Common Core State Standards
Southeast Region Mentoring Session
February 24–25, 2014
“Wisdom of the Room”
Group Activity Response Summary
1.
2.
Concern
Prioritizing information: What is most
important to take back to teachers?
The increase in rigor has made it even
more difficult to differentiate – slow the
pace for special education students and
students with skill deficits.
Group Response
 Share the resources, books, and handouts from
the CCSS Mentoring Sessions with
teachers/departments in a small group setting.
 Lead a book study with teachers: one chapter at
a time.
 Focus on the greatest need: Administrator
prioritizes need, then shares the resources
related to that need first.
 Share resources and delegate leaders to read
and share with their teams.
 Depends on where the group is - I have four
different PLC groups. Each group has its own
personality and drive. I really try to work with
all the groups on the language of the standards,
but have allowed them to progress at their own
rate. This is not a one-time event – it is a
journey. Teachers need to know from
administrators that we know this no matter what
outside pressures exist. My teachers have
totally amazed me and surpassed what I thought
possible.
 Identify vertical alignment of guaranteed
standards at each grade level to better identify
deficit areas.
 Provide more training on differentiated
instruction and how to handle in a high school
classroom.
 Increase the availability of intervention during
the school day – allows small group instruction.
 Identify essential standards for these students
and focus efforts on these.
 Utilize strong inclusion teachers (classroom
teacher) who will be able to take on this task
 Smaller class sizes
 Multiple resources
 Provide more time on concepts outside of class.
(e.g., online math programs, before and after
school tutoring, modify…modify…modify)
3.
Identifying power standards – teachers
want to teach it all
4.
We are a small district so developing
common assessments is a struggle with
only one teacher in each grade level.
5.
 Need for increased CCSS buy-in
with K–2 teachers – I am seeing that
on the surface teachers are saying
they are aligned, but there has not
been a shift in instruction. Grade 3–
5 teachers are much more aligned
with the shift.
 We still have some “pockets of
resistance from teachers who do not
see the value in standards-based
teaching and learning, and
collaborative work.
 Provide small group instruction that focuses on
skill deficits, not just with special education
students. Include regular education students
and when you come together as a whole, more
students may be ready to go with new content.
 The whole school needs to look at all standards
together and create your own “power” list or a
priority list for your school.
 Focus on Critical Areas in CCSS-Math
 Hold a school discussion on most important
standards for each grade.
 CCSS power standards have already been
identified – stick with them.
 Collaborate as a region – network.
 Use www.teacherspayteachers.com as a
resource.
 Look at standards and create problems/questions
from those standards. Some examples are given
in the standard itself. Build/create off of
examples.
 Align assessment questions on Critical Areas in
Math. Use current curriculum to align with
CCSS-Math.
 Create a rubric that outlines what every “good”
assessment would include for the school to use.
(e.g., Lexile bands, length of text, number of
problems, types of questions)
 I am wondering if you are using short-cycle
assessment in grades K–2. This seemed to be
the motivator for this change. It is interesting
that I have the opposite problem. However, I
have a strong leader K–2 and weaker 3–5. I
would get a strong leader with the K–2 team and
have additional assessments to be able to bring
out the problem to the surface with data.
 PLC process – identify just a couple of specific
strategies to implement. Administrators should
observe and give feedback on those couple of
things.
 Provide more time for K–2 teachers to observe
the grade 3–5 classrooms where the shift has
occurred.
 Staff has to be monitored and accountable –
“What gets measured, gets done.” -Anonymous
5.
CONTINUED
 Need for increased CCSS buy-in
with K–2 teachers – I am seeing that
on the surface teachers are saying
they are aligned, but there has not
been a shift in instruction. Grade 3–
5 teachers are much more aligned
with the shift.
 We still have some “pockets of
resistance from teachers who do not
see the value in standards-based
teaching and learning, and
collaborative work.
 Provide professional development.
 Provide resources.
 Monitor and provide feedback to teachers on
implementation.
 Encourage teachers.
 You will always have a few teachers who do not
want to change. Perhaps in a group (staff)
setting, positive reasons why teachers should be
moving towards standards-based teaching can be
stated. Perhaps talking with the administrator
about solutions could help. It is really up to the
administrator at the school to ensure that all
teachers are doing what they are supposed to be
doing using tools such as observations, lesson
plans, and classroom visits.
 The school leadership needs to take a stand and
relay to everyone that this is what will take
place. Every teacher needs to look at all the
standards together, realize that is the job they are
to do, and agree to make the necessary steps to
get it done.
 Start with the end in mind (Sample PARCC test)
 The process of unpacking the standards is
important for ALL teachers to see what is
essential for their subject/grade level.
 All teachers and administrators have a stake in
this because our student’s test scores are tied to
evaluations.
 Let the data speak for itself. Driven by Data by
Paul Bambrick-Santoyo is a great book. Data
takes the “personality” out of the discussion –
you either nailed it or not.
 Use the observation tool to your advantage
looking for those changes. I have found teachers
start asking for help if not strong in a certain
area.
 We have found that focusing on data is the key.
You can’t argue with the results. If the students
are doing well they may not need as much
support, but if data shows they need more, start
discussions on why. (e.g., develop a PLC,
networking, etc)
 Provide professional development for these
teachers to see CCSS in action.
6.
Vertical alignment K–12
7.
Rigor of assessments [PARCC, End of
Course (EOC)]
8.
 Time/Substitute issues for release
for professional development
 Time for teachers to meet
 Arrange for vertical teams by district.
 Utilize inservice days for vertical alignment.
Partner with other districts in your area.
 Have two grade levels work together. (e.g., K–1
then 1–2, 2–3, etc.) Use other teachers to cover
classes to get the two grade levels together.
 Hold monthly vertical team meetings.
 Align common formative assessments to meet
the rigor.
 EOCs and PARCC will be your blueprint for
guaranteed standards.
 Provide early release days once a month.
 Find creative ways within your buildings to
cover for grade level groups to have time to
meet.
 Have a permanent sub in place to cover as
needed.
 If teachers are using common planning time to
tutor students, consider tutoring 2 days a week,
collaborate 2 days, and then alternate.
 Provide instruction for teachers on how to
collaborate.
 Value the importance of PLC time. Honor the
purpose and why it was set up. Administration
needs to reinforce the focus of this time.
 I believe this requires a common prep in the
schedule. Administration needs to attend, but
teachers should lead.
 Have an enrichment period once per week.
Bring in ancillary staff, parents, and volunteers.
Have them teach things lost in curriculum today
– art, cooking, sewing, drama, health, finances,
etc. Then have teachers collaborate at this time
both vertically and horizontally.
 The high school principal at our school designed
the schedule so that the ELA teachers share the
same prep periods, the math teachers also share a
common prep period, etc. It is an administrative
problem that needs to be solved at that level.
 High school – meet at lunch once a month and
administration plans an assembly schedule once
a month to meet at 11:00.
Jr. High – all have a common prep
Elementary – once every two weeks the PE
teacher takes an entire grade level to PE for 45
9.
Aligned K–5 math materials
(supplemental and core program)
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10.
 How do we shift from basal driven
to standards driven instruction?
 How to break away from teaching
from the text to using the CCSS
pacing guides at the high school
level?
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minutes so that grade level can meet.
Check out Engage New York at
www.engageny.org
o Common Core Curriculum & Assessments
o Common Core Curriculum
o Mathematics Curriculum Modules
o Select grades PreK to 5 Math Curriculum
Map
Houghton Mifflin
Math in Focus-Singapore Math
Accelerated Math
Look for essential standards for each grade.
Pick 5 prerequisite standards for the grade above
and below.
Probes within Discovery assessment if that is
used as your short cycle assessment
Core program – envision Math
Use many concrete, pictorial uses before the
abstract.
Examine the alignment of your core basal
reading program with the CCSS.
Understand that the core basal reading programs
still provide a research-based scope and
sequence for teaching young children to read.
While perhaps not explicitly stated in the CCSS,
all of the prerequisite foundational skills still
need to be in place for young children to learn to
read. By not utilizing a core basal reading
program in the early grades providing the
evidence-based scope and sequence, there is a
risk of incidental learning and a chance for
struggling readers to miss key building block
skills.
Implementing a core basal reading program with
fidelity does not mean that teachers must teach
page by page. Core basal reading programs are
designed to differentiate instruction for students.
To effectively address the critical thinking skills
required in the CCSS, know that the following
resources will need to be brought in to
supplement the core basal reading instruction:
o More informational text – bring in
nonfiction text selections for use along with
the narrative topic provided in the basal
o Supplement with text dependent questions
addressing critical thinking skills –
10. CONTINUED
 How do we shift from basal driven
to standards driven instruction?
 How to break away from teaching
from the text to using the CCSS
pacing guides at the high school
level?
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11. Creating ELA assessments that are
accurate, reliable, and of a length that
students can handle without frustration
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requiring students to find evidence in the
text to answer the questions
o Ensure exposure to complex text.
o Revise the basal writing prompts to be textdependent writing prompts requiring
students to compare/contrast texts- this
aligns to PARCC (e.g., Write a brief essay
comparing how the main characters’
personality traits changed from the
beginning to the end of the text in “Text A”
and “Text B”.
Resources: Provide copies of Daily 5 by Gail
Boushey and Joan Moser, Readicide by Kelly
Gallagher, and The Book Whisperer by Donalyn
Miller.
Make time for teachers to collaborate.
Identify essential standards and where you want
to be and build backward from there.
Provide professional development on integrating
other sources available to teachers to use besides
the textbook.
Utilize PARCC samples and identify any weak
areas.
Utilize data from short cycle assessments to
identify problem areas.
Begin with existing assessments – for example,
we use Reading Street K–5. Assess the
benchmark weekly assessments making
modifications if necessary, removing questions,
adding a question, etc. This seems to be a less
daunting task for teachers than reinventing the
wheel.
Develop common formative assessments as a
team that assess specific learning targets that all
teachers teach.
Discovery probes might be a starting point.
Generic graphic organizers
Agree on the same complex text to measure
(short, but Lexile appropriate).
Unpack the standards and plan backwards from
assessments.
Good model – Understanding by Design by
Grant Wiggins
12. Not enough instructional time is
available due to focus on data (AR,
STAR, MAP, Compass, Lexia, DIBELS
Next)
13. Computer programs to teach students
 Understand that data is used outside of
instructional time. If it is not, then the staff
needs to have a discussion about it.
 Use data to drive instruction.
 End of year assessments are based on standards.
Know the standards and teach the standards.
 Evaluate your assessment’s validity. Does your
assessment help you drive instruction?
 Concentrate on a norm-referenced assessment
vs. adaptive assessments.
 Consider backing off on the amount of time
spent on Accelerated Reader to free up
instructional time.
 Computer programs are not intended for primary
(core) instruction. They should be used for
intervention reinforcement, practice, etc.