common core is the heart of future education
CEducation is the art of disseminating
information to the youth of today , and to keep up with the everchanging world , the method of teaching is in a constant state of flux .
In the past , the main concepts with which students are presented in school varies , yet colleges and the workforce expect a common ground of knowledge , no matter where you live . In order for the United States , as a whole , to land on the same page , we have to set some standards across the board of what students should know as they emerge into the working world , or are bound for higher education . Having a core database of concepts and knowledge that is equivalent across states gives emerging citizens a fair preparation for becoming a productive and well-educated individual . Florida implemented the Common Core State Standards Initiative on July 27 , 2010 , with full integration in the 2013 / 14 school year , mandated by the Florida State Board of Education . The bottom line of what this means ? Instead of following a general outline of mathematics concepts and topics , the commonality of core concepts for math and language has been adopted across forty-two states , the District of Columbia , four territories , and the Department of Defense Education Activity , to better meet expectations necessary for the college bound or workforce bound population .
The origin of the word , common , originates from communis , Latin for “ in common , public , shared by all or many ; general , not specific ; familiar , not pretentious .” We , as a community , have grown exponentially , so to maintain the idea of “ shared by many ,” it is imperative to keep pace with the general population . Previously , states had their own idea of what was considered to be necessary knowledge for entering the world , and this left the door open for a wide arrange of interpretation . According to Michael Alosa , a middle school mathematics teacher , “ Common Core is good overall , but it needs to be understood that it is a set of guidelines and not a solution to our country ’ s issues with math instruction . It ’ s a solid organizational tool for a curriculum , that ’ s for sure . And there will never be a cure-all to a teacher ’ s time spent planning outside of the classroom .”
The incredible pace of society today affects everything , which means education must persist in a forward motion . Textbooks and teaching practice will always be evolving , and students will invariably learn math concepts in ways that vary from their fellow classmates , therefore these things are in a state of instability . Different ideas of teaching are going to present themselves as society advances , and like the practice of medicine , it is a practice because human beings are individuals . We may be the same , but each of us sports a distinct aptitude . Math concepts are cut and dried , but there is a plethora of ways to achieve the concepts . An effective teacher will recognize their students ’ needs , and how to reach them . Implementing the approach to education across states will take some time to metamorphose into a positive initiative . From a loose translation of what should be learned at the completion of each grade , to a definitive platform of information , understand that this will take some time to get students up to speed from previous academic years . back to school
Unlike the prior outline of mathematics concepts , there is a clear structure to achieve from Kindergarten through senior year in high school . The idea is that the concepts learned in each grade sets students up to build upon that information in each succeeding grade level . Mathematics definitely builds upon the preceding concepts , and while a textbook may present the ideas “ out of order ”, it is on the shoulders of the teacher to recognize their students ’ comprehension and teach from that standpoint . That may mean teaching out of succession from the presentation of the textbook , as concepts should reinforce and connect with previous knowledge . An adept and talented teacher creates the flow of their classroom , utilizing their students ’ understanding to reach and complete goals set for the school year .
Common Core goes beyond each state ’ s idea of what people should know , bringing unanimity to education . This is not a method of teaching , instead a bar to be met for our continuous evolution into a stronger society , which will in the future , impact our place in the world more so than it does now . Common core is an organizational tool , easy to work with , providing a clear goal for students ’ proficiency of knowledge in each grade level . Maintaining an intelligent society here in the United States will serve to continue to promote an intelligent society capable of keeping up with the world ’ s powerful countries .
Marion E . Wildey