In 2010, Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were introduced, and 43 states adopted the new standards and curriculum. This video explains Common Core and its goals.
CCSS has the potential to make a huge positive impact on our education systems. In fact, CCSS-English is having great success with students and teachers. Unfortunately, CCSS-Math is having a harder time transitioning into schools successfully. The main issue with CCSS-Math is teachers do not completely understand the new curriculum and standards, and teachers are becoming increasingly frustrated. Additionally, teachers are not given the resources or support they need to successfully implement CCSS-Math. One solution is providing teachers with professional development (PD). However, PD has proven to have many issues including lack of time and inefficiently teaching and explaining curriculum. Research has proven that PD is an ineffective way to solve such a major issue. A successful way to approach and solve the issues created by CCSS-Math is by hiring an on-campus math specialist. A math specialist can provide instant feedback to teachers and work with teachers to guarantee that they fully understand the curriculum. Additionally, math specialists can provide long-term personalized effective PD for their teachers. A problem with math specialists is that they are expensive and many schools cannot afford to hire a math specialists. For these schools, it is recommended that administrators provide teachers with as much support as possible including effective PD. CCSS can be an effective way to help our students meet benchmarks; however, it is impossible to reach that goal if teachers do not fully understand the curriculum and standards. This is a major issue that needs a major solution. The best possible solution is hiring a math specialist to help both students and teachers with the CCSS.
Source: Flickr