| All states across the United States
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| | educators that the state is trying to
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| require standards that must be met in
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| | cover too much within one year, noting
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| different subjects by specific grades,
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| | that some states require even more.
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| especially in reading and math. End of
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| | Council Executive Director Jim Rubillo
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| year testing is required for specific
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| | points out that too many mandatory math
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| grades to ensure schools and students are
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| | concepts taught means very little
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| meeting these standards.
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| | in-depth learning by the students. They
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| The concern is that states, including
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| | may be able to pass a test at the end of
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| the Arizona schools, are trying to teach
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| | the year, but it is doubtful that many
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| everything at once to students, with
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| | students will carry the concepts into
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| teachers losing the ability to teach the
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| | higher learning without the repetition
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| important math concepts in depth.
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| | and in-depth instruction required. Too
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| Otherwise, students are learning a little
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| | many concepts to teach leaves no time for
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| about everything (just enough to pass
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| | in-depth instruction.
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| state tests) but not enough to actually
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| | The council also released new
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| use in the real world.
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| | recommendations for curriculum focal
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| Many educators in the Arizona schools
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| | points. The recommendations narrow the
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| are concerned that they are being forced
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| | focus to just three math concepts at each
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| to teach for testing, rather than real
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| | grade level with all instruction for each
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| in-depth learning that is needed in
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| | grade built around them. The council
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| higher grades and college.
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| | hopes states will enter into a discussion
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| For example, the Arizona schools require
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| | on this issue and consider their
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| second graders to know 77 math concepts
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| | recommendations.
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| by the end of that grade. That is a lot
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| | The Arizona schools begin revision of
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| of concepts, and teachers are given no
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| | their math standards next spring and are
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| guidance from the Arizona schools on
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| | considering the council's
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| which concepts are the most important.
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| | recommendations, according to Mary Knuck,
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| That means that equal importance is given
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| | state director of standards for the
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| to all, and all must be sufficiently
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| | Arizona schools. If the Arizona schools
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| taught. In order to do this, Arizona
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| | follow the council's recommendations, it
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| schools would need to create mandatory
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| | would mean a major overhaul of their
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| day-by-day lesson plans, which they have
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| | current standards and testing methods.
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| not done.
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| | The real challenge for Arizona schools
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| The National Council of Teachers of
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| | teachers currently is not the vast array
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| Mathematics is a highly influential
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| | of standards that must be taught;
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| organization, whose recommendations are
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| | however, the real challenge is to teach
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| followed by most educators. Almost all
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| | math for both real world applications and
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| math textbooks for kindergarten through
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| | standardized testing. It must make sense
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| eighth grade reference the council, also
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| | in the real world, or it is wasted. Yet,
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| aligning with their recommendations.
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| | Arizona schools students must be able to
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| In a report released in September, the
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| | have instant recall in order to answer
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| council agrees with many Arizona schools
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| | state test questions correctly.
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