01/04/13Voices: 'And' vs. 'or' in the Common Core
EdNews Colorado (01/23/2013) Cuthbertson, Jessica
Jessica Cuthbertson, a literacy teacher based in Aurora, Colo., says the Common Core State Standards offer numerous professional possibilities and greater collaboration. Many question whether the Common Core stresses contemporary texts or the classics, informational texts or literature, excerpts or whole works, but Cuthbertson says "or" should be replaced with "and" when implementing the standards. She says, "The Common Core should maximize, not minimize, what and how we teach. ... Twenty-first century readers need opportunities to explore, analyze, and closely read a range of texts that represent all modes and a variety of genres throughout their academic careers. And that's what the Common Core asks us to do." Cuthbertson adds the Common Core should be viewed as guidance rather than a national curriculum, as teachers still determine the "what" and "how."
