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Common Core lead writer and SAP co-founder Jason Zimba publishes article in NEJPP
Jason Zimba, one of the lead writers of the Common Core math standards and a co-founder of SAP, has published an article: The Development and Design of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in the New England Journal of Public Policy.
The article provides an in-depth look at the Common Core Standards beginning with the development process and ending with the future of the standards and the effect they can have on education. Zimba clarifies both what the standards are and what they are not; addressing some of the most prominent misconceptions about the math standards.
He also highlights some of the most important differences that set the Common Core Standards apart from previous state standards, including their evidence base, strong focus on the most critical math concepts, and close agreement with the standards of high performing countries. He explains that the Common Core portrays excellence in math as combination of three things: mastery of procedure, understanding of concepts, and ability to apply math to solve problems. These three things are given equal weight under the Common Core, a departure from previous state standards.
Zimba is positive about the future and describes improvements he has seen as Common Core is implemented across the country such as refocused attention on arithmetic in grades K-2 and closer review of curricula by states, districts and classroom teachers. You can read the full article here.
You can read more about some of the topics Zimba discusses in his article, such as focus on key concepts in mathematics, the progression of math understanding across grades, and the Instructional Materials Evaluation Tool at achievethecore.org.