1. EngageNY.org Common Core: What can Parents Do? Session 2

2. Welcome!

3. Tonight’s Objectives Help parents understand how the Common Core State Standards are different from traditional NY educational standards. Help parents understand what the shift to the new standards will mean for their kids. Help parents understand how they can help their kids at home. 3

4. Quick Review What is college readiness? What are the Common Core State Standards? How do the new standards differ from the old ones? 4

5. EngageNY.org5 So, what can parents really do to help?

6. EngageNY.org6 Read as much non-fiction as fiction Learn about the world by reading Read more challenging material closely Discuss reading using evidence Write non-fiction using evidence Increase academic vocabulary A Closer Look: ELA/Literacy Shifts

7. EngageNY.org7 Parents SHOULD Students MUST Read more non- fiction Understand how non- fiction is written and put together Enjoy and discuss the details of non-fiction Supply non-fiction texts to read Read non-fiction books aloud or with your child Have fun with non- fiction in front of your children ELA Shift #1: Read as much non-fiction as fiction

8. EngageNY.org8 Parents SHOULD Students MUST Learn more about Science and Social Studies through reading Use “primary source” documents Get smarter through the use of texts Supply texts on topics that interest your child Find books that explain how things work and why Discuss non-fiction texts and their ideas ELA Shift #2: Learn about the world by reading

9. EngageNY.org9 Parents SHOULD Students MUST Re-read Read books at their comfort level and more challenging texts Not just read, comprehend Handle frustration and keep pushing to improve Provide more challenging texts their children want to read in addition to books they can read easily Know what is grade level appropriate Read challenging books with your child Show that challenging books are worth reading ELA Shift #3: Read more complex material carefully

10. EngageNY.org10 Parents SHOULD Students MUST Find evidence to support their arguments Form judgments and opinions Become scholars Discuss what the author is thinking Make predictions Talk about texts Demand evidence in everyday discussions, debates and disagreements Read aloud or read the same book as your child and discuss with evidence ELA Shift #4: Discuss reading using evidence

11. EngageNY.org11 Parents SHOULD Students MUST Make arguments in writing using evidence Compare multiple texts in writing Learn to write well Encourage writing at home Write “books” together using evidence and details Review samples of student writing: http://www.corestandards.o rg/assets/Appendix_C.pdf http://www.corestandards.o rg/assets/Appendix_C.pdf ELA Shift #5: Write from sources

12. EngageNY.org12 Parents SHOULD Students MUST Learn the words they will need to use in college and career Get smarter at using the “language of power” Read often and constantly with young children Read multiple books about the same topic Let your children see you reading Talk to your children, read to them, listen to them, sing with them, make up silly rhymes and word games ELA Shift #6: Build an academic vocabulary

13. Activity: Fun with non-fiction With a partner, review the list of suggested non- fiction texts Working together, identify 2-3 that you think would be of interest to your children How often do you let your kids see you read? Discuss ways you can encourage your children to read those books, and what you can do to make sure they understood what they read EngageNY.org13

14. So? What are your ideas? EngageNY.org14

15. EngageNY.org15 Focus: learn more about less Build skills across grades Develop speed and accuracy Really know it, Really do it Use it in the real world Think fast AND solve problems A Closer Look: Mathematics Shifts

16. 16 K 12 Number and Operations Measurement and Geometry Algebra and Functions Statistics and Probability Traditional U.S. Approach

17. 17 Common Core State Standards approach Operations and Algebraic Thinking Expressions and Equations Algebra →→ Number and Operations— Base Ten → The Number System → Number and Operations— Fractions → K12345678High School

18. EngageNY.org18 Parents SHOULD Students MUST Keep building on learning year after year Be aware of what your child struggled with last year and how that will affect ongoing learning Advocate for your child and ensure that support is given for “gap” skills: negative numbers, fractions, etc. Math Shift #1: Focus: Learn more about less

19. EngageNY.org19 Parents SHOULD Students MUST Spend more time on fewer concepts Go more in-depth on each one Know what the priority work is for your child at their grade level Spend time with your child on that work Ask your child’s teacher about his or her progress on the priority work Math Shift #2: Learn skills across grades

20. EngageNY.org20 Parents SHOULD Students MUST Spend time practicing by doing lots of problems on the same idea Push children to know, understand and memorize basic math facts Know all of the fluencies your child should have; prioritize learning of the ones they still find difficult Math Shift #3: Develop speed and accuracy

21. EngageNY.org21 Parents SHOULD Students MUST Make the math work, and understand why it does Talk about why the math works Prove that they know why and how the math works Notice whether your child really knows why the answer is what it is Advocate for the time your child needs to learn key math skills Provide time for your child to work at math skills at home Get smarter in the math your child needs to know Math Shift #4: Really know it, really do it

22. EngageNY.org22 Parents SHOULD Students MUST Apply math in real world situations Know which math skills to use for which situation Ask your child to do that math that comes up in your daily life Math Shift #5: Use it in the real world

23. EngageNY.org23 Parents SHOULD Students MUST Be able to use core math facts quickly Be able to apply math in the real world Notice your child’s strengths and weaknesses in math Make sure your child practices the math facts that prove most difficult Make sure your child thinks about math in real life Math Shift #6: Think fast and solve problems

24. Activity: Finding math in everyday life Working at your table, identify a list of ways you use math in everyday life (e.g. counting money, dividing a pie, etc.) and how you can involve your kids each day Be creative! Think of situations that use  Addition  Subtraction  Division  Multiplication  Algebra EngageNY.org24

25. Any ideas? EngageNY.org25

26. EngageNY.org Resources for parents

27. EngageNY.org27 EngageNY

28. www.achievethecore.org www.pta.org/4446.htm http://www.cgcs.org/Domain/36 http://parcconline.org/parcc-content-frameworks Additional resources

29. Closing discussion EngageNY.org29 What strategies did we discuss today that you think you might use with your children? What other information would be helpful to you? What other questions do you have?

30. EngageNY.org Thank you