A path forward for Common Core

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With the passage of the 2014-15 budget, the Common Core State Standards have survived yet another round of political football. The State Assembly and Senate resisted political pressure to discard or derail the Common Core, instead taking crucial steps toward improving their implementation. However, teachers urgently need the resources and training to help their students meet the new standards, as well as the continued support of their elected officials in Albany. 

As a classroom teacher who has been using the standards for the past three years, I can say with certainty that turning back now would be a huge mistake. Instead, policymakers should be focusing on solutions to improve adoption in the classroom, instead of ways to confuse educators, students and families even further.

The problems around the Common Core have little to do with their quality. In fact, polls show most educators support these rigorous standards. Personally, I love the way in which this new approach is encouraging curiosity and deep thinking from my students. Like scientists, they are deconstructing problems and exploring solutions in math and reading instead of just memorizing facts and formulas.  

But that’s not to say that implementation has been easy. In fact, it’s been really difficult and at times a mess, and that is what is driving the backlash among politicians, educators and families alike. Teachers have received far too little training, lack curricular materials and are often fending for themselves. Parents have received too little information on the changes and as a result, often conflate the standards with more testing.

These are the problems that need fixing, and fast.

Recently, I joined a group of teachers at Educators 4 Excellence to come up with clear solutions to the implementation challenge here in New York City, the state’s largest district. Our paper, “A Path Forward,” outlines a list of recommendations for policymakers that would ensure we keep moving forward on adopting Common Core, but provide the support necessary for eventual success. 

Common Core, Nina Barraclough
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