Opponents of the Common Core State Standards tend to present them as being harmful to the American education system. It is impossible for people to know how students will perform once the CCSS are fully implemented, but an overwhelming number of educators believe the Standards will make a positive impact.
This is just one of the findings of the latest entry in the Primary Sources: America's Teachers on Teaching in an Era of Change report series, which was recently released by Scholastic and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Here is an overview of the report's results:
Many teachers want the CCSS
Overall, 20,000 public school teachers were surveyed, according to a press release. Of these educators, 57 percent said the Common Core will be good for most students. A total of 77 percent of teachers believe the Standards will have a positive effect on students' reasoning and critical-thinking skills.
"I see teachers' real experiences in the Primary Sources findings about the Common Core State Standards," said Naima Lilly, a New York City mathematics teacher. "I believe the Standards are holding students and teachers to higher expectations and providing consistency in a positive way. While implementation can be daunting at the beginning, I'm confident that in the long run it will all be worth it."
Educators understand implementation challenges
No matter how positive teachers' attitudes toward the CCSS may be, they are still aware of the fact that transitioning to them will not be easy. According to the report, 73 percent of instructors believe the Common Core implementation process is or will be challenging. In addition, 74 percent of survey respondents understand that the move to the CCSS will mean changes to the ways they teach.
Still, the good news is the number of educators who are familiar with the Common Core. Overall, 97 percent of teachers are aware of the CCSS and 100 percent of instructors in states that have adopted the Standards are in the process of implementing them.
"The Primary Sources data show us that teachers are enthusiastic about tackling the real challenges of implementing the Common Core State Standards," said Vicki L. Phillips, director of Education, College Ready, at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "They need support, but also believe the Standards will improve student achievement by preparing students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college and careers."
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