6 Reasons Teachers Praise Common Core

The Common Core curriculum provides a set of learning goals in language arts and math for American kids. Forty three states have adopted these standards into schools and while some teachers openly criticize common core standards, others support it.

Here are six reasons teachers praise Common Core:

1. It helps American kids come up to international standards: Bill Schmidt, an education professor at Michigan State University who help developed the common core standards, has observed a lack of focused curriculum in language arts and mathematics to be a factor that limits American children.

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He believes the common core standards change that disparity. Schmidt told the Michigan State University Today, "The stakes are high for the nation's children. This truly could be the turning point for education reform in the United States."

2. The common core standards fill in the gaps: The American Federation of Teachers calls the standards "essential building blocks for a better education system." The teachers believe standards help make sure all of the essential grade-level content is addressed for all kids, particularly those who might experience a "gap" in content by changing schools.

3. It holds their profession accountable: In 2010, the American Federation of Teachers acknowledged that the establishment of common core standards was a first step that brings better accountability to teachers and students.

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4. The standards give states the chance to learn from each other: Instead of every state developing its own set of standards, educators believe the common core allows states to work together on educational goals. The National Education Association points out the advantage of common core curriculum to be the ability to work across state lines on common goals.

5. It is based on research about how kids learn: The Council of Administrators of Special Education supported the common core standards because of "efforts undertaken to build upon the existing research and work done by states to ensure the content is research and evidence based."

6. It is the next step in something teachers have been trying to accomplish for decades: In a joint statement of support several organizations of math teachers said the standards affirmed the goals they had already established.

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