The Critical Elements of Common Core Instruction
Understanding the conceptual shifts from standards-based instruction, to
Common Core State Standards-based instruction, directly affects not only
our instructional activities but also the way we plan for effective
instruction. The shifts of Focus, Rigor and Coherence move teacher’s goals
of teaching facts and repeated operations to teaching to understanding
incorporating high-level tasks and assessments evaluated on the basis of
their Cognitive Rigor. In order to accomplish these goals, there are
specific critical elements that are required to plan for appropriate
instruction. Let’s examine these critical elements of common core lesson
planning.
Focus standard and supporting standards: There are far fewer standards at
each grade level consequently, planning to teach these standards will not
be a one day lesson but a unit/multiday lesson. Each plan will center on a
single focus standard and a number of supporting standards needed to build
understanding of the “big ideas” of the standard and the connections to
past and future conceptual learning. Equally important are the
mathematical practice standards that will be incorporated into the
instructional process to aid in reaching a deeper level of understanding.
In working to identify the learning objectives related to the standard it
is critical to include supports for the linguistic demands of the lesson
as well as. This can be accomplished by creating a language object with
linguistic supports and the identification of specific academic language
that needs to be learned and used to demonstrate understanding of the
content.
Enduring Understandings: the “big Ideas” that are intended to be made
clear by the end of covering the instruction of this standard. What
conceptual category and domains in mathematics does this standard address?
And, what central understanding will the students have when proficient is
exhibited on this work?
Essential Questions and Guiding Questions: The Essential Questions are the
overarching questions that will be answered in understanding the described
content of this focus standard. Students’ ability to answer the essential
question will help determine their level of understanding of the content.
The Guiding Questions are preplanned questions that will be used to guide
students’ process of making meaning of the material. It is critical that
teachers don’t necessarily answer students’ inquiries with a response but
rather use guiding questions to lead them to learning. Teachers can
anticipate during their planning the areas of greatest challenge for their
particular students and prepare these guiding questions to assist in their
instructional process.
Rigorous Task Selection: It is also essential that the work teachers
choose to utilize during their instructional process is chosen to support
the students’ deeper understanding of the concepts being addressed. The
Depth of Knowledge Levels developed by Norman Webb and explained further
by Sara Hess are guides to choosing cognitively rigorous tasks and student
activities. The numerous sources for vetted common core tasks and
assessments offer a varied bank to select from until such time as teachers
are comfortable developing their own. The tasks chosen should allow for
multiple entry points to the problems, different solution paths and ample
need for explanation (proof).
Barbara Jacobs ESC West Common Core Mathematics Support