Chapter 4: Meeting the Challenge of Rigorous Expectations in the Common Core
What we’ve done with educating students in the U.S. has been good enough to keep the U.S in a “power” position internationally.
Schools, teachers, and parents have been told that their state standards are strong and rigorous enough to keep the U.S. as a top country, but “hungry” counties (China & India) are pushing their students toward U.S. and the world’s top colleges to elevate their standings and improve their future.
Emphasis to align with communicating and thinking with the 21st century skills.
In 1970 the U.S. produced 30% of the world’s college graduates, but today we produce only 15% of the world’s college grads.
In a study from Indiana University consisting of more than 275,000 students in 27 states indicates some serious concerns from graduating on time to being challeged.
Rigor
CCSS is internationally benchmarked.
Standards selected based on the best evidence from top ranking countries and states. The CCSS call for shared literacy development throughout the school, particularly in grades 6 – 12.
Math
Developement of arithmetic in elementary school. Rigorous development of fractions. A deep understanding of place value. Incorporation of the mathematical practices.
Students are to learn math facts that are foundational to their success in later years with automaticity of facts in the early years. Calculator use in the elementary school is discouraged. A move away from the spiraling content of a prominent math program towards specific content mastery at each grade.
The CCSS is NOT a curriculum; it is an end of year outcomes. The school/district’s curriculum is developed from the standards.
Teaching to High Levels of Rigor
With NCLB, an unintended outcome has become an emphasis on passing the test. Setting sights so low does our students little to no good.
The CCSS require a two-pronged approach to implementation
- The development of a mindset that the students can master the rigorous standards. A growth mindsets is needed by educators. A growth mindset means that students are given quality instruction and appropriate supports to master the content. The belief that intelligence can emerge and escalate for all students.
- Plan to explicitly teach thinking skills in all grades. Start with meta-cognition, how we learn best to provide skills for students to succeed with the CCSS.
