INSTRUCTIONAL SHIFTS FOR THE COMMON CORE BECOMING AGENTS OF REFORM IN OUR OWN CLASSROOMS

The change we are in the middle of isn’t minor and it isn’t optional.” ~Clay Shirley

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS?

IT’S A BALANCE BIKE! Balance Bikes, often called Running Bikes or Pre Bikes, are bikes with no pedals. They give young children an opportunity to learn how to ride without the complications which come with tricycles. This leaves the child free to concentrate on learning balance rather than peddling first. Balance-Bikes%3F.html

TO TRANSITION TO CCSS, WE MUST CHANGE OUR TRADITIONAL THINKING IN REGARD TO...  Content  Process  Product

Reassessing strategies to teach the new standards to the necessary depth involves a paradigm shift in teaching from Focus on what needs to be remediated Focus on what needs to addressed to meet the demands of CCSS

SHIFT # 1: READING From literature to informational text (2014 test is not a literature test) From “hunt for the answers” reading to close reading in every subject (college texts are 8X more difficult, and they offer no scaffolding) From what students can do with a text to how they can understand texts of increasing complexity

SHIFT #2: WRITING Emphasis on argument and informative/explanatory writing Writing about sources (synthesis) Increased sophistication in all aspects of language use Proficiency in the student’s response (in writing or speaking) Kids who can’t write will not pass the test.

SHIFT #3: MATH Focus and coherence Balance of concepts and skills Mathematical practices College and career readiness 8 standards for mathematical practice (choose two to start with!) with great emphasis on reasoning

SHIFT #4: SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, AND TECHNICAL SUBJECTS Standards for reading and writing complement rather than replace content standards in those subjects. It is the responsibility of all 6-12 teachers to meet these reading and writing standards. Teachers must embed the skills to enable the kids to read the content.

SIX BASIC SHIFTS IN ELA/ LITERACY Shift 1 Balancing Informational & Literary Text Students read a true balance of informational and literary texts. Shift 2 Knowledge in the DisciplinesStudents build knowledge about the world (domains/ content areas) through TEXT rather than the teacher or activities Shift 3 Staircase of ComplexityStudents read the central, grade appropriate text around which instruction is centered. Teachers are patient, create more time and space and support in the curriculum for close reading. Shift 4 Text-based AnswersStudents engage in rich and rigorous evidence- based conversations about text (oracy). Shift 5 Writing from SourcesWriting emphasizes use of evidence from sources to inform or make an argument. Shift 6 Academic VocabularyStudents constantly build the transferable vocabulary they need to access grade level complex texts. This can be done effectively by spiraling like content in increasingly complex texts. 11

HOW WILL WE ADDRESS THESE SHIFTS?  Build Rigor & Relevance  Integrate Informational Texts with Close Reading  Practice Argumentation  Create Authentic Tasks

RIGOR AND RELEVANCE 1.Rigor/Relevance Framework 2.Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy 3.Moving current lessons/units to Quadrant D 4.Modifying skills, instructional strategies, and assessments to make our students college and career ready

INFORMATIONAL TEXTS AND CLOSE READING Reading more challenging texts, especially informational texts Going beyond what the text says to how it’s said and what it means Scaffolding so that students will be self-sufficient rather than dependent Being metacognitive Analyzing text before teaching them to discover possible challenges Parsing texts Learning how Lexiles work Continuing comprehension strategies

ARGUMENTATION Learn how the standards progress, K-12 How the vocabulary differs How to model argumentative paragraphs & essays How to evaluate argumentation

AUTHENTIC TASKS FromFrom From Theoretical Retrieval or Usage Tests Authentic Analysis, Application, Projects & & Learning Inquiries

ACCOUNTABILITY Observations for implementing CCSS strategies  Weeks set aside for deliberate presentations  Administrators/Coaches come in to observe strategies being implemented  Provided with specific rubrics relating to CCSS standards

OUR PLAN 1.Learn and implement these strategies this semester. Two of each, for a total of eight Monitored on unit plans and classroom visits 2. Develop talking points and practice presentations (train the trainers). 3. Impart our knowledge through PLC’s for science, mathematics, and social studies teachers next semester.

“Principals and teachers aren’t sure what these tests look like right now. The whole system has been reset, and the only sensible solution is… teaching.” ~Tim Shanahan