If you’re a teacher in the United States then you know that there is a lot of focus and debate on the Common Core lately. Proponents of adopting the Common Core State Standards say an introduced shared national assessment system may be more beneficial in determining how schools are performing across the nation. This would in turn benefit students overall. Opponents of a national assessment system believe that if the federal government becomes involved states will have less control, certain topics will be left out and funding will become an issue. Whether or not you’re a proponent of the CCSS, I feel that they still have a place in education. Since I teach internationally I am not held to the same accountability as teachers in the U.S. However, I use he CCSS as a frame of reference along with the PYP when using backwards design to write a unit or lesson plan.

Achievethecore is a great resource for lessons that align with the CCSS. The site also provided professional development sessions and research.