Are you Ready to implement the Common Core?

Jenn at Finally in First posed this question and it made me think. So I am adding it to my blog too. Are you ready to implement the common core in your state? We went through our new Envisions Math this year and alligned it to the core and saw how many changes it made. It seems to me that it kind of watered down first grade.  They took out money and it is one of the most challenging things for kids to learn. They are not going to get it in just one year. I told my whole team that I would recommend they still introduce money and the value of all the coins. It will be tough for those 2nd grade teachers to get those kids to memorize the coins and count money with enough skill to do word problems. EEK! I think that part should have been left in 1st.

Will a national common core help us to be more competitive in the world of the future?

                                                                

The Common Core mathematics standards succeed in being both mathematically coherent and grade level appropriate. Overall, they are the best standards that I have seen in the past twenty years. If we can design a professional development program of the same caliber to go with these standards, then our nation will be making a substantial first step towards educational excellence in mathematics.
– Dr. Hung-Hsi Wu, Professor of Mathematics, University of California at Berkeley

I liked this quote.  I think there are many websites out there that will help us implement the core. I have found so many resources in teacher blogs and stuff on youtube. I think it is actually the professional development of the future. A cool website that spells the core out nicely I found HERE at Common core maps.

National common core…

                                         

How will we implement the common core?

What do you think about the new common core spreading across the U.S.? Are you happy with it in your state, does it allign with what you’ve always done or is it a drastic change? Is your district adopting it and how many of you are getting district help implementing it?