Introduction to the Common Core Standards

1. Introduction to the Common Core Standards Beverly Falk and Bruce Kanze School of Education Retreat September 23, 2011

2. A joint initiative of The COUNCIL OF CHIEF STATE SCHOOL OFFICERS (CCSSO) & The NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION CENTER FOR BEST PRACTICES

3. Standards Development Process • College and career readiness standards developed in summer 2009 • Based on the college and career readiness standards, K-12 learning progressions were developed • Multiple rounds of feedback from states, teachers, researchers, higher education, and the general public • Final Common Core State Standards released on June 2, 2010

4. What are the Common Core State Standards? • Aligned with college and work expectations • Focused and coherent • Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills • Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards • Internationally benchmarked so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society • Based on evidence and research • State led – coordinated by NGA Center and CCSSO

5. Why? The Rationale • Currently, every state has its own set of academic standards, meaning public education students in each state are learning to different levels • Prepare students to meet the same standards as their American peers in the next states as well as students from around the world

6. Plans for the Future • 46 states have adopted the Common Core Learning Standards (CCSS) • New state assessments based on these standards and state-developed standards will be operational in 2014. • The new tests will be developed by one of two now competing national assessment consortia – Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) – which are developing performance assessments based on the CCSS

7. What the Standards do NOT define • How teachers should teach • All that can or should be taught • The nature of advanced work beyond the core • The interventions needed for students well below grade level • The full range of support for English language learners and students with special needs • Everything needed to be college and career ready

8. More Information The standards can be accessed at: www.corestandards.org

9. The Standards • LA with Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technology:  http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf • Math: http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_Math%20Standards.pdf

10. STANDARDS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS & LITERACY IN HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, AND TECHNICAL SUBJECTS

11. Design and Organization Three main sections • K−5 (cross-disciplinary) • 6−12 English Language Arts • 6−12 Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects Three appendices • A: Research and evidence; glossary of key terms • B: Reading text exemplars; sample performance tasks • C: Annotated student writing samples

12. Key Changes • An integrated model of literacy - Standards for reading and writing in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects • Complement rather than replace content standards in those subjects • Shared responsibility of teachers in those subjects • Media requirements blended throughout

13. Key Changes cont’d. • Reading • Balance of literature and informational texts • Text complexity • Writing • Emphasis on argument and informative/explanatory writing • Writing about sources • Speaking and Listening • Inclusion of formal and informal talk • Language • Stress on general academic and domain-specific vocabulary

14. STANDARDS FOR MATHEMATICS

15. Design and Organization Standards for Mathematical Practice • Carry across all grade levels • Describe habits of mind of a mathematically expert student Standards for Mathematical Content • K-8 standards presented by grade level • Organized into domains that progress over several grades • Grade introductions give 2–4 focal points at each grade level • High school standards presented by conceptual theme (Number & Quantity, Algebra, Functions, Modeling, Geometry, Statistics & Probability)

16. Key Changes • Focus and coherence • Focus on key topics at each grade level • Coherent progressions across grade levels • Balance of concepts and skills • Content standards require both conceptual understanding and procedural fluency. • Mathematical practices • Foster reasoning and sense-making in mathematics. • College and career readiness • Level is ambitious but achievable

17. New York State’s Plans • New York State has new standards that are a compilation of CCSS and additional standards developed by the NYS Department of Education • Assessments based on the standards will be operational in 2014

18. A CCSS-Aligned Curriculum-Embedded Assessment Example “Americans Dreaming” a 10th grade sequence of units focused on learning to write argument

19. What’s in the Task • Baseline Assessment Task - Images as Persuasive Texts/Writing with Evidence: James Van der Zee • Context: Why did these images matter? • Analytic/close reading of selected image • Persuasive writing: Why see “Harlem on my mind” ? • Argument based in Literature: “Raisin in the Sun” • Analytic/close reading: Scene analysis • Argument writing: Should this play be revived? What does it still have to say to Americans 50 years later? • Culminating Assessment Task - Research Project/Position Paper: Formal Argument • Analytic/close reading: Dan Barry’s “At an age for music and dreams” • Argument writing: Take a position on a contemporary issue that affects the American Dream for young people (e.g., The dream act, the cost of college, etc.)

20. Images as Persuasive Texts:James Van Der Zee and “Harlem on My Mind”

24. Class Discussion • What choices did Van Der Zee and his subjects make in these photographs? • How do these choices persuade a viewer about the possibility of the American Dream for African Americans? • What questions do the photos raise about the American Dream then and now?

25. Reading: How Do Images Persuade? • Select one image from the Van Der Zee set that you find compelling. • Write a short analysis of that image in which you explain how it demonstrates Van Der Zee’s determination to show “thegreat pride and fascinating beauty” of the Harlem community. • Use specific evidence from the image (e.g., topic, participants, setting, props, composition, framing, etc.) • Comment on what the image makes you think about the American Dream.

26. Writing Short Persuasive Essay • The New York Public Library is hosting a series of shows about the American Dreams of New Yorkers. An upcoming show will focus on the photos by James Van Der Zee. The show will tour to local branches. Write a short (250 – 300 words) notice for local libraries to hand out. Your purpose is to interest New Yorkers across the five boroughs in coming to the show.

27. Scaffolding: Writing a Short Persuasive Essay(A beginning version of a more formal argument) • Provide the context • Explain the exhibition (You can fill in the details like the title of the exhibition, its dates, the name and address of the library) • State your position: • Why are these photos worth looking at nearly a century after they were taken? • Provide evidence • Use what you know about these photos and your own experience looking at them closely to explain what viewers might get out of looking at these images • Provide specific evidence and reasons • Conclude • Motivate your readers to go to see the photographs by suggesting what seeing the exhibit may make them think about or realize

28. Literature-based Argument Writing • Context: American dreams in the 1950s: For whom? • The texts: • Background information • Lorraine Hansberry “Raisin in the Sun” • Audio excerpt from “To be young and gifted and Black” • Images from American popular culture portraying the American dream of the 1950s • Reading: Options • Evidence-based set design • Analysis of scene in light of quote • Re-write of scene: Text and subtext (said and unsaid) • Writing: Argument: A theater company is thinking about reviving “Raisin in the Sun.” Is the play still powerful for audiences in 2011?

29. The American Dream Now-Reading • Read Dan Barry’s article, “At an Age for Music and Dreams.” Write the answer to these questions: • What is Barry’s claim about the possibility of the American Dream for young people in these times? • What evidence does he use to support his main point? • How does he use language and images to persuade his readers of his main point? • What questions would you raise about the view of the American dream that Barry’s presents?

30. Writing: An Argument-based Essay • Select a contemporary issue that affects whether young people can attain their dreams • Research that issue to develop an understanding of the issue and of the range of views on the issue. Locate, read, and use at least 4 sources. • Write a 500 – 750 word essay in which you: • Introduce the issue for readers who may not be familiar • Make a precise claim about the issue • Present and discuss the evidence for your claim, drawing on at least 4 informational texts • Examine and weigh other points of view (counterclaims) • Come to a conclusion that summarizes your thinking and encourages your readers to consider their positions on the issue

31. Example: Student Work • The US Congress is once again considering whether to pass the DREAM Act. The 2011 version of this act would allow undocumented minors in the US to prove that they entered the United States before the age of 16 and have been in the US for five consecutive years. After a background check (and if the students prove to have “good moral character”) they will be allowed in-state tuition and a shortened path to citizenship after either two years of studying toward a higher degree or two years of military service. This legislation ought to be passed. It is a passport to opportunity that all young immigrants who do the work deserve to have.

32. NYC DOE Expectations • Strengthen student work by examining and refining curriculum, assessment, and classroom instruction; and • Strengthen teacher practice by examining and refining the feedback teachers receive.

33. Strengthen student work • In teams, look closely at current student work to understand what is needed to meet the Common Core demands (spring/fall 2011). • Engage all students in at least one literacy and one math task aligned with Common Core standards embedded in Common Core-aligned curricula (winter 2011-12). • In literacy: read and analyze informational texts and write opinions and arguments in response. • In math: model with mathematics and/or construct and explore the reasoning behind arguments to arrive at a viable solution. • In teams, look closely at resulting student work, make instructional adjustments and communicate lessons learned to other school staff (spring 2012).

34. Strengthening teacher practice Principals and other school leaders are encouraged to: • Use sections of Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching, or another research-based teaching framework to articulate clear expectations for teacher practice and serve as the focus for teacher development (by summer 2011). • Engage in short, frequent cycles of classroom observation,1 collaborative examination of student work, and timely, specific, evidence-based feedback teachers can act on to increase the rigor and effectiveness of their instruction (throughout 2011-12). • Strengthen their own capacity to provide high-quality feedback to teachers through professional development and support from network teams (throughout 2011-12).

35. Additional Initiatives • Curriculum mapping • Universal Design • Guidance on how to reach all students, including students with disabilities and English language learners

36. Standards: Important but insufficient To be effective in improving education and getting all students ready for college, workforce training, and life, the Standards must be partnered with a content-rich curriculum and robust assessments, both aligned to the Standards.

37. NYC Common Core Library http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/CommonCoreLibrary/SeeStudentWork/default.htm

38. More Resources http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/CommonCoreLibrary/Why/NYSStandards/default.htm

39. What It Will Take to Shift to CCSS?Lessons from the NY 1 Pilot • Many students come to school underprepared • Sustained effort, not a one-time unit • Cross-disciplinary, cross-grade collaboration • Lesson study approach to the development of curricula, looking at student work, joint scoring and goal setting • Principal leadership and support for school teams (faculty expectations, schedule , per session funds, etc.) • Active involvement of students as critical consumers