To date, more than 44 states have adopted the new Common Core State Standards, and I think about what this means for every teacher and student. I recall the summer I was part of a team writing a curriculum guide to accompany a newly adopted economics textbook. The team spent all summer translating state objectives into a semester course. By the end of the summer, we had developed expertise far greater than what we had gained from other experiences. I had a great time teaching the course that year. I felt confident in my subject matter knowledge and, as a result, could focus significant attention on my students’ learning and differentiate instruction as needed. My experience reminds me that in the coming year, many teachers will be asked to implement new standards. In many cases, these standards will represent unfamiliar content and skills. Teachers will need