Common Core Standards had always been a subject of fear for me, mostly because of all the strange myths that circulated when states first began adopting it. It was around the time I had fully decided I was going to become a teacher, and this sudden shake-up of the system was unnerving. I had no experience with Common Core, I graduated right before any sort of measures were taken to change curriculum. The word “Standards” made me think of standardized testing, something I had been very familiar with. I started having visions of cardboard cut-out lesson plans, robotic teaching, and the shriveling of my creative spirit. I would be struck with occasional thrills of terror at the thought of not being able to use my creativity in my lesson plans. After all, my favorite teachers had always been those who deviated from the norm, who were less strict and chose learning activities which were creative and fun. Things went grey, but I was holding out that Common Core would just be a fad and somehow another change was quick on its heels.
After having read “The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts Instruction in Grades 6-12: Origins, Goals, and Challenges” and previous articles like it, I have far less fear than before. I’ve come to understand that the standards are a benchmark, not some prescribed curriculum that is entirely uniform across the country. I love how this specific article addressed the fact that all students are different, and that a standardized form of teaching is detrimental to students of different cultural background or different interest levels in subjects. It addresses the need for creativity, and nurturing teachers’ love of teaching as much as nurturing students’ love of learning. I’ve been soothed, I feel comfortable and even excited about Common Core because it offers meaningful goals for teachers and students to reach together that will have them prepared for their academic future.
Recently, I’ve heard a lot of non-teachers, typically political pundits discussing Common Core. They’ve been saying a lot of the same things I’ve heard over the last several years and it brings up the need for adults to self-educate when they don’t know or understand something. As much as I disagreed with the pundits on most things they manage to put the fear in people who don’t understand. I’ve been asked about my feelings on Common Core, being a future teacher, and my answer is always, “Students need goals and so do teachers.”
After having read “The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts Instruction in Grades 6-12: Origins, Goals, and Challenges” and previous articles like it, I have far less fear than before. I’ve come to understand that the standards are a benchmark, not some prescribed curriculum that is entirely uniform across the country. I love how this specific article addressed the fact that all students are different, and that a standardized form of teaching is detrimental to students of different cultural background or different interest levels in subjects. It addresses the need for creativity, and nurturing teachers’ love of teaching as much as nurturing students’ love of learning. I’ve been soothed, I feel comfortable and even excited about Common Core because it offers meaningful goals for teachers and students to reach together that will have them prepared for their academic future.
Recently, I’ve heard a lot of non-teachers, typically political pundits discussing Common Core. They’ve been saying a lot of the same things I’ve heard over the last several years and it brings up the need for adults to self-educate when they don’t know or understand something. As much as I disagreed with the pundits on most things they manage to put the fear in people who don’t understand. I’ve been asked about my feelings on Common Core, being a future teacher, and my answer is always, “Students need goals and so do teachers.”
No comments:
Post a Comment