Core Standards

I looked at second, third and fourth grade standards. For the most part, Nevada State standards and core standards are similar. Nevada State standards have different strands for the different topics. For example, Number and Operations one of the strands is 1.3.1. Identify, use and model place value positions of 1’s, 10’s, 100’s and 1000’s. In the common core standards, this standard will be taught in 2^nd grade and students should have mastered this standard before they come to 3^rd grade. I do like for place-value, that it starts in second grade and students should be able to understand the value and place of each digit and when they get to third we are able to teach rounding and students should have mastered past value. Currently in 3^rd grade we are teaching them the values of the given digits. In Geometry, our third graders are expected to demonstrate and describe the transformational motions of geometric figures. This is not mentioned in the core standards for 3^rd grade. It is also not mention in 2^nd or 4^th grade. Our current state standards are having student’s compare, contrast, sketch, model and build two and three-dimensional shapes. Three-dimensional shapes are not discussed in 2^nd, 3^rd or in the 4^th grade common core standards. I do feel that these standards are important and that students need to know the difference between two and three-dimensional shapes. What we have to teach according to CCSD’s report card, does not completely align with common nor state standards.

It appears to me that Number and Operations are heavily focused on. The common core standards are very specific and allow time for students to reach mastery by the end of the year. If students are not at grade level by the end of the year, this will have an impact on the students learning, since these standards are scaffolding on each other.

I do think that it is very important for states to have common standards, however, I am very concern on how this will be rolled out and the support/training that the teachers will get. I did like how the common core standards give us example problems and shows us what they are expecting us to teach, but some of the expectations may vary between teachers. How are we going to make sure that all teacher have the same understanding for each standard and what proficient, exemplary should look like?

As mathematics stand point, many of these core standards, students should be developmentally ready to learn the materials. In second grade, students should be ready to add/subtract with and without regrouping. I do see an issue with teaching some of these math standards. I see issues on how teacher interrupt the different standards.