Here Comes the Common Core...

Ah, the Common Core Standards. Whether we like them or not, they'll be the guest of honor at Education's party for years to come.

The Common Core Standards, a nation-wide adopted series of expectations of what students should be learning, have been adopted by 45 states and the District of Columbia. They're designed to better prepare students for post-secondary education and the work force.

But even though they were adopted in California in 2010, and Monterey County districts have been working on implementing them for a couple of years now, the general public seems a bit oblivious about what they mean.

At least, that's what our good friends at the PDK/Gallup poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools concludes.

In a nationwide survey, 62 percent of respondents had never heard of the standards. Among parents with children in school, only 45 percent had heard of them. (Here's a story about the poll)

I actually don't blame anybody for knowing little about this complicated topic. I'd probably would not know about it if it were not my job.

But I'm here to make your life easier. Here's a list of some resources you can use to learn more about the Common Core. 

The original site of the Common Core Standards, with grade-by-grade information.

Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson talking about new assessments for Common Core

California Common Core Standards Math

California Common Core Standards English

Here's the most interesting one. The Hunt Institute and the Council of Chief State School Officers have put together a series of cute little videos designed to better explain different aspects of the Common Core.

"These videos were developed to help different groups – educators, policymakers, parents – better understand the breadth and depth of the Standards and how they will improve teaching, make classrooms better, create shared expectations, and cultivate lifelong learning for all students," according to the site. 

I've only watched  two of these videos, but they are short and to the point, so I expect I'll be returning for more. 

I'll keep adding to this list, so if you see something worth including, let me know.