Iowa Core helps students at Beckman

DYERSVILLE - In 2009, state leaders across the country came together to develop educational standards that almost every state would adopt.

Iowa was one of these states and, from the standards set forth by leaders, Iowa furthered these standards to go above and beyond by 15 percent. This individual expectation is known as the Iowa Core.

Teachers have learning goals that outline what students should be able to do or know. The goal of Iowa Core is to instill the skills needed by students to prepare for college or to enter the workforce.

The most important thing to remember about Iowa Core is it is an expectation, not a curriculum, designed to give students an equal academic playing field no matter the school or state across the nation. It helps students meet their learning goals in various ways, but still adheres to the standards.

Pat Lehmann, associate principal at Beckman, explained the misconception on how the Iowa Core affects her school.

'There is concern among people that the Core involves too much federal oversight in an educational system that traditionally allowed state and local government oversight,” she said. 'On a local level, Iowa Core/Common Core aligns very closely with the standards Beckman had in place prior to Core adoption. At Beckman, we are concentrating on how we are teaching content, particularly in a highly technological and global world.

'We want our students to be prepared to contribute globally from a Catholic, Christian mind-set.”

Furthermore, another common misconception of Iowa Core is the standards are fit to the lowest performance. The Common Core State Standards Initiative, however, ensures standards are based on 'the most advanced and current thinking about preparing students for success in college, career, and life.”

Additionally, by specific agreements, states cannot lower these standards. These standards are the key component to improving a student's education.

Beckman teachers already have had some expectations of the core already mixed into the curriculum, so the Iowa Core caused little impact on them. According to Tom Jenk, a teacher from Beckman, 'Our administration and the Core is moving in the right direction, but it takes a little bit of time.

'Beckman has been ahead of the Core anyway. The test results have been good, and continue to improve under the guidance of Mrs. Lehmann.”

While Beckman teachers had little adjustment, the Iowa Core still is relatively new. Most teachers have to adjust lesson plans to meet the new requirements. This may be a daunting task because teachers have to be creative in helping students develop a deeper understanding and an ability to apply concepts, but it pays off in the end. The core does not specify how teachers have to teach the information, it just insures every student is prepared.

Even though the Common Core puts some pressure on the teachers to prepare their students, they always do their best to meet the core expectations.

The Iowa Core has implemented changes to teaching provisions, which has improved teamwork among instructors, with consistent educational requirements to help further education. The Iowa Core helps the students in many ways in preparing them for the future.

The Iowa Core has many misconceptions about its system, but in the long run, it helps the students to the best of their abilities to build a successful life ahead of them.