Common Core for Administrators

Maureen Cohen

Assistant Principal

Grafton High School

March 2013

@GHSAPrincipal

Maureenmcohen@blogspot.com

How much do you know about the new ELA standards?

Activator----Raise your fingers 5,3,1,0

5---I have a thorough understanding

3--- I have some understanding

1-- I know very little

0--I don’t know anything

Students need to be college ready… not just complete high school

Demonstrate independence

Build strong content knowledge

Respond to varying demands of audience, task purpose, and discipline

Comprehend and critique

Value evidence

Use technology strategically

Understand other perspectives

A Fast Timeline

June 2009Beginning of CCSS Initiative

March 2010

K-12 Draft Released for Public Comment

June 2010

Formal Release of K-12 CCSS

Dec 2011

46 Adopted CCSS

2014-2015

CCSS Assessments

Implementation is NOW!

2 Types of PARCC AssessmentsPerformance-Based

Assessment (75% of the school year)

1. Research Simulation

2. Literary Analysis

3. Narrative task

4. ---Read one or more texts, answer short comprehension/vocab questions, and write an essay to draw evidence.

End of Year Assessment (90% of the school year)

1. Include 4-5 texts, both literary and informational (including social science/scientific/technical)

2. Short-answer comprehension and vocab questions

Number of Testing Sessions

PBA 5 Sessions

3 ELA/Literacy

2 Math

20 Days to administer

Min requirement: 1 device for every two students

EOY 4 Sessions

2 ELA/Literacy

2 Math

20 Days to administer

Min requirement: 1 device for every two students

Length of Tests

Table Talk: What are the Key ELA Shifts

Key Shifts….

Key ELA Shifts

Six Instructional Shifts in ELA/Literacy

1. Balancing Informational and Literacy Texts…Increase in Informational Texts2. Building Knowledge in the Disciplines…Content Area teachers also responsible for CC instruction3. Staircase of ComplexityMoving students towards college level texts4. Text-Based AnswersEvidence drawn from the text5. Writing from SourcesArgumentative writing, multiple perspectives, less personal narrative6. Academic VocabularyFocus on commonly found words and less esoteric literary terms

ELA StandardsDesign and Organization

ELA

Reading

Writing

Speaking and Listening

Language

Reading Strand

Critical Reading….is a way of looking at a book and ANALYZING what the author is saying and THE METHODS the AUTHOR (and illustrator) are using to communicate a MESSAGE or IDEA.

Your analysis is complete when you have formed YOUR OWN INTERPRETATIONS of the author’s intentions.”

Writing Strand

80% of student writing by senior year—

argument, informational/explana

tory text

Nonfiction writing: short and more

substantial formal writing projects

Value—growing analytical thinkers and

critical consumers

Increase Focus on Argumentative Writing

Claims

Evidence

Logic

Critical Thinking

Multiple Viewpoints

Increased Focus on Informational Writing

Craftsmanship

Evidence

Synthesizing Details

Critical Thinking

Organized Structure

Speaking/Listening Strand

Comprehension and

collaboration

Evaluate Speaker’s Point

of View

Presentation of knowledge and

ideas

Student proficiency as using media and visual display to enhance

understanding

BIG CHANGES

Teachers have to teach differently, therefore principals have to lead differently

Kotter’s 8 Steps to Leading Change

Partners---Obstacles to Change

Start Today with School Culture

Frequent conversations focused on learning

Collaborative culture—centered on student learning and reflective inquiry

Build trust—shared decision-making, frequent visits to classrooms

Grow leaders—many tasks…require many leaders

School Leader’s To Do List

Assess Readiness for PARCC (tech)

Create CC Committees of Teacher Leaders

Unpack standards

Alignment of Curriculum

Create and communicate vision for change (both short-term and long-term)

Build Capacity with PD

Evaluate Progress

Assessing Alignment

Content Alignment• Compare state standards

with the Common Core

Rigor• Are the state standards at

the same level of rigor as Common Core

Progression• Do the state standards

address the Common Core at the same grade level

Step 2: School-wide Changes

Writing across Content Areas

Literacy Initiatives

Close Reading and Text-Based

Response

Text Complexity/ Informational

TextsBell-to-Bell Student

Engagement

Instructional Strategies: Reading

Vocab

Introduce Vocabulary Acquisition Strategies to teachers

Active Reading

Teach active reading strategies to teachers and students.Annotation Skills.

Text Complexity

Expose students to increasing text complexity—compare/contrast/analyze. Primary sources.

Instructional Strategies: Writing

Increase informational writing in every discipline at every grade level.

Use of Common Writing Rubric

Teach students to use textual evidence to support arguments

Increase short and long research assignments across disciplines

Instructional Strategies: Speaking

Use of mutli-modal presentation tools and

infused with technology

Authentic Experiences and Audiences--

School-wide use of speaking rubric

Variety of opportunities—informal discussions

and formal presentations

Speaking Skills

Classroom Observations: What to look for?

Engaged Students

Close Reading and Writing

Higher-Order Thinking and Questions

Real-World Applications

Writing Across All Disciplines

Student Centered Classrooms

Use of Evidence

Demonstration of Speaking Skills

Multiple Viewpoints

Your Plan of Action