It’s been over a year the since the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Scholastic conducted their first survey of how teachers view the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) – and there’s some good news.
According to the 2014 update of the Primary Sources report, more teachers now feel prepared to teach to the Common Core and think that implementation of the Standards is going well in their schools.
However, one thing has remained constant between the years: the need for more CCSS-aligned resources.
The 2014 survey shows that 86% of teachers still feel that they do not have enough standards-based instructional materials to lead effective lessons.
Similarly, a recent Hechinger Report found in the majority of Common Core states, teachers are developing their own curricular materials because most commercial resources aren’t adequately aligned to the Standards.
Because of this, and based on requests from educators with whom we work, we’ve made many of our CCSS-aligned lessons available online with Teachers Pay Teachers. We currently have 14 expert-developed, engaging lessons for grades 4-5 in math and English language arts ready for download.
Despite some positive trends, for the long-term success of the Common Core, it's essential that teachers have access to the right resources.
Dr. Michael Moody is the Founder and CEO of Insight Education Group. His experiences as a classroom teacher, school and district administrator and consultant have given him a unique perspective on both the challenges and opportunities in education today. Contributing regularly to the blog, Michael is always excited to start or join a conversation about helping educators grow. He tweets at @DrMichaelMoody.