Subject: Education

Issue: Common Core State Standards Initiative 

 Common Core State Standards Imitative (CCSSI) was established in 2009 by U.S State governors and commissioners. The initiative was mainly developed for the purpose of creating national standards which will help K-12 students   gain knowledge and skills which they will apply in college as well as in global arena. CCSSI focused on implementing learning goals on mathematics and English language arts (ELA) and set high-quality cadmic standards in these areas. This is initiative is very important as its main focus was to prepare students enter in college with the required knowledge and skills so that they can succeed in their field of study and create a meaningful life after education.  However, this is a controversial issue as opponents argue that the initiative does not align with curriculum changes and taxpayers will face a heavy burden during the implementation of the program. Opponents focus their argument of inaccurate representation and claim for information and clarification. All the same, it is important to look at the past and see how the academic progress has lagged behind due to the failure of creating academic standards. Thus, a consistent learning requires a value and academic standards which gives students the opportunity to work hard and gain skills and knowledge which they will apply in academic college course and in the real world.

 

 Randi & Grigorenko (2017) assert Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD, 2015) introduced  the  topic on  sustainable education and  said that  in international agenda  (2030 agenda),  all individuals in the entire world should  achieve  quality education  from childhood to adulthood. The international agenda put emphasis on inclusion and equity since in the global market, the most important thing needed is workforce development and so this should be the main goal of education (Randi & Grigorenko, 2017). In 21^st century, the global marketplace requires advanced skills, other than basic skills like reading and writing. Basic skills are important  as they creates  strong collaboration in marketplace  but  in 21^st century, evidence-based reasoning, creativity and skills necessary for solving problems are more important than basic skills (Randi & Grigorenko, 2017).  The author argue that global marketplace require evidence-based reasoning for the role of building ‘argument literacy’-meaning that   educators should focus on innovation and skills for problem solving. In this case, the role of Common Core State Standards is to establish an education which is tied with ‘special place of argument’ (Randi & Grigorenko, 2017). This means that educators must ensure that students can make a sound judgment with respect to specific topics and issue for the purpose of career readiness. For students  to achieve  ‘argument literacy’, it is the responsibility of educators to   teach critical thinking skills and help students develop logical reason, create counter arguments and use evidence in  analyzing perspectives(Randi & Grigorenko, 2017). The article asserts that CCSSI implements advanced skills in education which encompasses learning opportunities for all students from diverse cultures and aptitudes.  In addition, CCSSI focus on ‘college and career ready’ and this is achieved by allowing students develop evidence-based argumentation through oral and written debate (Randi & Grigorenko, 2017).

 

 According to Kendall (2011), educators should view the Common Core State Standards with a positive insight and understand that their role is not only to ensure that students successes in classroom but it also important to prepare them to enter in the real world and succeed in life. In the past years, the education system has not prepared students in succeeding in life and when majority leave high school, they face challenges due to lack of ‘career and college readiness’ (Kendall, 2011).  In fact, college remediation has increased in a high rate in the first years since students are not competent and so they are forced to study developmental education to achieve core academic skills. To avoid this problem in 21^st century, it is important to support the Common Core State Standards and allow the system to develop skills and knowledge which students should pursue for them to success in college and career life (Kendall, 2011). Note that the system play a significant role of identifies the basic skills and knowledge which students need and this is an effective and a strategic method of eliminating remedial course. Each student in all disciplines will get set of standards and students, parents and teachers will understand the next step in college education. In addition, this system is of importance as it generates obligation and freedom. Educators have an obligation to provide specific knowledge and kills for each student and freedom comes in as educators will have the freedom to offer the skills and knowledge needed by students in the next grade (Kendall, 2011). For example, when students move to the next class, they are prepared and educators, students and parents do not spend much time   re-teaching the past things but rather they move to the next step.

 

 In the past 25years, U.S education system has focused on standards-based reforms. The reforms were implemented to address the education problems which existed in the federalist structure of the education. The structure made the education system to remain undeveloped by producing incoherent practices and weak basic skills. The reforms were aimed at creating rigorous standards even though the goals of the reforms have been not implemented fully (Massell & Perrault, 2014). However, the SBR is renewed and strengthened by the Common Core State Standards.  The latter follows the principles of SBR and promise to implement a rigorous education system with cognitive skills, understanding and analysis. Forty five States including the ones which did not adopt in the past have implemented the set standards and have aligned the education system with instructional guidance and professional development (Massell & Perrault, 2014). All States have implemented technical alignment and this means that there are technical education programs which help students to create a meaningful life when they enter in the real world.  Students gain   technical preparations which help them achieve education related with modern technologies in 21^st century. Rather than providing students with manual skills, students are prepared for occupations where they apply understanding and principles (Massell & Perrault, 2014). States also implement incentives alignment which generates higher-order thinking for career preparation. Third, CCSSS is associated with instructional alignment where teachers adhere to instructional guidance in creating necessary equipment and resources. Instructional alignment also supports professional development and educators have the opportunity of gaining substantial learning (Massell & Perrault, 2014).

            According to Beach et al (2015), critics should stop saying that CCSS was established by the federal government but rather they should let truth remain that CCSS was established by Council of Chief State and National Governors Association. For example, curriculum materials were made by 80% of districts and 65% of ELA was made by teachers and 35% were made by publishing companies (Beach et al, 2015).  This description tells that CCSS gives teachers the opportunity to create engaging activities which will align with the standards and which will achieve the goal of achieving value and academic standards.  The author asserts that reading and writing in CCSS are presented in a way that teachers adopt a formalist approach which focuses mainly on argumentative learning with social meaning (Beach et al, 2015). In addition, CCSS learning involves a critical inquiry approach and this is an effective method of focusing on aspects of human and addressing issues which affects the well-being. For example, English language art  has been focusing on  reading and writing but   the implication of CCSS will ensure that students  understand literature and culture, and gain a critical pedagogy  which its key role will be  helping students think critically, focus  on diverse perspectives and derive multiple meanings (Beach et al, 2015).

 

Morrow  et al, (2012) creates a strong point that a prosperous teaching and learning can be achieved if educators, policy makers and other stakeholders involved in education think about CCSSI. The latter helps the stakeholders of education to create an education system which encompasses educational expectations and rigorous standards. Education is important and people should focus on teaching quality but not teacher quality. In other words, CCSSI focus on quality teaching and this will be achieved if educators use instructional strategies, assessment practices and professionalism when teaching. In order to help U.S students achieve their dreams, educators must discover the real meaning of CCSS for them to have a starting point (Morrow et al, 2012). The author challenges the educators by stating that they should prepare their hearts and minds for them to show commitment toward improvement. In addition, they must know that the first priority in 21^st century is to accept the change agent and view the change as an organic process which is tricky but meaningful to the life of students. Teachers must demonstrate growth mindsets and be in the front line in the reform movement of CCSS (Morrow et al, 2012).  They must be innovative, realistic and show high standards in instructions and assessment. Other point is CCSS has shown a visible and a concrete assurance that it will offer realistic solutions to the problems with educational system.

 Conclusion

CCSSI is associated with achievements through preparing students in real world. It focuses on knowledge   and skills which are required in the digital-global world. By ensuring ‘college and career readiness’, students enter in the real world with literacy skills and proficiency knowledge.  By engaging students with Common Core principles, they become acquainted with literature work which helps them to enlarge experience and to have diverse perspective on worldviews. CCSS builds a coherent structured education system which allows students to create foundation of knowledge in different areas. The education system is designed in a way that students   interpret issue with relevant evidence and reasonable arguments. Finally, CCSSI will ensure that students will develop reading proficiencies by allowing them to read complex texts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

 Beach Richard., Haertling T. Amanda & hein, Allen Webb. (2015). Teaching to Exceed the

English Language Arts Common Core State Standards: A Critical Inquiry Approach for

6-12 Classrooms. Routledge, 

 

Morrow M. Lesley., Shanahan Timothy &, Karen K. Wixson. (2012). Teaching with the

Common Core Standards for English Language Arts, PreK-2. Guilford Press

 

Kendall, J. S. (2011). Understanding common core state standards. Alexandria, Va: ASCD.

 

Randi, J., & Grigorenko, E. L. (2017). Introduction to the Special Issue on Creating Argument. Learning Disabilities -- A Contemporary Journal, 15(1), 1-14.

 

Massell, D., & Perrault, P. (2014). Alignment: Its Role in Standards-Based Reform and

Prospects for the Common Core. Theory Into Practice, 53(3), 196-203.

doi:10.1080/00405841.2014.916956