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Iowa Core Standards
When I attended my first Iowa Core Standards meeting, I was angry and expressed my opinion. I then spent the afternoon in the hallway with a one-on-one session so that I could freely ask questions without disrupting the presentation. Since that time, my view of the Iowa Core Standards has changed. Not because of that afternoon in the hallway, but because I have had the opportunity to question and doubt them. I questioned their validity, their contents, the reason they were created, and being forced into my classroom. I simply didn't trust them nor the people who were saying we had to go by them. I nearly quit teaching over the Standards and screening. I didn't get it and I was angry.
I could point you in the direction of, "About the Core" from the Iowa Dept. of Ed., but I am not sure that would be most helpful. We could go directly to the Standards themselves, but I am not sure that is best. From teacher to teacher, here is my why for finally accepting and implementing the Iowa Core Standards.
As we, as educators, not just myself, our building, district, or state, but we collectively, all educators, strive to educate ALL students, then we must have a common standard to adhere to. In the past, at least in my experience, teachers were free to teach what each felt necessary. Now, don't take that statement too liberally, because the key term is "teach," not "learn." So, I ask the question, is the 1st grader in a low-income school expected to learn the same things as a student from a high-income school. Again, don't take offense just yet. If education is about learning, should not each child, regardless of their zip code, have the opportunity to learn and master the skills necessary to successfully continue on with his education?
Continuing on with my question, if one student masters their CVC (cat, hat, dog,) words, but another does not, will their foundation for learning to read be the same? And if at 1st grade they are already falling behind, how do we expect that child to catch up later? When are they actually going to learn something in the grades ahead that is foundational to the now expected work? I know, this is just one tiny example, but I feel that it is applicable to every area and every grade level.
As I watch our granddaughter learn to eat from a spoon, was she not required to learn to drink first so that her tongue could learn the proper positioning? As she begins to crawl, didn't she have to learn first to lie on her belly? On and on the list goes. Not just those under age 18, but as a necessity throughout life. Our conceptual understanding and skills must continually build in order to learn new things, no matter the age. If I were to take a job at our local factory, would they just turn me loose on the first day with a piece of equipment that is physically dangerous, highly expensive, and essential to their product output? I sure hope not, especially since I have no prior experience in that type of work.
I know, it seems I have wandered far from the title of this article, but in essence, I have not. The Iowa Core Standards, in very simple terms, provide the opportunity for teachers collectively to know what each child needs to learn and to what skill level it must be mastered so they are prepared for the next step. If all students means all students, then that means each and every one in each and every classroom across the entire state.
I could point you in the direction of, "About the Core" from the Iowa Dept. of Ed., but I am not sure that would be most helpful. We could go directly to the Standards themselves, but I am not sure that is best. From teacher to teacher, here is my why for finally accepting and implementing the Iowa Core Standards.
As we, as educators, not just myself, our building, district, or state, but we collectively, all educators, strive to educate ALL students, then we must have a common standard to adhere to. In the past, at least in my experience, teachers were free to teach what each felt necessary. Now, don't take that statement too liberally, because the key term is "teach," not "learn." So, I ask the question, is the 1st grader in a low-income school expected to learn the same things as a student from a high-income school. Again, don't take offense just yet. If education is about learning, should not each child, regardless of their zip code, have the opportunity to learn and master the skills necessary to successfully continue on with his education?
Continuing on with my question, if one student masters their CVC (cat, hat, dog,) words, but another does not, will their foundation for learning to read be the same? And if at 1st grade they are already falling behind, how do we expect that child to catch up later? When are they actually going to learn something in the grades ahead that is foundational to the now expected work? I know, this is just one tiny example, but I feel that it is applicable to every area and every grade level.
As I watch our granddaughter learn to eat from a spoon, was she not required to learn to drink first so that her tongue could learn the proper positioning? As she begins to crawl, didn't she have to learn first to lie on her belly? On and on the list goes. Not just those under age 18, but as a necessity throughout life. Our conceptual understanding and skills must continually build in order to learn new things, no matter the age. If I were to take a job at our local factory, would they just turn me loose on the first day with a piece of equipment that is physically dangerous, highly expensive, and essential to their product output? I sure hope not, especially since I have no prior experience in that type of work.
I know, it seems I have wandered far from the title of this article, but in essence, I have not. The Iowa Core Standards, in very simple terms, provide the opportunity for teachers collectively to know what each child needs to learn and to what skill level it must be mastered so they are prepared for the next step. If all students means all students, then that means each and every one in each and every classroom across the entire state.
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