standards, the impact of test results on professional development and teacher evaluations, and the possible elimination of other essential educational resources when implementing standards. The issues affect all stakeholders and their concerns regarding the process, content, fairness, funding, assessment, and gaps in achievement need to be addressed.

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) initiative is a plan to restructure the educational system in the United States and provide students with a high-quality education. Many states have adopted and are implementing these standards. In our fast changing world, different skills are needed to do the jobs our society has to offer. Upon completion of high school, these students need to be equipped to either enter the workforce prepared to meet the demands of their employers or to enter college prepared to take their education to the next level in pursuit of careers. The CCSS will increase in depth and difficulty from kindergarten through grade 12.

According to the Common Core State Standards, third graders should demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings (CCSS L.3.5). The purpose of the word study lesson is to introduce students to figurative language. More specifically, we wanted students to be able to distinguish the figurative and literal meanings of idioms. They will use More Parts by Tedd Arnold to create a poster distinguishing the figurative and literal meanings of idioms used in the book. By using the context of the book along with its illustrations, students will have an easier time deciphering the idioms and will become more familiar with the phrases being used. The main goal of this lesson is to not only introduce students

In education field, it is hard to know if all claims are credible and it is not so easy to assess good research. Curiosity and expertise will be helpful to to decide if you can trust the educational change that has been offered. Science can answer many questions, but not all of them.

Math is a universal subject which the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines as "the science of numbers and their operations, interrelations, combinations, generalizations, and abstractions and of space configurations and their structure, measurement, transformations, and generalizations." Distinctly, the Oxford Dictionaries defines mathematics as “the abstract science of number, quantity, and space.” One thing that is clear amongst both these definitions is that math is complex and cannot be defined so loosely, which is why I find it difficult defining the literacy of mathematics. However, after reviewing the standards, I have attempted to do so. Being literate in mathematics means that one can count, compare and contrast numbers, understand and

With all the hype about the Common Core State Standards, it’s easy to forget that some states have decided not to adopt the standards–plus, some adopting states are now re-evaluating their decisions. Perhaps one of the biggest arguments against the standards is that “while core curriculum has improved performance in states with traditionally good education systems,” states that have struggled academically wonder if the standards are more a one-size-fits-all pathway instead of a “great equalizing force,” in which the common standards bridge a gap between vocational education and the university pathway.

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a set of academic standards in Mathematics and English language arts. The standards are an outline of what students should be able to do at the end of each school year. These standards began as a goal to standardized learning objectives across the country, so students everywhere receive the same education no matter where they live and to close the achievement gap (Funk & Wagnalls, 2015). They apply to grades K through twelve. The achievement gap is widely criticized for being in favor for white students, because they have access to higher quality of schools- even in public schools. Poverty stricken schools are filled with poverty stricken children. This is partially because of location and districts, and other reasons, such as money. Children with families of higher income can afford a higher education, or live in a higher end county- which means higher end schools and districts. This eliminates learning gaps between state public schools by applying uniform expectations; this way if a student chooses to go into a college out of state there will be no worries concerning entry knowledge levels. The standards are outlined on the Common Core website as:

Like an epidemic terrorizing the western hemisphere, the Common Core State Standards program has swept across our nation, and at each stop, threatened a new way of thinking and living. These standards were created to ensure that more students graduated from high school with the skills to succeed in college, life, and career, no matter where they might live (About the Standards). In 2009, this fresh new take on education was launched to each state’s educational leaders in the U. S. The state officials each decided whether the implementation of the program was beneficial for them, or if the technique they were currently using was the best option. However, even though state authorities have control of their individual educational standards,

According to the Common Core State Standards Initiative, their curriculum “provide[s] clear and consistent learning goals to help prepare students for college, career and life” (“Preparing America’s Students for Success”). However, Kim Burke, who owns a tutoring company in North Carolina, states, “‘There’s not a person alive who can read Common Core from page to page and understand it’” (Bonner). The Common Core State Standards are supposed to be clear and understandable, but teachers, students and parents alike can not understand them and what they are ask of the student. Common Core was launched in 2009, in hope to create a common curriculum across the United States and to compete with other nations that have one curriculum. Since 2009, Common