1. Revisiting the Six Shifts and Unpacking the ELA CCSS
Sharon Collins
December 1, 2011

2. Purpose:
To provide principals with a deeper understanding of how Common Core State Standards will transform instruction in English language arts classrooms.

3. Desired Outcomes: By the end of this session, principals will have:
An overview of English language arts Common Core State Standards
A deeper understanding of how ELA instruction will shift with CCSS
Experience and knowledge with unpacking an ELA CCSS
An opportunity to consider how stakeholders will support ELA CCSS

4. NC Principal Evaluation Process
Standard 2: Instructional Leadership a. Focus on Learning and Teaching, Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment: The principal leads the discussion about standards for curriculum, instruction and assessment based on research and best practices in order to establish and achieve high expectations for students.
Let’s think about the Principal Evaluation process and the standards that apply to the ELA Common Core State Standards.

5. Consider a typical English language arts classroom in your building.

6. Six Shifts in ELA CCSS The Six Shifts
Shift 1: PK-5, Balancing Informational and Literary Texts
Shift 2: 6-12, Knowledge in the Disciplines
Shift 3: Staircase of Complexity
Shift 4: Text-based Answers
Shift 5: Writing from Sources
Shift 6: Academic Vocabulary
Let’s review the shifts that we discussed at our last meeting.

7. A Closer Look at the Shifts
Find the handout Doing More with Common Core: English Language Arts and notice that it has the six shifts along with some guidance about what we might expect students, teachers, and administrators to be doing in the common core classroom.

8. Reviewing the Shifts Prepare to share your shift with your tablemates.
Each table member selects one of the shifts
Review your shift by considering the following question: How is this different from what I’m currently seeing with teachers and students? How does this impact my role?
Prepare to share your shift with your tablemates.
You will each have 2 minutes to share.

9. Time for Sharing
What did you notice as you worked?

10. What are the implications of the six shifts for you and your staff?
Post your comments on wallwisher
Each table will complete one sticky on wallwisher.

11. Unpacking the Common Core Standards

12. What is not covered by the Standards?
Standards define what all students should know and be able to do but not how teachers should teach.
While the Standards do attempt to focus on what is most essential, they do not describe all that can or should be taught.
The Standards set grade-level standards but do not define the intervention methods or materials necessary to support students who are well below or well above grade-level expectations.
Review the three statements reminding teachers about their role in the implementation of the standards.

13. What resources are available?
DPI Unpacking Documents – /acre/standards/common -core-tools
Common Core Changes Document
Identify the resources being used.
Common Core Changes Document – shows the new standards laid out K-5 with the new portions of the standards highlighted.
DPI Unpacking Documents – grade level documents to assist teachers in thinking through the new standards. It starts with the College and Career Readiness K-12 Anchor Standards followed by the grade level standards and then the unpacking thoughts.
Unpacking a Standard Template – a document to guide teachers in thinking about the standard by identifying what it means, what it looks like in the classroom, essential questions for the standard, and finally resources that might be used.
Unpacking a Standard Template

14. A Model
K-1 Band
Let’s follow a model as we unpack the standards of I do, We do, and You do. We will start with the K-1 band and I do.

15. RI6 (Reading Informational Text – Standard 6)
RIK.6 – Name the author and illustrator of a text and define the role of each in presenting the ideas or information.
RI1.6 – Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and information provided by the words in a text.
We are going to look at the Reading Informational Text Standard 6. The nomenclature for the standard is RIK.6 (Reading Informational Text (anchor standard) K (grade level). 6 (standard)
When we first read the standard let’s circle the verbs and underline the nouns to help us think about what the students are being asked to do.

16. Unpacking RIK.6 What do the big ideas mean? How will I teach that?
The author and illustrator work together to create a text. It is important to understand each of their roles.
How will I teach that?
I will need to model and think aloud about what the author and illustrator do. I will also need to make sure that this is discussed during guided reading groups.
What are essential questions?
Why are illustrations important?
Now let’s consider the questions on our template for Kindergarten.

17. Unpacking RI1.6 What do the big ideas mean? How will I teach that?
It is important for students to understand that there is a purpose for each part of the text. Both print and pictures help convey meaning.
How will I teach that?
I will have to model. I think that teaching students to read the pictures will be an effective way to do this. I also think I will need to reconsider how I do a picture walk in guided reading.
What are the essential questions?
How do the pictures or illustrations help to enhance my understanding of the text?
Let’s take a look at Grade 1.

18. Model lessons for the K and 1 standards
Model lessons for the K and 1 standards. Show how the same text can be used for multiple purposes.

19. What did you notice?
Allow time for discussion. Also draw participants attention to the Literature standards and the similarities.

20. You Try It
Divide the room. Half will do 2-3 and the other half will do 4-5.

21. RI6 (Reading Informational Text – Standard 6)
RI2.6 – Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.
RI3.6 – Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.
Work together to circle the verbs and underline the nouns. Use your template to assist you in your work.

22. RI6 (Reading Informational Text – Standard 6)
RI4.6 – Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and information provided.
RI5.6 – Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.

23. Standing Meeting
Share your thoughts about the process and the product.
Find someone from the other half of the room and discuss your experiences and learning so far.

24. Time for Sharing
What did you notice as you worked?

25. RI Standard 6 – K-12
K - Name the author and illustrator of a text and define the role of each in presenting the ideas or information in a text.
1 - Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and information provided by the words in a text.
2 - Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.
3 - Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of the text.
4 - Compare and contrast a firsthand and
secondhand account of the same event or
topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided.
5 - Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.
6 - Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.
7 - Determine an author’s point of view or
purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.
8 - Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an
author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.
Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is
particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
Let’s take a look at RI Standard 6 across the grades. You can see that at elementary we play a vital role in preparing students for future success. Notice how the tasks continue the path up Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy.

26. Balanced Literacy and Text Complexity Text Complexity Modeled Reading
Shared Reading
Guided Reading
Collaborative Reading
Balanced literacy remains an important component of the implementation of the Common Sore Standards. As we consider Text Complexity, it is important for the teacher to model the standard in grade level text. The students can join in during a shared activity with the teacher supporting the students in their work in the text. During guided, collaborative, and independent activities, the student is working in text that is appropriate for their reading level. It is important to keep the balance and provide the appropriate support.
Modeled reading/reading aloud gives the teacher the opportunity to model fluent reading, but it is much more. It is an opportunity for the teacher to “think aloud” about his/her own reading process, so students can understand how a proficient reader processes text.
During shared reading, teachers scaffold students by explicitly teaching them how to strategically use the text to support reading…print and story. Shared reading is instructionally dense, as the learning during shared reading will next move into guided reading. Thus, students learn and practice strategies in shared reading that they will apply with near independence in guided reading.
Guided reading is an opportunity for students to practice skills/strategies that have already been taught, modeled and practiced together during read-alouds, shared reading and individual conferences. In guided reading, it is the student’s job to connect across the text and use already learned behaviors and engage in the heavy work of integrating strategies.
Independent reading – Students read independently, engaging a balanced and integrated reading process. They independently access print and story to solve problems as they read for meaning.
According to the authors of Preventing Misguided Reading, the way students sound in guided reading is likely to be the way they will sound when they read independently. If they can’t put the pieces together during guided reading, they are unlikely to do so when they read alone.
Independent Reading
Decreasing Support
Increasing Independence

27. Text complexity and the elementary classroom
All students have opportunities for access to complex text on their grade level through modeled and shared reading.
All students have opportunities to read and practice strategies independently in texts that are at their reading level.
Text complexity is an important component of the new standards. It requires that we offer all students opportunities to access complex text at their grade level through modeled and shared reading. Access means that the students have opportunities to see it, hear it, and read it with or without support. However we must maintain a balance so that students also have opportunities to read and practice strategies independently in texts at their appropriate reading level. We must continue to stretch students with the ultimate goal of reaching their grade level texts by the end of the year.

28. What do I look for in a classroom?
Refer the handout What to Look For… Notice that it is set up with the four major standards and evidences you would look for in instruction. Also, note the final column which identifies some things that we should not see or use. Notice that there is additional space because it is just the beginning of the list.

29. NC Teacher Evaluation Process
Standard III: Teachers Know the Content They Teach
A. Teachers align their instruction with the NCSCoS.
B. Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty.
C. Teachers recognize the interconnectedness of content areas/ disciplines.
D. Teachers make instruction relevant to their students.
Let’s think about the new Teacher Evaluation Process and the standards that apply to the ELA Common Core State Standards.

30. NC Teacher Evaluation Process
Standard IV: Teachers Facilitate Learning for Their Students
B. Teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students.
C. Teachers use a variety of instructional methods.
E. Teachers help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
G. Teachers communicate effectively.
H. Teachers use a variety of methods to assess what each student has learned.

31. NC Teacher Evaluation Process
Standard V: Teachers Reflect on Their Practice
A. Teachers analyze student learning.

32. English language arts classrooms with
Consider
English language arts classrooms with
Take a few minutes to complete your reflection about what you would see in a CCSS classroom.

33. How will we support teachers in implementing CCSS?
Professional development
IRT Meetings, Literacy Coaches, and K-2 Intervention Teachers
District after-school meetings (2012)
Summer Trainings
C-MAPP resources and training
Ongoing information and support regarding assessment
Here are some ways that we will continue to support you and your staff with implementation.

34. Questions?

35. Reflections on the morning …
Synthesize your learning. What big ideas and/or small details did you take away from today’s professional development?
Respond on the Google Form.
Please take a few minutes to complete this reflection on the google doc. We will have a record of your responses to guide us in our work. You will also have the opportunity to see what your colleagues are thinking as well.

36. Let’s Explore www.wcpsselemprincipals.pbworks.com
Common Core and Essential Standards – explore the sites
Curriculum Pages
Information and Resources

37. Let’s Talk
Review your Common Core Changes document, consider the following questions:
What does it look like in the classroom?
How does it relate to the teacher evaluation?
How does it relate to the principal evaluation?
What do you need to support student achievement in your building?