“The rigor and clarity they provide will benefit our Catholic school students and will allow them a better opportunity to excel at a high academic level,” reads a statement on the Common Core State Standards signed by 13 Catholic school superintendents, adding that Catholic schools will “infuse the Common Core standards with the faith, principles, values and social justice themes inherent in the mission and Catholic identity of our schools.”
The Common Core Standards have drawn criticism from some, including some noted Catholic academics. Concerns expressed include an abandonment of narrative-driven, literature in favor of more informational texts for English instruction, and the potential that texts and instructional materials recommended in the Common Core Standards might run counter to Church teaching.
Patricia Vesely, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese, says diocesan curriculum guidelines will continue to determine how English and Math are taught, giving Catholic schools the autonomy to use materials that are consistent with the mission of the Church.
“How you get to the [Common Core] standard is completely up to you,” she said. “All of the literature and resources will be carefully reviewed to make sure they are consistent with Church teaching.”
Rick Howick, principal of St. Catherine of Alexandria School in Riverside, said he believes the re-emphasis on rigor and more in-depth study is consistent with the philosophy of Catholic schools.
“Instead of teaching kids how to memorize recipes in math we’re teaching them to think mathematically,” Howick says. “This gives them the preparation they will need to perform well in high school and college.”
In California, the Common Core Standards are designed to help students better meet the requirements of the University of California system. Beyond that, greater focus on informational texts and sharpening critical thinking and analytical skills will help students when they reach the workplace.
This year, with the implementation of the standards in infancy stage, many schools in the diocese are looking again at their plans for teaching Language Arts and Math, known as curriculum maps, to see if they will best help students meet the Common Core Standards and making adjustments as necessary.
At Our Lady of the Assumption School in San Bernardino, the Common Core Standards were integrated into students’ first trimester report cards. Language Arts grades included the sub-categories Reading Literature, Reading Informational, Speaking and Listening and Language. Math grade sub-categories were Number Systems, Expressions and Equations, Functions, Geometry and Statistics and Probability.
“It was very positive,” Principal Sue Long said of the new grading categories and the parent-teacher conferences that were held to review them. “I haven’t had any questions or concerns.”