I know there is a lot of controversy about the implementation of the common core as there always is about new initiatives.  Whether I agree or not, I always try to embrace new initiatives in a way that doesn’t compromise my philosophy of teaching and learning.  What else can you do?  The options are to complain and fight each initiative (of which there is a new one every year or even more frequently) or find the good parts of the initiative and implement those.

The common core standards have a clear focus on career and college readiness skills which include behaviors like independence, sensitivity to purpose and audience, critical thinking, strategic use of technology, and an understanding of various perspectives.  The math standards identify standards of practice that include skills such as perseverance, problem solving, abstract reasoning, argument development, mathematical  modeling, appropriate tool selection, accuracy and patterning.  These skills are very much in line with much of the work Carol Dweck has done about growth mindset and Angela Duckworth’s work about “grit”.  The research on both of these ideas has shown over and over that these skills have an incredible impact on achievement for all students.  My recent interest and study in these ideas has completely transformed my own personal learning experiences over the past 3 months.  This convinces me even more that these skills are worthwhile.  Combine all this with the work that has been done around developing 21st century skills like collaboration, problem solving, initiative, and creativity and there is a real opportunity for innovation.

These skills are going to require innovative teaching methods that force students to think at a higher level as well as in a way that is collaborative. Groupwork is going to be an integral part of implementing the common core standards. This diverse set of skills provides an opportunity for students with many varieties of learning styles and abilities to demonstrate strengths.  Whether students are engaging in projects, discussions, problem solving or some other learning activity, there is an opportunity for teachers to design these groups in a way that student strengths are highlighted.  This can lead to increased equity among students in heterogeneous classrooms.  If you are struggling about how to implement the common core standards or resisting because of the political aspects it brings with it, consider embracing the parts that can benefit our kids so they can start achieving.