The Elementary Grade Math Course

Test scores are still dismissed, and state officials have expressed concern that the pace of improvement is not fast enough to show the benefits of the common core standards. Districts have also seen varying success in changing how teachers teach, something that was supposed to change under the new standards.

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) was first implemented in 2010, nine years after I graduated from high school. Although I wasn’t personally affected by the new academic standards, it has a direct impact on the current and future generation of leaders, innovators, and world changers including my future children. The initial purpose of the Common Core Standards is to set high-quality learning goals designed to prepare students to be college and career ready. Given the current controversies surrounding CCSS, studies have shown that although the intent was to benefit students in the long-run it may actually be hindering their mathematical and reading skills. To further explore the arguments behind the Common Core initiative, I will

The Common Core State Standards also has a focus on testing Language Arts and Mathematics, but it does try to branch out into other subjects, like Science. There is still a heavy dependence on standardized tests in this new system and it will take some time for everyone to adjust to these new standards. With the Common Core State Standards, there is also a set of guidelines for the curriculum and a focus on making sure the students have mastered the specific guidelines provided. The problem with the Common Core State Standards is there is still a heavy focus on testing for Language Arts and Mathematics while deemphasizing other subjects, even if there is a Common Core for Science or Social Studies. Teachers are forced to teach to the standards provided and might not be able to individualize their lessons to the needs of their students. This can lead to more teachers being forced to teach to the test and continue the problems that occurred with No Child Left Behind, where students were leaning how to take the tests and not learn the knowledge they need to move on to either college or a career.

Common Core is built as an infective for education to all schools, but what it is, is a policy that all students learn the same. Common Core has been adopted in forty-three states around the nation. Common Core is designed to get students ready for college and career ready from grades Kindergarten through twelfth grade. “The basic definition of what Common Core is, a set of high-quality academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy.” (Board)“The college- and career-readiness standards were developed first and then incoporated into the K-12 standards in the final cersion of the Common Core we have today.” (Practices) The construction of Common Core was by seeing which state standards were already the best, using experienced teachers, leading-thinkers, content experts, and also public feedback about their child’s education. Common Core is currently being endorsed by the White House. “Common Core is currently costing the United States eighty billion dollars.” (Board) Common Core was created by state educational chiefs and governors from forty-eight states. Common Core states that it will get students ready for their futures, but has only hurt them by not truly completing the goals set. Common Core is developmentally inappropriate for students because the cost of Common Core, it is pushed by the government for competition between states, and the strong implantation of standardized testing.

The lack of educational benchmarks and standardization in the United States of America, USA is disjointed and subpar leaving students ill prepared to enter the workforce and college. As evidenced by the persistent problem of students graduating and passing required exit exams in high school; yet, they still needed remediation upon entry to college. The Common Core is good because it provides a set of age appropriate learning goals and sets a national high-quality academic standard for Math and English to prepare students for college and career readiness. In essence, the Common Core defines what a student should know and be able to do at different grade levels.

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

There has been some speculation to as if the Common Core is even working for the students. Is it preparing them for College? For the Common Core Standard to be successful in the schools all rely on how it is implemented. Do the teachers implement the Standards in a good way or a bad way? The Common Core Standards are already hard to understand let alone teach. During research, on how the Common Core Standards are being implemented they found that there were teachers that undoubtedly know they are supposed to be implementing the Standards (Polikoff, 2017). This brings me back to say that there are many people that do not fully understand the Common Core. Some teachers are still confused on the fact that they have to implement it into their classrooms and everyday planning. Common Core is set up to help you, it tells you where your students should be and what they should be learning at the grade level. With not knowing anything about the Common Core, teachers are having a difficult time when it comes to implementing it into the

Our country has been falling behind in the academic aspect compared to out international peers. Our remediation rates in college have grown over the past few years. The main problem is because our states vary in what they believe students should be able to do in each grading level K-12. So, technically Common Core Standards is giving students a better education. Based on my research from English Language Arts Standards, I found that the Common Core Standards are built off of these five standards:

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) was adapted in 2009, it was made to make the education system more cohesive across the country 43 states have adopted it, there were previously 45 states that used it but 2 of them have dropped it. It was designed to better prepare students for college, their careers and more. According to Burks et al. there was a stud done and 55% of instructors and teachers said there training for Common Core State Standards was insufficient. How do they expect educators to teach in a style that most they don’t even understand themselves? Common Core State Standards is an up and coming change in the education system in the U.S., like all change there is negative and positive effects it will have on education. Common core has a bug focus on students ability to transfer information, it will also help them understand what they are learning and why, however, it will lead to more standardize test which is already overused, some states will have to lower their standards and educators are already leaving the profession to avoid dealing with the change.

Common Core is one of the most debatable topics in education today. In order to explain the significance that Common Core holds to our nation’s education, one must first define what Common Core is. The Common Core State Standards Initiative is an educational initiative in the United States that details what grades Kindergarten-12th grade students should know in both English and Mathematics by the end of each 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 and the job force regardless of their geographical location. Common Core Standards are effectively implemented in forty two of the fifty U.S. States. Common Core Standards are internationally benchmarked which places our standards in the same rank as other countries throughout the world. Common Core requires students to actively engage in their learning through the use of hands-on activities as well as higher order thinking Q&A discussions that students often lead. Common Core State Standards are beneficial to education because they are more rigorous than and built upon previous state standards, promote equity between students, and prepare students to be more competitive in our global economy.

Education has been changing and developing for centuries, and with change comes differing of opinions. The Common Core standards are the most recent attempt to educate the best students in the United States. Although teachers at schools implementing Common Core are learning new methods of teaching, the standards do not dictate what approach they should take; these standards are what students should comprehend and be able to do by the end of the term or scholastic year. Provided that students are invested in their personal educations, students should be better prepared for their lives in the “real world,” what some call the portion of life following high school as a result. The Common Core standards should be the standards of education in the United States as it will improve the abilities of students more and produce conscientious citizens of the world capable of contribution.

Common Core is the curriculum most children born in the 21st century have taken. The Common Core is the most recent update in America’s school system. The Common Core State Standards, also known as CCSS, is changing the way schools teach and learn. Currently, forty six states have adapted the curriculum. The system is run by the nation 's governors through the organizations “The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA)” and “The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).” It is standardized to raise the bar to fit everyone’s educational needs, which is all done through testing electronically. State tests require that all the students answer the same questions that are scored consistently. The goals for the Common Core include helping students in a way to prepare for the future, and to advance their skills and knowledge. Realistically, it has been negatively affecting students, schools, and teachers. Although the area of government that created these standards and tests have decided they are the best choices, critics have disagreed with the given standards. The Common Core State Standards are too advanced and rushed, which have led to stress in students and teachers since its inception, therefore should be repealed by all states with implementation of the CCSS.

The article “Use the Common Core. Use It Widely. Use It Well” by William E. (Brit) Kirwan, Timothy P. White, and Nancy Zimpher states that many high school graduates lack the skills needed to enter and succeed at college level courses. Though the writers list much support of Common Core State Standards there is also political resistance and assessment difficulties. Colleges and students are using many unnecessary dollars to bring high school graduates up to college entry level standards. This national problem affects all areas of the country and the cost of not finding a solution to improving student success in college and vocational training could be detrimental to society.

Launched in 2009, the Common Core state standards have done nothing to help students progress their learning abilities, and have even harmed their ability to be educated. With Common Core, teachers must follow strict guidelines on what to teach and how to teach it, but this one-size-fits-all ideal does not apply to the real world. Former teacher, Susan Rakow,

The Institute found the Common Core standards to be clearer and more rigorous than the standards in thirty-seven states in English and thirty-nine states in math. The study found the Common Core better than previous standards in both subjects in 33 states. The Common Core is intended to cover fewer topics in greater depth at each grade level (Carmichael, Wilson, Porter-Magee, & Martino, 2010). Some argue the new standards will put students behind other students around the world. James Milgram, a Stanford University math professor believed that by the end of seventh grade, the Common Core would put students about two years behind most high-achieving countries. (Milgram, 2013), “desperately needs real standards and that the Common Core math standards are not good enough.” For example, currently students take Algebra I until the ninth grade instead of eighth grade