With the application of the common core, geography class is slated to be moved into History class. This has some educators and parents speaking out against it saying that students will lose valuable learning. Proponents for the move think that intertwining the two will give students a more meaningful and memorable learning experience. The Tennessean stopped some random citizens in downtown Nasvhille to quiz their geography knowledge, let's just say, they were not smarter than a fifth grader! Check out the full story here.
In the past every state had a separate set of education standards. Recently, educators across the nation have responded to concerns about student achievement and have adopted a common set of standards for students across America.
Tennessee joins leaders in 48 states, along with the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), in applying a set of standards for student across the U.S. The common core state standards were released in 2010. Now, 44 states are working to implement them by 2013-2014. Here’s what you should know and how to help your child prepare for the common core:
The Common Core Standards are State-Driven
· The common core state standards are a set of learning skills that all American students should achieve, not a federal curriculum. They set the benchmarks and guidelines for what each student should learn, not how or what teachers teach.
- Parents: The resource for parents and educators in TN on the common core is http://www.tncore.org/
The Standards allow for step-by-step progress
· In general, standards set a progression of skills that students learn as they move through school. Kindergarteners work on phonics and letter sounds, while eighth graders work on building vocabulary and reading fluency.
- Parents: Explore some of the instructional shifts and research pilot programs in English and language arts http://www.tncore.org/english_language_arts.aspx
Higher Order learning
· The common core state standards focus on the most important topics that students need to know. In math, that means that students focus on really understanding numbers in elementary school before they start to apply that understanding of numbers to data in middle school.
· Parents: Understand the concepts your child is supposed to be learning by subject and grade level. Focus on these concepts during homework time.
Reading is key
· The common core places an extreme focus on reading, discussion and comprehension skills. Students will be expected to read more difficult text sooner, and discuss what they read at a more complex level.
- Parents: As you read with your child, focus on analyzing the story and breaking down the text in various ways. Take a few minutes to watch this and other videos that detail the implementation, skill sets and rationale behind the common core standards https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/common-core-state-standards-elementary-school
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