Implementing Common Core State Standards: Rigor and Relevance

1. Implementing Common Core State Standards: Rigor and Relevance South Carolina Department of Education

2. Remember the 3 Rs? Reading, writing, ‘rithmetic Get ready to add a fourth: RIGOR

3. Rigor Why the sudden emphasis on rigor ? What’s the big deal?

4. How rigor became a big deal … • What first sounded the alarm – a “rising tide of mediocrity” in American schools (A Nation at Risk - 1983) - Declining US competitiveness with other developed countries - NAEP performance that is largely flat over the past 40 years in 8th grade - Slight improvement at the 4th grade level - Slight decline at the high school level - High rates of college remediation

5. Part of the problem • 50 states with 50 different sets of standards 50 different assessments 50 different cut scores to determine “proficiency”

6. Solution • Adopted by 46 states, Common Core State Standards for College and Career Readiness were created to “raise the bar” byincreasing academic rigor for all students. The standards emphasize depth over breadth. • To ensure “college and career readiness, “the writers of the standards first determined the expectations for students in grade 12 and then worked down through the grades to kindergarten.

7. Defining academic rigor Our own “process” of attempting to define rigor… **

8. Importance of rigor Rigorous instruction develops the skills necessary for students to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize complex content which may be challenging, ambiguous, or provocative.  These skills guide students’ thinking as they attempt, individually or collaboratively, to solve real-world problems. sd

9. Rigorous instruction Academic rigor is determined not just by what is taught, but how it is taught, and how it is assessed. Barbara Blackburn

10. Rigorous instruction Rigor in teaching does not dictate “more,” and especially it does not imply “more of the same.” For the term rigor, the common approach or understanding is depth. The initial step toward raising the rigor in our schools is to establish a collective understanding of rigor. True rigor is creating an environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, each student is supported so that he or she can learn at high levels, and each student demonstrates learning at high levels. Barbara Blackburn

11. Rigorous instruction No matter how demanding the CCSS may be, nothing will change for the student unless teachers adjust lessons to reflect the rigor in those standards.

12. Key Instructional Shifts Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction Reading, writing, and speaking grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational Regular practice with complex text and its academic language

13. Relating rigor to shift #1 When reading scientific and technical texts, students need to be able to gain knowledge from challenging texts that often make extensive use of elaborate diagrams and data to convey information and illustrate concepts. Students must be able to read complex informational texts in these fields with independence and confidence because the vast majority of reading in college and workforce training programs will be sophisticated nonfiction.

14. What makes Casey’s experiences at bat humorous? What can you infer from King’sletter about the letter that he received? “The Gettysburg Address” mentions the year 1776. According to Lincoln’s speech, why is this year significant to the events described in the speech? Relating rigor to shift #2 Text-Dependent Questions Not Text-Dependent Text-Dependent In “Casey at the Bat,” Casey strikes out. Describe a time when you failed at something. In “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Dr. King discusses nonviolent protest. Discuss, in writing, a time when you wanted to fight against something that you felt was unfair. In “The Gettysburg Address” Lincoln says the nation is dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Why is equality an important value to promote?

15. Relating rigor to shift 2 It’s easier to go outside the text, and it’s a shortcut to student engagement. But it sends the message that the texts are not engaging on their own and that working hard to wrestle with texts is not a worthwhile endeavor.

16. Relating rigor to shift #3 Regular practice with complex text and its academic language - determining text complexity (handout) - features of complex text - all students need exposure to complex texts

17. Features of complex text • Subtle and/or frequent transitions • Multiple and/or subtle themes and purposes • Density of information • Unfamiliar settings, topics or events • Lack of repetition, overlap or similarity in words and sentences • Complex sentences • Uncommon vocabulary • Lack of words, sentences or paragraphs that review or pull things together for the student • Longer paragraphs • Any text structure which is less narrative and/or mixes structures

18. Is the instruction rigorous? How will I know if the instruction is rigorous? Some “things” to note during instruction: **

19. Some elements of rigor • It is inquiry based, active, questioning • It is, often, hands on • It is connected to real learning and application • It is deep rather than broad • It is engaging • It is challenging, frustrating, satisfying ** sd

20. Learning Pyramid Lecture 5% Assigned Reading 10% Audio-Visual Aids 20% Demonstration 30% Discussion Groups 50% Actual Practice by Doing 75% Teaching Others (Immediate) 90% Retention • **

21. Observing rigorous instruction What is the teacher doing?

22. Observingrigorous instruction What kinds of questions is the teacher asking? - true/false - recollection of facts Or are students being asked to recall something they already know and to use it to solve a new problem? Are all the students engaged and thinking or only those who answer a question? Are students given time to think through answers? If they don’t have the answer immediately, does the teacher move on to someone else? Are students talking and sharing information appropriately, or is there total silence?

23. Observing rigorous instruction But more importantly, what are the students doing?

24. Observing rigorous instruction listing or sequencing inferring or summarizing classifying or arguing constructing or selecting examining or justifying

25. Rigor and Relevance The student asks: “How will I apply, assess or communicate what I have learned?” The essential question: “What use is it?”

26. Rigor and Relevance Learning should be an active process. Too often students come to school to watch their teachers work. But when students use what they learn, they remember the information better and understand the utility of what is being taught. from International Center for Leadership in Education

27. Rigor and Relevance • Learning is more relevant when a student can apply his knowledge to solve real-world problems and to create real-life products.

28. Our Goal Our common goal in implementing Common Core State Standards is to help prepare students for the real world by adopting instruction, curriculum, and assessment that acknowledges the value of rigor and relevance.

29. ? As a result of today’s session on rigor and relevance, what changes will you implement?

30. Questions? • Contact information: Jenny Howard Office of Assessment jyhoward@ed.sc.gov 803-734-0121