Written by Stacey Schmidt, Executive Director Elementary Education
How do schools decide what to teach students? This is a question I heard as a teacher, principal and now as a district administrator.
The curriculum in the Valparaiso Community Schools is based on Indiana State Standards (including the Common Core Standards), National Standards, and International Standards, depending on the course. The Common Core Standards have been created in a state-led effort to develop clear educational standards in English/Language Arts and Mathematics.
These standards were designed to prepare students to enter college or the workforce. To date, 44 states have chosen to adopt the Common Core Standards, including Indiana.
This year, the kindergarten students from the Valparaiso Community Schools are the first class to be instructed from the Common Core State Standards. As Indiana phases in these new standards, foundational skills at each grade level are added.
The Department of Education has published transition documents at each grade level to help teachers know the Common Core Standards that need to be added this year to prevent learning gaps as students will be assessed during the 2014-15 school year based on the Common Core State Standards.
In addition, Literacy Standards have been added to social studies, science and other technical subjects. Adding these standards emphasizes the importance of reading, writing, speaking, listening and language in all subject areas. The ability to read complex text in a variety of subject areas will ensure student success whether they enter college or the workforce.
Teachers from the Valparaiso Community Schools use these standards to create the curriculum that is used to provide instruction to our students. Learner outcomes are written using Bloom's Taxonomy to move students to higher levels of thinking. Learner outcomes state what the student should know or be able to do. These learner outcomes help define learning objectives.
There are many resources available to further explore the standards being used in the Valparaiso Community Schools. Visit our website at www.valpo.k12.in.us and go to the Parent tab, where you will find a link to our curriculum website. There you will find information about the Indiana State Standards, the Indiana Common Core State Standards, the Common Core Standard Initiative, and a link to the National Parent Teacher Association, which has published a guide to help parents ensure student success.