Upon returning to the public school system, I have noticed that there are a lot of changes. To my surprise, many states and territories have adopted what is known as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) yet often referred to as the Core Standards. This regulation holds teachers accountable of what children in their classroom needs to know upon completion of the year.
Initially, I felt as if I were not prepared to live up to the expectations of the Core Standards because it was so foreign to me. And I was not alone. There are other teachers who feel the same way. According to Cameron Pipkin of the School Improvement Network, 27% of teachers feel somewhat/very unprepared; that's more than those who felt very prepared.
Let's examine the Core Standards. It was created in order to ensure all students were getting the best experience however it negates the need to ensure that children gain the concentration, patience, grace and courtesy, problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, intrinsic motivation, and social skills needed to become better citizens and hard workers (Pottish-Lewis, 2014). Furthermore, I realized that many of the goals set for the children within my Early Childhood classroom (ages three to six) meet and in many ways succeeded these "stepping stones".
Nonetheless, when examining DC Public School's website, I could see the benefit and challenges of Core Standards for this age group. I really like how they provide parents and guardians will resource of how to support their children's learning at home. However it merely sticks to Math and English/Language Art (DCPS, Supporting). There is again no mention of the social goals or the development of the mind, which in turn makes it difficult for teachers to stress the importance of other areas of growth that a child may need to undergo.
In turn I felt as if Core Standards seemed to forget the child as a whole. I believe learning goes beyond just math and language. Children between the ages zero and six are like sponges, taking in all the information we present. Providing them with all the necessary skills to develop their social, emotional, physical, spiritual and academic self is necessary. Of course, Common Core only affect my Kindergarteners (5-6 years) and in turn challenges me with the task of providing evidence that supports my observations within the classroom. Yet, it is but two components of the Montessori curriculum. And of the 5 components of the curriculum (Language Arts, Math, Sciences, Practical Life and Sensorial), each child has the opportunity to learn from each area upon his or her readiness.
If you are interested in learning more about
- the Montessori curriculum, visit the AMI or AMS website.
- CCSS for English/Language Arts, visit here.
- AMI mapping of English/Language Arts, visit here.
- CCSS for Math, visit here.
- AMI mapping of Math, visit here.
References:
DC Public Schools. 2013, February 13. Common Core State Standards in 30 Seconds. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIFjJo5OJfs&yt:cc=on
DCPS. (2015). Academics. Retrieved from http://dcps.dc.gov/node/962542
---. (2015, January 27). Supporting Your Kindergartener at Home. Retrieved from http://dcps.dc.gov/publication/supporting-your-kindergartener-home
DPS. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIFjJo5OJfs&yt:cc=on
Pollish-Lewis, P. 2014. Responsibility: A Gentle Reminder. Retrieved from http://amiusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Responsibility-A-Gentle-Reminder.pdf
