What Do Teachers Think About Common Core Implementation?

11 Replies to “What Do Teachers Think About Common Core Implementation?”

1. Common Core Implementation is affecting us all on different levels and at different times. Some schools are having to tweak scheduling time slots, while others are doing complete overhauls of scope and sequence formatting. Some states are, supposedly, “coming out ahead” while others are just barely staying afloat. The students, in either of the above two cases are still students nonetheless and have remained, in my opinion, remarkable flexible and ready to learn. Perhaps we should focus more on them and less on Common Core. In time, it will work, but for now, a lot of energy is being spent on the debate of this issues and even more time spent on actually implementing it. Our focus needs to be on the student, not on policy and procedure and matters of governance.

2. Even though as teachers and student are given more responsibility, there must be a common strand that binds education together. When I stepped into teaching I was able to teach without much guidance. I could pick and chose what was most interesting to me from the standards and no acccountablility. The amount of information that needs to be taught and the short amount of time places limits on what we would like to accomplish is difficult. A common strand and accountablilty helps with this. Are we sometimes judged unfairly by this? Yes. Is it a perfect system? No. The pressure and and ways students are to perform seem outlandish at times. But like most thing, we adapt, evaluate, and modify parts that do not work.

3. I agree that is is difficult at times to remain focused on the students when the push is for common core standards. However, I do believe that there needs to be some standards that are consistent in the education field. As educators we need to remember we are the voice of our students and their education needs to be first the way we teach should not be totally focused on a specific set of standards or a program, it should be what is best for student learning.

4. I think that common core is ok. Its really rigorous for the students that I teach. I also think that it should have been implemented with beginning pre-k students and moved with them and the students after them. This way all students will be on the level that they should be on while doing common core. I think the main issue is that it is too high of a step from GPS so students are lost, confused, and giving up because the work is “too Hard”.

5. There has been much discussion on scope and sequence as it relates to common core. Not much has been said about the elements range and depth. We cannot ignore these when considering a curriculum that is student centered, especially in this current climate. While students need to spend more time practicing and concretizing each skill or topic, this should be done according to their developmental level. Teachers should be able to spend more time on a given topic or subject matter, and often times need to go a little bit deeper. However, what common core appears to do is to go too deep, too soon. This is not reflecting a logical progression. This current practice does not take into account developmental appropriateness of each step. I would think we would spend more time laying the foundation on a given strand, build on it then revisit as necessary. What I have seen in schools is not the promise of spending more time on a given topic, rather more time is spent exploring a given strand beyond the developmental level of the students. How is this helpful? Spending three months on a topic or strand does not necessarily mean you should take this to the highest level. Spending more time would suggest to me, enough to teach, reteach, practice and review. More time should not mean bringing forward topics that should be done in later grades. How is complicating the concepts making our children smarter? Teach students well, and within their developmental and or grade level, and they will meet with success. I am not convinced common core is the answer to the deficits in education. I still have questions as to the real agenda thereof. Shouldn’t teachers have more input into what, when and how their students learn? I am not convinced that the common core reflects an awareness of students’ developmental needs.

6. I think Common Core is a great concept when you are teaching students who have the same level of learning. However this is not reality and certainly not the case in most public schools. The concentration seems to be on rigor and depth of knowledge. There is no room for remedial studies and a foundational approach for students who are behind. As far as literacy is concerned, I love the holistic approach to Reading, Writing, and Grammar. Once again, the students have not fully emerged as exemplary writers. This lack of ability makes it hard to be able to have them express themselves as it relates to the complex text in which they are reading. Common Core need to be re-vamped.

7. Being that this is the second year NYC high schools are implementing common core curriculum [CC geometry], I find that there is less worry floating around at my school. We agreed that we would not sacrifice student learning/success by implementing tasks/assignments that students are not prepared to tackle. We are instead sticking with the old (if it relevant to the new changes) and execute the new when appropriate.

8. Common Core has been a huge struggle for teachers and students in my school. I feel that they did not make the transition very easy for the teacher or the students. I absolutely agree that the rigor is much higher in the common core curriculum. I also understand why they want the curriculum to be rigorous; however, our students were not ready for the jump. I feel that they needed transition points to get them to that level of thinking. I am hoping that the common core continues to grow and get easier for us to teach!

9. I like the idea behind the common core. They are trying to unite the different school districts so the transient students will not miss as must material when they transfer from school to school. But I agree with Heather that the Common Core has been very difficult to implement. The transition from the ACS to the CC was, is, hard. This year has been a struggle thus far and with the content getting hard I am not looking forward to the state tests this year. I have been to numerous Professional Developments over the common core and I still do not feel that I know them as well as I knew the Academic content standards. I know it will take time, but I just feel the implementation of the standards was rushed and no one was ready.

   I wish their was an easier way to know what the expectations were for each standard. I read a couple of the 8th grade ELA standards and I need to figure out what they are asking. I know over time it will become easier, but I wish that from now until then I had more resources that I use to help clarify content and

10. I enjoy reading other teachers thoughts on common core. I really support common core in regards to the rigor! When we push our students they rise to the occasion. I understand that there are students that struggle to keep up and I am not ignoring them, there are flaws in every system. I teach kindergarten and enjoy pushing them. I am wondering if it is harder with older aged kids to implement because of state testing and due to the fact that this is new and requires them to be flexible.

11. The basis of common core make sense in a perfect world. Unfortunately, as I’m teaching older grades I realize I don’t believe the state test are measurable to the students standards. Certain districts and places teach to the test and have stopped “teaching”. Have we compromised our values in education as a county? What are some methods that will enhance this flawed system?