Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/107698
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Common Core Myths and Facts, cont. from page 11 students for Algebra 1 in 8th grade, by including the prerequisites for this course in grades K-7. Students who master the K-7 material will be able to take Algebra 1 in 8th grade. At the same time, grade 8 standards are also included; these include rigorous algebra and will transition students effectively into a full Algebra 1 course. The overarching aim of the standards in mathematics for grades K through 7 is to prepare students to succeed in algebra in grade 8. Myth: Key math topics are missing or appear in the wrong grade. Fact: The mathematical progressions presented in the standards are coherent and based on evidence. Part of the problem with having 50 different sets of state standards is that, today, different states cover different topics at different grade levels. Coming to consensus guarantees that, from the viewpoint of any given state, topics will move up or down in the grade-level sequence. This is unavoidable. What is important to keep in mind is that the progression in the standards is mathematically coherent and leads to college and career readiness at an internationally competitive level. In fact, the use of learning progressions in order to outline goals for curriculum and instruction is a practice commonly used in many countries that perform well on international assessments of academic achievement. Myths about Content and Quality: English Language Arts Literacy Myth: The standards suggest teaching "Grapes of Wrath" to second graders. Fact: The ELA standards suggest "Grapes of Spring.13advo.indd 12 Wrath" as a text that would be appropriate for 9th or 10th grade readers. Evidence shows that the complexity of texts students are reading today does not match what is demanded in college and the workplace, creating a gap between what high school students can do and what they need to be able to do. The Common Core State Standards create a staircase of increasing text complexity, so that students are expected to both develop their skills and apply them to more and more complex texts. Myth: The standards are just vague descriptions of skills; they don't include a reading list or any other similar reference to content. Fact: The standards do include sample texts that demonstrate the level of text complexity appropriate for the grade level and compatible with the learning demands set out in the standards. The exemplars of high-quality texts at each grade level provide a rich set of possibilities and have been very well received. This provides teachers with the flexibility to make their own decisions about what texts to use – while providing an excellent reference point when selecting their texts. The standards have the potential to provide teachers with far more manageable curriculum goals. Myth: English teachers will be asked to teach science and social studies reading materials. Fact: With common ELA standards, English teachers will still teach their students literature as well as literary non-fiction. However, because college and career readiness overwhelmingly focuses on complex texts outside of literature, these standards also ensure students are being Continued on page 24 12 Spring 2013 x AEA Advocate 1/29/13 10:53 AM