Have you heard about Common Core State Standards, but you’re not sure what they are or why they are important? You’re not alone! Common Core can be confusing, especially if you’re not an educator. I walk you through exactly what Preschool Common Core is, its importance, and what it means for your preschooler.
Did you miss the first article in this series? No worries, you can get it here!
Throughout my career I have worked with students in pre-k through college with all different backgrounds. I worked closely with these children, their parents, and their schools. My goal was always for children to get the academic help and support they needed to be successful. I found some pretty SCARY things at schools.
I found that some schools did NOT have a curriculum at all, they simply “teach to the test.” One school broke a basic math course into two sections and taught it over two years. This means that these students were learning half as much as other schools in math. HALF! We’re not even talking about a remedial math course or one designed for children with learning disabilities. This was a standard course.
Why is this scary?!?
Children at this school are NOT being given the same learning opportunities as other schools. Therefore this greatly impacts their chance of success in school and in life.
Why Common Core Was Developed
Leaders from multiple states developed Common Core in 2009 to put every child on an even playing field no matter what school they attend. Prior to Common Core, standards varied greatly by state, and also by school district. Since then 48 states are now working together to ensure that all children are being taught the same skills and knowledge from K-12th grade.
Why Common Core is Important
There are certain skills and knowledge that every child needs to know before they graduate high school to help them transition into college, trade school, or a career. As a result, Common Core Standards have broken down these skills by grade level to make it easy to see what children are expected to know by the end of each school year.
Another benefit is that if you move your child from one school district to another or from one state to another, they will still remain on track with their education. This is due to Common Core keeping everyone focused on the same skills and knowledge in English language arts and math.
You can find more information on the Common Core State Standards Initiative website.
What Does Preschool Common Core Mean for Your Preschooler
There is not a set of Common Core State Standards in place for PRESCHOOL as of right now. The standards begin in kindergarten. However, there are a lot of resources about early childhood education and what children should know before starting kindergarten. Michigan’s State Board of Education has a great article called, Early Childhood Standards of Quality.
Early Childhood Education is KEY to academic and future success. Children who are properly prepared for kindergarten, start their first day confident and ready to learn. They jump right in and participate with the class. Therefore this is the ideal situation that we want every child to be in.
Due to the importance of Common Core, we have incorporated Preschool Common Core Standards into our learning materials by taking the kindergarten standards and pairing them back for preschoolers. Our learning materials follow the latest guidelines and standards for Early Childhood Education. As a result, this gives your child the proper help and learning materials to jump start their SUCCESS in kindergarten and beyond.
