Common Core Resources for K-12 Teachers

Common Core Standards raise the bar on education by creating a level playing field for students as they leave high school. The goal is to standardize the learning environment for consistency throughout each state. Teachers use these standards in development of their learning protocols and classroom environments, and can turn to some common core teacher resources when researching lesson plans or just for inspiration.

State-by-state department of education websites

The most effective place to go for resources in the ever-evolving world of standards-based education is the state Department of Education. The premise of the Common Core State Standards Initiative may be the alignment of the educational process, but each state has its own set of resources available to help educators stay on track with their teaching. For example, the California Department of Education offers an entire website dedicated to resources for teachers that are in line with the standards set there.

Florida has a similar offering that includes printable instruction books for mainstream subjects like math and history. The site offers resources for adding nontraditional studies such as engineering to classes as well.

PBS TeacherLine

The PBS TeacherLine website is a treasure trove of material for teachers looking to amp up the educational process. The site covers instructional strategies, technology and even subject-specific learning tools. TeacherLine is not a place to go to get online class lessons or print information; instead, it offers courses that work toward continuing education credits. PBS TeacherLine won the 2011 Ed Tech Digest Cool Tool Awards for Best Professional Development Solution and Best STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Solution.

C-Span

While PBS is about making teachers students again, C-Span gives educators the multimedia tools they need to teach. The website provides videos as common core teacher resources, allowing teachers to provide source material that is both entertaining and informative. The news site features Timely Teachable Videos to show in classrooms and provides a full library of videos that focus on American history, current events and other common topics.

National Council of Teachers of English

The National Council of Teachers of English provides peer resources to improve teaching techniques. This association offers videos made by teachers for teachers, covering aspects such as framing instruction and creating classroom assignments. The Council links to relevant journal articles, sells online books and provides course education all geared toward improving teaching methodology. The website lists its mission as supporting teachers and teams while they make decisions on how to foster literacy learning.

The Teaching Channel

Online television created with teachers in mind. The Teaching Channel, or Tch, is a video showcase designed to improve education standards for professionals. Their goal is to inspire teachers to give their best to students. The website offers professionally made instructional videos on subjects such as “Common Core: 10 Insider Secrets,” and “Stimulating STEM Lessons.” Its menu system breaks down videos by subject matter, teaching grade and topic. The Teaching Channel is a non-profit organization run by teachers to provide current resources and educational material.

Share My Lesson

Share My Lesson is a social networking site made just for teachers. Like The Teaching Channel, educators established and maintain the Share My Lesson pages. The goal is to provide resources and training material for educators created by their colleagues. The website features a forum that allows teachers from all over the world to interact with each other.

American Federation of Teachers

This professional organization does more than provide Common Core teacher resources. AFT is a union that represents educators regarding key issues. Besides keeping members up-to-date on the latest headlines that affect them, AFT is also a well-rounded resource site for those looking to improve teaching methods or classroom management. The American Federation of Teachers offers professional magazines and videos that cover issues vital to educators in every state.

Common Core Standards give teachers a path to go on when dealing with the day-to-day aspects of their jobs. By organizing the process, states ensure that students in all regions have the knowledge it takes to succeed once they leave school behind. Teachers can take advantage of the resources available to help them design lessons that adhere to these standards.