Although the Common Core State Standards are fully implemented, educators still have to adjust to them. For this reason, training programs that familiarize teachers with new curricula and assessments are important for ensuring they feel comfortable working with the Standards. However, many teachers don't believe they've had quite enough training. According to a report by the Education Week Research Center, 68 percent of educators said they have had training, but would like more.
To provide that additional training, Stanford University, the National Board Resource Center and the California Teachers Association have teamed up to provide California educators a means to become more acquainted with the Common Core.
Working together
The group, called the Instructional Leadership Corps, will work together for three years to train teachers and educators who will then be leaders in their schools. In fact, 160 teachers and 25 administrators will participate in professional development workshops that give them strategies for implementing the Common Core creatively and effectively. The Standards include challenging benchmarks for students to reach and promote critical thinking. As such, teachers much approach the Standards and aligned curricula differently than they did in the past.
Ideally, after the ILC participants complete their development, they'll start training others in their districts. This way, teachers will become the leaders in Common Core implementation and familiarization, EdSource reported.
"Common Core has created an opportunity to break from mistakes of the past decade and to let teachers determine decisions affecting the classroom. Many teachers appreciate that," Adam Ebrahim, a human geography teacher in Fresno Unified who will participate in ILC, told EdSource. "But there's also the realization that if teachers don't step forward, the window of opportunity will close. That makes this project so vital."
Hitting all the bases
According to the Education Week report, teachers weren't evenly trained on all Common Core topics. For instance, 82 percent received English/language arts, while only 55 percent got math training. Even fewer teachers learned about implementation and teaching strategies. The ILC instruction aims to improve that, helping participants learn about all facets of the Common Core and its integration. The report also indicated what teachers believe should be included in a quality training program – the major points include:
- Teaching strategies
- Classroom best practices
- Group planning and discussion
- Information and research on key Common Core shifts
- Overview of aligned resources
- Assessment training
- How to apply training to teaching
The ILC plans to accomplish these goals, giving California educators the kind of training they are looking for.
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