An Introduction to the Common
Core State Standards
What they mean for you and your children
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Tonight’s Purpose
• Help you understand what college readiness is
and why it is important
• Introduce you to the new standards and
• help you understand what to look for and
• Teaches you how to help your children at home.
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Discussion Activity:
What is college readiness?
• At your table, discuss:

How do you know your child is ready for college?
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What do children need to learn to be ready for
college?
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How do you know your child is ready for a career?
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How can parents help?
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What are Standards?
• Content Standards can be defined as:
“ the minimal material within a curriculum that must
be taught to students.”
“ knowledge that students need to learn and
skills that students should be able to do.”
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What are the Common Core Standards?
• A single set of clear standards for English
language arts and mathematics
• A tool to help students and parents set clear
and realistic goals for success
• A first step in providing young people with
the high-quality education that will prepare
them for success in college and careers
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What are the Common Core Standards?
• http://vimeo.com/51933492
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So? What does it mean?
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College and Career Readiness
The new standards will get students ready for
success in college and at work.
…but what does that mean?
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College Readiness
• College readiness means that
graduates have the skills they need to
do well in college.
• “College” doesn’t just mean a four-year degree. It
can mean any program that leads to a degree or
certificate.
• Being “ready” means that students graduate from
high schools with key skills in English and
mathematics.
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Career Readiness
• Career readiness means that high
school graduates are qualified for and
able to do well in long-term careers.
• “Career” doesn’t just mean a job. It means a
profession that lets graduates succeed at a job
they enjoy and earn a competitive wage.
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Why does is this important? Because
it’s what our students need
For every 100 ninth graders…
65 graduate from high school
37 enter college
24 are still enrolled in sophomore year
12 graduate with a degree in six years
… and only 6 get a good job after
graduation
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The new standards will…
• Prepare students to succeed in college and the
workforce
• Make sure that every child—regardless of
race, ethnicity or zip code—is held to the same
high standards and learns the same material
• Provide educators with a clear, focused
roadmap for what to teach and when
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What are the Common Core Standards?
• A single set of clear standards for English
language arts and mathematics
• A tool to help students and parents set clear
and realistic goals for success
• A first step in providing young people with
the high-quality education that will prepare
them for success in college and careers
EngageNY.org
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States that adopted the Common Core
What’s different in the new standards?
English Language Arts/Literacy:
•
•
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Focus on non-fiction, careful reading
Discuss reading and write using evidence
Increase academic vocabulary
Mathematics
• Learn more about fewer concepts
• Focus on skill building, speed and accuracy
• Use of real world examples to better
understand concepts
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So, what can parents really do to help?
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Parent support can help students
succeed
• By staying involved, informed and engaged,
parents can help students be successful
• There are many ways to help:
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Read with your children
Review and discuss their homework
Communicate with their teachers
Attend public meetings to learn more
Learn about the standards and how they affect your
child’s education and school
Look through your child’s backpack each afternoon
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Activity: After school routines
• Grab a partner and discuss your after school
routines. Be specific!
• Ask each other questions:
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How do you help your child with homework? How
closely do you review it?
How closely do you review their schoolwork?
How often do you communicate with their teachers?
How do you celebrate your child’s success in school?
How do you address poor performance?
What is your favorite part of your after school routine?
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So? What works best?
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Backpacks: What you should see
Books that
are both
fiction and
non-fiction
Real-world examples
that makes what
they’re learning in
English and math
make more sense
Writing assignments
that require students
to use evidence
instead of opinion
Math homework
that asks students
to write out how
they got their
answer
Math homework
that ask students
to use different
methods to solve
the same problem
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Some questions to ask your child
Did you talk about
anything you read
in class today?
Did you use
evidence when
you talked about
what you read?
How did you use
evidence in school
today? Where did
you get it?
How often
did you use
math today?
How did you
use it?
Did you learn any
new words in
class today? What
do they mean?
How do you spell
them?
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Activity: Talking to your kids
about school
At your table, talk about strategies you use to get
your kids talking about their days after school
• What questions do you ask?
• Do you discuss what they tell you?
• How do you get them excited to talk?
• What do you do when they refuse to talk?
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What works best?
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A Closer Look: ELA/Literacy Shifts
•
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
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A Closer Look: Mathematics Shifts
•
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
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Resources for parents
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EngageNY
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Additional resources
• www.achievethecore.org
• www.pta.org/4446.htm
• http://www.cgcs.org/Domain/36
• http://parcconline.org/parcc-content-frameworks
Closing discussion
• 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?
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Classroom Visits
• Please head to your children’s classrooms
• Their teachers want to show your kids have
been learning
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Thank you
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