With Torlakson in the room, Sacramento teachers and parents discuss Common Core
Published: Friday, Jan. 10, 2014 - 11:04 pm
Clutching coffee mugs, 16 Sacramento parents and teachers sitting in a South Land Park living room Wednesday night had mixed feelings about a major shift in how students learn.
They were excited about the potential for students to improve critical thinking and problem solving under Common Core State Standards, a set of national curriculum guidelines that California is introducing into classrooms.
But many expressed worries that teachers are unprepared, schools lack computers and textbooks, and other materials remain insufficient to support the new instructional methods.
It marked one of the first opportunities to provide direct feedback to state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, who convened the first of his Common Core Coffee Nights with parents and teachers from some of
The California PTA’s “Parents’ Guide to Student Success” outlines what children will learn under the new Common Core State Standards. The guide offers ideas for activities to help children learn at home and tips on talking with teachers about your child’s academic progress. The guide can be found atwww.capta.org/sections/programs/e-standards.cfm.