Common Core State Standards
and
• MaryCatholic
Jane Krebbs,Schools
PhD
• Dale McDonald, PBVM, PhD
• Kathy Mears
• Lorraine Ozar, PhD
Agenda: Common Core
• Background- the why of Common Core: Dale McDonald
– Impetus for developing common standards
– Implications for Catholic schools
• Implementation in a Diocese: Kathy Mears
– Suggestions and cautions
– Communication with parents
– Experience with diocesan implementation
• Common Core Catholic Identity Initiative: Lorraine Ozar
– CCCII development
– CCCII collaborations
• Common Core and Curriculum Development: Mary Jane Krebbs
– Pedagogical approaches
– Development of unit plans
Impetus for Developing
Common Core State Standards
• Equity imperative: All students deserve a highquality education regardless of where they attend
school
• Global competition: workforce requires different
skills and education for economic growth
• Current curriculum standards vary greatly across
states and achievement is calculated differently
U.S. Rankings on International
Assessments
•PISA 2009
(Program for International Student
Assessment)
Math: 25th in the world
Science:
(Trends in International Mathematics and
Science Study)
15 year olds assessed
Reading:14th in the world
17th
• TIMSS 2007
in the world
Grade 4
Math: 11th in the world
Science: 9th in the world
Grade 8
Math: 8th in the world
Science: 11th in the world
Workforce Outlook in US
•
1995: US ranked first in college and university
graduation rates
•
2010: US ranked 12th
•
American workers in blue collar and administrative
support jobs
– 1969: 56 percent
– 2009: 38 percent
•
Jobs requiring more education and specialized skills
(managerial/ professional/technical)
– 1969: 23 percent
– 2006: 35 percent
Countries ranked on how well their educational
systems meet the needs of a competitive
economy*
1 Switzerland
11 Ireland
21 Hong Kong
2 Singapore
12 Lebanon
22 Norway
3 Finland
13 Australia
23 Costa Rica
4 Qatar
14 Malaysia
24 Austria
5 Iceland
15 Barbados
25 Saudi Arabia
6 Belgium
16 Denmark
26 United States
7 Canada
17 Germany
27 Kenya
8 Sweden
18 Malta
28 Brunei
9 New Zealand
19 Taiwan, China
29 United Arab Emirates
10 Netherlands
20 United Kingdom
30 Cyprus
*World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012
State Standards Vary
• Standards have been lowered as states try to meet AYP
proficiency requirements by 2014
• Standard assessments focus on recall of facts and procedures;
lowest level of learning
• Percentage of students rated as proficient on state tests
significantly higher than on NAEP assessments
• NAEP – National Assessment of Educational Progress
Nation’s Report Card
– largest nationally representative and continuing (1969) assessment
of what America's students know and can do in various subject
areas
NAEP scale equivalents of state grade 4
reading standards for proficient performance
NAEP scale equivalents of state grade 8
reading standards for proficient performance
NAEP scale equivalents of state grade 4
mathematics standards for proficient
performance
NAEP scale equivalents of state grade 8
mathematics standards for proficient
performance
California and Nebraska data not included
Academic Preparedness for College:
SAT scores as indicators of success
• 1550 score “indicates a 65 percent likelihood
of achieving a B- average or higher during
the first year of study at a four-year college”
1667
1594
1477
Overview of the CCSS Initiative
•State-led effort under direction of National
Governors Association (NGA) and Council of Chief
State School Officers (CCSSO)
•Develop common core standards for K-12 in
English/language arts and mathematics
•Focus on learning expectations and outcomes for
students – not on how to teach content
Criteria for the Standards
Common Core State Standards should:
 Be aligned with college and work expectations
 Be focused and coherent
 Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through
high-order skills
 Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards
 Be internationally benchmarked so that all students are
prepared to succeed in our global economy and society
 Be based on evidence and research
Rigorous Content and Applications
Prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in
college and work
Cognitive tasks that demand application of thinking skills,
creativity, collaboration, communication
Critical thinking skills
Content
State Adoption of Common Core
Green=adopted
Gray=not adopting
Blue=ELA only
Common Core State Standards:
What’s Next?
• State assessments are developed to match
standards
• Curricula developed to match standards
• New textbooks, software and instructional materials
are produced
• Professional development to assist teachers and
administrators with the implementation and
application of standards to teaching and learning
practices
Concerns and Controversies
• Differing political and philosophical agendas related to local v.
federal control of education
• Driving forces behind the standards movement:
– business interests
– competiveness
• Common core standards equated to a national curriculum
• Curriculum materials hinder the ability to teachers to decide
how/what to teach
• Federal government control of a national testing program
– Race to the Top program requirements of standards adoption
– Department of Education grants to develop assessments
Implications for Catholic Schools
• Can Catholic schools participate in CCSS?
– Adopt standards
– Adopt testing
• Should Catholic schools participate?
– Pros
– Cons
• Impact on curriculum, instruction and teaching materials
– National curriculum?
– Access to commercial materials: tests, media teaching tools
– Ability to use new media materials
• Impact on students’ future
– Transfers across systems
– College acceptances
– Workforce readiness
Diocese Implementation
 Look for your early adapters
 Provide professional development focused on:
 Differences between old curriculum and new standards
 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to
make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual
evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions
drawn from the text.
 Use picture clues and context to aid comprehension and to
make predictions about story content.
 Decompose numbers less than or equal to 10 into pairs in
more than one way, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and
record each decomposition by a drawing or equation (e.g.,
5 = 2 + 3 and 5 = 4 + 1).
 Model subtraction by removing objects from sets (for numbers
less than 10).
Diocese Implementation
Provide professional development focused
on:
Vertical alignment of standards
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and
to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking
to support conclusions drawn from the text
 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
Use of technology in teaching the standards
 Technology is our tool to assist teachers and students in the teaching
and learning process.
Reliance on higher level thinking skills
 Analyze, evaluate, determine, justify, represent, interpret, assess, create…
Integration of our faith into lessons
Diocese Implementation
 Focus your efforts
 Grades K-2
 Math
 Problem solving
 Building skills
 English Language Arts
 Nonfiction and fiction
 Basic reading skills
 Content area teachers
 Teaching reading
 Teaching communication skills
Diocese Implementation
Parent Communication
Standards
 How are they different?
 Why they are different?
 Reporting progress
 Report cards
 Archdiocese of Chicago
 Diocese of San Diego
Diocese Implementation
Concerns
Finding time and funds for ongoing, applied
professional development of teachers
Locating solid resources
Locating textbooks that truly support students and
teachers
Trying to do too much too fast
Getting started!
Common Core
Catholic Identity
Initiative
Overview
Project Goal:
To develop and disseminate frameworks,
guidelines, and resource guides that will assist
local educators in infusing Catholic values and
principles of social teaching into all subjects
and integrating the Catholic worldview and
culture into curriculum and instructional design
using the Common Core Standards.
• Catholic schools need to pay attention to the
fact that the common core standards and
assessments are here and it is important to get
on board.
• Principals and teachers often need and
welcome assistance in understanding and
implementing standards-based curriculum and
instructional design.
National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective
Catholic elementary and Secondary Schools
(2012)
Defining Characteristic:
Distinguished by Excellence
National Standards and Benchmarks for
Effective Catholic elementary and Secondary
Schools (2012)
Standard 7:
An excellent Catholic school has a clearly
articulated, rigorous curriculum aligned with
relevant standards, 21st century skills, and
Gospel values implemented through effective
instruction.
National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective
Catholic elementary and Secondary Schools
(2012)
Benchmark 7.1:
The curriculum adheres to appropriate, delineated
standards, and is vertically aligned to ensure that
every student successfully completes a rigorous
and coherent sequence of academic courses
based on the standards and rooted in Gospel
values.
National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective
Catholic elementary and Secondary Schools
(2012)
Benchmark 7.2:
Standards are adopted across the curriculum, and
include integration of the religious, spiritual,
moral, and ethical dimensions of learning in all
subjects.
Original Committee:
Nicholas Wolsonovich, Lorraine Ozar, Mary Jane
Krebbs, Michael Rush, Patricia Weitzel-O’Neill,
Sr. Leanne Welch, PBVM (2010-2011)
Joined by:
Sr. Dale McDonald, Br. Robert Bimonte, FSC,
William Dinger, Laura Egan, Carole Eipers, Susan
Abelein, Anthony Manley, Ron Valenti (February
2012)
Collaborate with: Catholic school teachers,
curriculum experts, catechetical experts,
principals, and superintendents in the
field (beginning June, 2012)
Partner with: Companies and sponsors who
support Catholic school excellence
Create resources to assist K-8 Catholic
educators around the country in using CCSS
for ELA in Catholic schools.
•
Show how to develop ELA Units using CCSS.
•
Show how to infuse the ELA Units with Catholic
Identity elements.
•
Create sample CCCII ELA Units in grade level
bands (K-2, 3-5, 6-8).
•
Develop written guidelines and narrative
explanations that provide a “think aloud” of how
to create the Units.
•
Identity a substantial number of ELA Unit Topics
that teachers are likely to use and provide
Catholic Identity connections/ideas.
Important Distinction:
The CCCII Project is not about Catholic
Identity; it is about how we teach with Catholic
Identity.
Catholic Identity Elements include:
Catholic Worldview
Culture and Tradition
Gospel Values
Church Social Teachings
Moral/Ethical Dimensions
Catholic Identity Elements:
How can we legitimately integrate these
elements into ELA units while ensuring rigor
in keeping with the CCSS?
Online at Catholic School Standards Project
website: www.catholicschoolstandards.org
In print through NCEA
In use by Dioceses and Vendors
1. Explain and use the CCCII ELA Unit template to
create exemplar units for assigned grade level,
using topics identified. (Project leaders and fieldbased teacher and diocesan practitioner teams)
Units Developed: Grades 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 8
2. Brainstorm ELA topics/themes/concepts by grade
levels for future units.
3. Document and review this pilot process for
developing school level, grade level units based on
the Common
Core standards and infused with Catholic identity
elements.
Common Core
Catholic Identity
Initiative
Unit Design
We ask the schools to teach children to think, to socialize
them, to alleviate poverty and inequality, to reduce crime, to
perpetuate our cultural heritage, and to produce intelligent,
patriotic citizens.
Ornstein and Levine
Foundations of Education 2000
We need to fix our schools to teach “entrepreneurship,
innovation and creativity” so students can emulate the “new
untouchables” in our workforce today.
Thomas Friedman
New York Times, Oct. 2009
The trend is that for more and more jobs, average is over…
just doing a job in an average way will not return an average
lifestyle any longer… We need to help every American
understand the connection between educational attainment
and what will be required to perform the jobs of the future.
Thomas Friedman
New York Times, Aug. 2012
We ask the Catholic schools to do all this and…
The integration of religious truth and values with the rest
of life is not only possible in Catholic schools, it
distinguishes them from others. (p.3)
Teach Them
National Conference of Catholic Bishops 1976
The task of the Catholic School is fundamentally, “a
synthesis of culture and faith, and a synthesis of faith and
life: the first is reached by integrating all the different
aspects of human knowledge through the subjects taught,
in the light of the Gospel; the second in the growth of the
virtues characteristic of the Christian.” 37
The Catholic School
Revised Translation NCEA Summer 2009
Instructional Shifts For The Common Core
Six Shifts in ELA/ Literacy
∙ Balancing Information and Literacy Text
- Students need a true balance of information and literary
texts.
∙ Building Knowledge in the Disciplines
- Content area teachers outside of the ELA classroom
emphasize literacy experiences in their planning and
instructions.
∙ Staircase of Complexity
- In order to prepare students for the complexity of college
and career ready texts, each grade level requires a “step”
of growth on the “staircase.”
44
∙ Text-Based Answers
- Students have rich and rigorous conversations which are
dependent on a common text. All opinions require
evidence.
∙ Writing From Sources
- Writing needs to emphasize use of evidence to inform or
make an argument rather than the personal narrative and
other forms of de-contextualized prompts.
∙ Academic Vocabulary
- Students constantly build the vocabulary they need to
access grade level complex texts.
45
Instructional Shifts for the Common Core in
Mathematics
• Focus
• Coherence
• Fluency
• Deep Understanding
• Applications
• Dual Intensity
www.engageNY.org
Unit Planning Template
www.catholicschoolstandards.org
Common Core Catholic Identity Initiative
Unit Plan
• Title/Theme
• Grade/Subject
• Length of Unit/Time Frame
usually from three to nine weeks
• Description
one sentence about the content
• Overview
one paragraph about the learning students will do in
the unit
The Big Picture
 Essential Question
formulate a question that provides focus for learning and leads
students to make deeper sense and meaning of the significant
content in the unit.
 Catholic Identity Elements
indicate Catholic values, teachings, references, etc. that will be
integrated into the unit.
 Common Core Standards
 Key Objectives Linked to Standards
students will be able to…
 Summative Assessment(s)
describe the product(s)/performance(s) by which students will show
they have achieved the objectives linked to the standards.
Unit Readings and
Vocabulary
• Fiction
balance with non-fiction; consider text complexity
• Non-Fiction
balance with fiction; consider text complexity
• Essential Unit Vocabulary
• consider three levels of vocabulary and include
vocabulary associated with Catholic Identity
Instructional Activities
• Catholic Identity
• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking/Listening
• Language
• Vocabulary
• Viewing
• Critical Thinking
A numbered list which should be in the intended order of the
lessons. Consider: formative and summative assessment
alignment, differentiated instruction and Catholic Identity.
Instructional Resources
List all the instructional resources (materials and technology)
to be used in the unit. Examples include:
 Internet
 Primary and Secondary Sources
 Books
 Magazines
 Museums
 Videos
 Movies
 Bible
 Dictionary
 Thesaurus …
Cross-Curricular Links
• Integration of …
• Science
• Social Studies
• Religion
• Math
• Literature
• Social Sciences
• Technology
• Visual Arts
1. Fine tune unit structure/template and resource materials for
use by teachers and dioceses.
2. Develop a means of replicating the unit development
process and CCCII training for use in dioceses and schools.
3. Identity LOTS of resources to connect Catholic identity
elements with additional ELA topics by grade level.
4. Develop additional exemplars -- full infused units -- for
each grade level, using topics identified.
5. Sustain an ongoing dialogue and sharing of units across the
country.
6. Extend CCCII to mathematics.
7. Extend CCCII to secondary schools.