Tips and Tools for Intensive Family
Engagement Around the Common
Core
Reflect and plan on communication needs – both
content and strategy; consider resources and
strategies used by educators from around NYS
Engagement Around Learning
• What parents should know about Common
Core

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm6AqMkFX
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Reflect:
Content of Communication
• What do you hear most in your community that
SUPPORTS this work?

What is the source of this message?
• What do you hear most in your community that
CHALLENGES this work?

What is the source of this message?
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Reflect:
Strategy of Communication
• What implemented family engagement/ supports are
going well?
• What is on the horizon for next steps to be
accomplished?
• What needs can you already identify for
implementation?
• What threats/roadblocks/challenges are anticipated
to continue this engagement work?
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Panel
Bright spot visits
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South Huntington CSD
• Family engagement in South Huntington

https://www.engageny.org/resource/familyengagement-in-south-huntington
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Massena CSD
• Julie Albert and Dee Cook, teachers

Website, Video, Newsletters, Parent Night
• Cook:
– http://mrscook.www.mcs.k12.ny.us/modules/groups/integrated_home.phtml?gid=
2347433&sessionid=ee8d59758cfb10bd370e0f2fd3684758
• Albert:
– http://mrsalbert.www.mcs.k12.ny.us/modules/groups/integrated_home.phtml?gid
=2321725&sessionid=ee8d59758cfb10bd370e0f2fd3684758

Video
• https://www.engageny.org/resource/video-debrief-k-5-math-transition-andimplementation-panel
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Watertown CSD
• Series of ELA and math nights

Beth Maurer, ELA coach
• http://www.watertowncsd.org/webpages/emaurer/nti.cfm

Jenn Phelps, Math Coach
• http://www.watertowncsd.org/webpages/jphelps/
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The Common Sense Approach to
ELA Common Core
Elizabeth Maurer
Objective:
I can introduce an inexpensive
Common Sense Approach to
Common Core for families in my
district with an intensive family
engagement monthly event, using
the ELA shifts.
Shifts make Common Core Sense
September: Open House
Family Friendly ELA Shifts
Calendar of Events
Photo Collection
Book Collection
October: Shifts 1 & 4
Family ELA Shifts Slideshow
Text Dependent Questions
Non-fiction/Fiction Book Collection Fun
November: Shifts 1,4,6
Family ELA Shifts Slideshow
Norms of Collaboration
Vocabulary
Prefixes and Suffixes
December: Shifts 2&3
Family ELA Shifts Slideshow
Close Reading
Text Dependent Questions
January: Shift 5
Family ELA Shifts Slideshow
FosteringWriting at Home
Short Response/Extended Response Questions
February: Assessment
Night
Family ELA Shifts Slideshow
Test Taking Strategies
March: Assessment
Night
Family ELA Shifts Slideshow
Unpacking Difficult Questions
Ways to Prevent and Cope with Test Anxiety
May: CELEBRATION
Celebrate the accomplishments of all the
families that have been involved!
Objective:
I can introduce an inexpensive
Common Sense Approach to
Common Core for families in my
district with an intensive family
engagement monthly event, using
the ELA shifts.
Mathematical Models:
Number Bonds
whole
part
part


WCSD has had an elementary math and ELA
coach for this past year. We focused on
bringing back strategies and models for
teachers from NTI.
Now that teachers are becoming more
comfortable, we need to be proactive and show
parents how to help their child and what we
are doing in the classroom.
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September – Number Bonds (K-5)
October – Number Disks & Place Value Chart (1-5)
November – Array and Area Models (3-5)
December – Number Lines (K-5)
January – Ten-Frame & Rekenrek (K-1)
February – Tape Diagrams (K-1, 2-4, 5)
March – Tape Diagrams (K-1, 2-4, 5)
April – Problem - solving with models
May – Summer Math



Mathematical models are a set of concrete and
pictorial models that students use repeatedly
across grade levels.
Over time, students become familiar with
these models and use them in more complex
ways to solve problems.
Mathematical models become part of their tool
box, which will help them have a quicker
understanding of concepts as they are
introduced.

Number bonds are a pictorial representation of
part-part-whole relationships.

Smaller numbers (the parts) make up larger
numbers (the whole)
part + part = whole
whole – part = part

concrete objects
 abstract

pictorial representations

Orientation of the number bonds does not
change its meaning.

Number bonds of 10 are the most important in
the lower grade levels.
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What do they look like?
Adding numbers
Decomposing numbers
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What do they look like?
Fractions
Time
Conversion of units
Adding/subtracting larger numbers

Make and Take activities

Apps

Show your child multiple ways to solve
problems

Plate activity

Hanger and clothespins

Puzzles

Bracelets

Ziploc bag with objects

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You tube video
How to Implement a Story of Units
Apps: Number Bonds Flash (android)
Online games:
http://www.mathplayground.com/PartPartW
hole.html
Number Bond Parent Pamphlet
Web Supports
• Math Blog: connecting with families outside
school

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0Rt1h0Z4L4
• iPad homework videos keep parents in the
loop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4xvITNyFmg
• CCVidHelp
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More on CCVidHelp
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
bit.ly/ccvidhelp – Google site with links to all the YouTube channels
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSwzbBMTg-2KBCj-74Asjxw - Sample
YouTube channel for Algebra I Common Core
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBjy2jkv6wKsXNLGnmGq7Cg - Sample
YouTube channel for Grade 5 Common Core
https://sites.google.com/site/ccvidhelp/project-documents-and-resources/howto-documents - “How to” documents related to the process behind the scenes
to participate in the ccvidhelp project
http://goo.gl/XhzjQ2 - shared google document with list of participating
districts
http://goo.gl/47frpQ - shared google folder with lots of resources in support of
the ccvidhelp project
•
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Connetquot CSD
• Strategic Engagement

Stu Pollak, Principal
• http://www.ccsdli.org/SycamoreAvenue.cfm?subpage=7675
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PARENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF
COMMON CORE
• Social media influence
• Confusion between the learning
standards, assessments, and APPR
• The instructional shifts’ effect on HW
• Any difficulty a child experiences would
be blamed on the CCSS
WHAT WE HAVE DONE DIRECTLY
WITH PARENTS
• Empathize -- we are parents too.
• Separated the issues
• Proved our focus remained on engaging children and meeting
their needs – not the assessments
• No pressure from us with regard to the assessments
• Kept the political discussion off the table
•
•
•
•
•
Principal’s Teas
Principal’s Blog www.principalpollak.wordpress.com
Twitter
Webpage updates
Despite the technology--Nothing was more effective than talking
STRUGGLE VS. FRUSTRATION
Struggle: being appropriately challenges. It may included behaviors
such as frequent erasing, making errors, asking for help, MILD frustration
accompanied by a desire to continue working. This type of struggle
helps children learn how to persevere.
Frustration: is when a child may exhibit behaviors such as crying,
wanting to give up after making an effort, yelling, short tempered, etc.
When children reach this point, we encourage them to stop doing their
homework.
We never want children to reach a point that hinders their love for
learning. Parents are encouraged to communicate with their child’s
teacher if they experience this.
PARENT WORKSHOP
Previous points
Timing
Survey
Transparency
Why the math modules are so exciting
Focus on how one topic (place value) spiraled
from K-5
• Value the adult learning process
• Witness the collegiality
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•
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2014-15 Communication Content
• What do you hear most in your community that
SUPPORTS this work?

What is the source of this message?
• What do you hear most in your community that
CHALLENGES this work?

What is the source of this message?
• What is your main message for 2014-15?


Craft your website message.
Craft your grocery store speech that aligns with your main
message.
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2014-15 Strategic Engagement
• What is the biggest need for 2014-15?


Provide correct information?
Provide parental supports?
• What will be most effective to address those needs?
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What has already been working in your context?
What hasn’t been working?
What can you add?
Who needs to be involved?
PLAN IT OUT.
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3-Part
EXIT TICKET
Complete on a provided index card and hand in as you leave.
1 - Content
2 - Strategies
3 - Needs
What is the content of
the main message to
your parents in 2014?
What tried and true
strategies will you use?
What supports are you
going to need?
What new strategies will
you use?
Be specific.
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