EduMaticsMagazine1

…Hello Florida Standards GOODBYE FCAT Florida Standards, similar to what’s known nationally as Common Core, are being implemented in full in pub- lic K-12 schools for the first time, and they are far more rigorous than those to which educators or students are ac- customed. “It’s going to shock par- ents,” said Santa Rosa County Schools Superinten- dent Tim Wyrosdick. “We started (implementing some of the new standards) last year, and I got some calls from moms and dads saying they couldn’t do the work and wondering how we can expect their child to do the work if they couldn’t.” What are the standards? One of the biggest dif- ferences between the new Florida Standards and the Next Generation Standards followed last year is that the new standards are specific to a grade level. But they also are more demanding. “As an overview, what parents will see from kinder- garten through 12th grade is a more rigorous standard, but a standard that requires integration of knowledge,” Wyrosdick said. “A standard that requires a student to synthesize and amalgamate knowledge, not just know it.” For example, in third- grade math, students will be taught to look for more than one formula to solve a prob- lem. They also may be asked to give a written response to a math problem or to ex- plain how they arrived at a solution. They also may be asked to identify inferences within texts and to make arguments based on those inferences. “We have some great mathematicians, and we have some great writers, but now we have to marry them together,” Wyrosdick said. “That’s the synthesis. That’s the integrated aspect of these standards.” Why the new standards? Employers are coming to demand more from their em- ployees, which is the prima- ry reason the Florida Depart- ment of Education rolled out the new standards, Wyros- dick said. Employers are no longer looking for workers who have a basic skill set or knowledge base. They want an employee who knows how to employ critical think- ing skills to solve problems and who are well-rounded. For instance, engineers not only need to understand the science and math behind what they do. They also need to write about it. They also need to take into account the environment they’re working in and how their work will impact it. “When you back up and take a look at what we really are preparing students to do, we need them to be able to go to work,” Wyrosdick said. “We need them to be em- ployable. We need them to have critical thinking skills that are useful in the work- place. We need them to have a knowledge base that is competitive with a worldwide global economy.” What can parents do? While the new standards are more comprehensive and challenging, educators urge parents not to be alarmed and to get involved in their student’s education. Where can parents get the BEST TUTORING TO PREPARE THEIR STUDENTS FOR THE NEW FLORIDA STANDARDS? AT EDU- MATICS®! Our tutors will assist each student in every area of the Florida Standards exam. Don’t delay…sign up today! www.edumaticsprogram.com or call 407.656.0661. EDUMATICS® TO THE RESCUE!

EduMaticsMagazine1

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