Implementation of the Common Core Learning Standards BOE Meeting Presentation May 22, 2012

Last week we looked at: 6 shifts in Literacy Education Reading Informational Standards Unpacking the standards at grade levels How the complexity went up very specifically from grade to grade The 13 steps in designing a unit to ensure it’s alignment to the Common Core State Standards

This week I want to show some examples of how we will do this for the other two literary areas: Writing Standards Reading Literature Standards

As you look at Grades K, 2, &4 of Literary Standards, three themes come up to generalize teacher attentions: Students will: Use text to answer focused questions Use text to compare, argue, and debate (not “I think” or “I feel” Make personal connections to the text and your life

These skills are not just (ELA) skills, it is the expectation that all subjects use these shifts.

Social Studies needs to use evidence from text to compare, contract, analyze, and debate

According to Mike Schmoker, the most important action in schools today should be that students have daily, multiple exposures to close reading and analyzing rich text with attention to the standards.

Science is no different – Use text in content area to address the standards. Writing is also connected the same way!

Grade 5 writing standards: Look at the writing rubric, you can see the evidence that teachers will look to develop and assess.

Level 1 – Well below grade standard Level 2 – Approaching grade standard Grade Level - Performance Indicators Level 4 - Exceeds Grade Standard This is a living, breathing tool that students, teachers, parents, and PLC’s will use to inform the next steps in instruction.

Grading – Workshop Model Students - Use, edit, helps guide Parents – Clear Focus Teachers – Use as teaching tool and evaluation tool PLC – Use student writing (evidence) of progress

We are moving towards standards-based grading

Continuing actions towards implementation of the Common Core Standards Teacher Training:  2 Superintendent’s Conference Days (11/12)  8 teachers went to a 6-day training during the year (11/12)  20 teachers in grades K-8 will be focused on curriculum writing of the units with facilitator Brian Green  Brian Green will train the entire K-8 staff on our Superintendent’s Conference Day in September (12/13)  5 teachers from Dover Elementary School are attending the readers and writers workshop (1 week) training at Columbia Teachers College by Lucy Calkins. They will turnkey train within the District.

 Establish Literacy Council in Grades K-8 that will oversee implementation, recommend program, training, assessments, etc. Starts May 30 th (25 have signed up).  DRA II Training for all K-5 Teachers with focus on comprehension piece (June ½ day planned).  PLC’s have started deconstructing some of the standards in anticipation of summer work (done)  Establish an electronic format to keep the curriculum units on file for easy access for everyone (centralize and viable) – (not yet done)

We are confident that this structure will: Align our curriculum Align our assessments Focus on the right work Enhance PLC work Improve academic services Improve parent understanding of expectations Increase student results Increase all teachers’ capacity of the Common Core State Standards with attention to the shifts. It will also allow for teachers to still have personal choices and decisions on how and what they teach.