Un-Common Core Considerations for Christian SchoolsLEA NAC

February 15, 2014Dr. Michael Uden

Do you remember where you were when…?(The power of context, collective culture, memory, and meaning)

History• The Common Core State Standards Initiative is an education

initiative in the United States that details what K-12 students should know in language arts and mathematics at the end of each grade.

• The initiative, launched in 2009, is sponsored by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). CCSS seeks to establish consistent education standards across the states as well as ensure that students graduating from high school are college and career ready.

• A significant majority of the U.S. states are members of the CCSS Initiative, with the states of Texas, Virginia, Alaska, and Nebraska not adopting the initiative at a state level. Minnesota has adopted the English Language Arts standards but not the Mathematics standards.

The CCSS could stand for

ConservativesCondemn

State Standards

Controversy• Secretary of Education Duncan has complained that CCSS opponents are “fringe

groups” who make “outlandish claims” about “really wacky stuff” such as “mind control, robots, and biometric brain mapping.”

• Yet there are substantive critiques from all corners: • Catholic scholars say the standards are not rigorous enough. • Early childhood experts say they demand too much. • Liberals complain the Common Core opens the door to excessive testing. • Conservatives complain it opens the door to federal influence in local schools. • Teachers don’t like the new textbooks. • Parents don’t like the new homework.

• Some critics suggest the CCSS assessments are designed to make public schools look so bad that parents everywhere will rush to embrace charter schools, cyber schools, vouchers and other models that turn public education over to private entrepreneurs.

(http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/arne-duncan-common-core-comment-99987.html#ixzz2tMYsS1Bk)

• What is lost? What cannot be quantified? CCSS strongly emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, and many dissenting opinions regarding CCSS provide us with ample opportunity to think critically: http://www.hybridpedagogy.com/page-two/mmdu-prefer/

DISCLAIMER:

I am not a CCSS Zombie,nor do I play one on t.v.

• It is akin to “The Affordable Health Care Act”

• How can we be diligent consumers and practitioners?

• How do we stay true to our Christian ideals and beliefs?

Christian Considerations

May we share and work toward a

common vision?

…Or, does it need to be a lockstep march

with blinders?

Christian Considerations

We can be a common corps of believers through the power of the Holy Spirit!

Christian Considerations

As a Lutheran school, you may be able to indicate that your school is not bound by the CCSS, and in fact, routinely addresses

and surpasses those standards. Yet many of you recognize that some of your

parents are asking about CCSS and how your school “does that” or “measures up.”

Unless we make conscious decisions to do otherwise…

We teach like we were taught.

We teach like we like to be taught.

Ready for a CORE Workout?

“A capacity, and taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been

discovered by others. It is the key, or one of the keys, to the already solved problems.

And not only so. It gives a relish, and facility, for successfully pursuing the [yet]

unresolved ones.”

-Abraham Lincoln

Clear and precise instruction for ALL

0What is it we want our students to learn?0How will we know if each student learned it?0How will we respond when some students do not

learn it?0How can we extend and enrich learning for those who

have demonstrated proficiency?

0RAZOR LIKE PRECISION!!

CCSS – FOCUS and Prioritize

0Different design and expectations from the standards of the past

0Rigor has increased tremendously:Many assess the CCSS to be 1+ grade level ahead of previous expectations

0 Implementation is a process – not a checklist/opportunity for us to learn

CCSS Design

0ELA Categories:0Reading Literature0Reading Informational0Foundational Skills (k-5)0Writing0Speaking and Listening0Language

Eight Extreme Shifts in ELA/Literacy

0 Balancing Informational and Literary Text (PK-5)

0 Building Knowledge in the Content Area Disciplines (6-12)

0 Staircase of Complexity

0 Text-based Answers

0 Writing from Sources

0 Academic Vocabulary

0 Focusing on Technology Based Genres of Text

0 The Student-Centered Classroom

Six Seismic Shifts in Mathematics

0Focus

0Coherence

0Fluency

0Deep Understanding

0Applications

0Dual Intensity

Research

Doug Reeves’ research on writing

0 “Get you kids writing non-fiction daily”

0 “Evidence clearly shows writing improves all academic subject areas …including math.”

0 “ great comprehension gains made from summary writing on any reading/learning”

What kinds of writing? www.leadandlearn.com

0Every student /entire writing process/ 1x each marking period

0Focus on expository and persuasive rather than creative0Model!0Tight focus on few priority conventions0Teach combining sentences

WRITING =‘s THINKING

Linda Hoyt, Reaching new heights with nonfiction writing

AuthenticityPurpose Expectations

Reading/Writing – reciprocal processes * UK expectations

Power Writes : Short bursts of writing in every subject, every day! – Goal: last 5min of every class

A Little Brain Research from Cindy Middendorf – trained by Eric Jensen

0 It takes 6 weeks for the primary student brain to confirm the location is a safe place.

0Movement builds a better brain0Crossing the mid-line

0Stretching0Pat yourself on the back0Knee slaps0ABC’s

0We need to teach to each student in order to engage their brains – ONE size DOES NOT fit ALL

DRAFT: Components of Erin School Writing Instruction

• Process• 6 traits

• Strength based feedback• Conferring regularly• Timely written feedback

• Student choice• Curriculum based

• Writer’s Workshop• Avg. 60 minutes per day• structured/unstructured• writing

Lesson Structure Content

CraftFeedback

Curriculum Decisions to date0Story Town Basal Purchased as a resource for 2-5 –

( modified)0WORDS Their WAY – 5k through Middle School0Writer’s Notebook started grades 2-80Writer’s Workshop – 4k-8 starting next year0Daily 5, Guided Reading, or Reader’s Workshop – 0Columbia Assessments K-8 – implemented0Grammar focus for each written piece aligned from

CCSS ( in progress)0Literacy Links – 4k-2 with phonemic awareness

screener

Stop, collaborate, and listen.

Robert Van Winkle, 20th century philosopher

Increase/Decrease – Choose/Chat

+ All writing should have authentic purpose and authentic audience-decrease students writing to prompts

+ Student choice and ownership of topic-decrease – assigning specific topics to students

+Students ability to brainstorm draft a piece their own way-decrease assigning specific (or any?) graphic organizers as kids

mature

Balanced Literacy Framework - DRAFT

Whole Group Instruction: Definition/Purpose: During this time

teachers model reading and writing strategies and expose ALL students to on-grade-level reading materials and learning targets.

What does this look like?Common comprehension strategiesConcepts of printPhonemic awarenessIntro. of specific content, genre or skillRead aloudsShared reading using trade books and/or

the basal…

Independent Reading/Individual Instruction:

Independent reading time can occur as a whole class or during literacy centers. In addition, each grade level assigns reading time at home.

Guided Reading/Workshop:Definition/Purpose: Guided Reading/Workshop time is the portion of the

literacy block where students are placed into small groups in which the teacher completes instruction based on a skill set and/or comprehension strategies.

During Guided Reading students are exposed to text at their instructional level for the majority of the time. Instructional level is that where miscues are minimal and comprehension is satisfactory; generally where the level of challenge is appropriate.

 Small groups are formed based on reading levels, interests or strategy work.

These groups are flexible and might change throughout the year. During Guided Reading the teacher meets with every reader at least 3 times

per week. It is our goal to meet with struggling readers daily. Guided Reading time also includes formal and informal running records, anecdotal notes, and individual conferences.

 While teachers meet with small groups; students work independently on

literacy based activities. These activities include: independent reading, paired reading, listening to reading, word work, writing and computer supported activities.

Christian Considerations

The CCSS presents great opportunities for critical thinking,

apologetics, and sharing ideas (and the Good News)

with a broader audience

The term “staircase” is used to describe the CCSS because there are two major

instances in which the level of complexity and sophistication rises: (1) within each of the standards themselves and (2) in the texts used to teach those

standards.

Allyn, P. (2013). Be core ready: powerful, effective steps to implementing and achieving the Common Core State Standards. Boston: Pearson.

A Stairway: Twelve steps for a school leader

relative to the CCSS

Step/Change #1: Culture0The principal is key to the success of any

curricular endeavor.

0An effective administrator accounts for 25% of a school’s impact on student gains while teacher effectiveness accounts for 33% (NAESP, 2013)

0Schools with effective cultures0 Converse0 Collaborate0 Build trust0 Empower teachers, especially early

adopters and critical mass0 Differentiate professional development

Step/Change #2: Literacy Instruction

0 Schoolwide, cross-content literacy is imperative in the CCSS.

0 Students (1) engage

with complex text (2) extract and employ evidence (3) build knowledge

0Conduct a data retreat to establish literacy baseline for school

0Balance the time spent writing with the time spent learning how to write

Step/Change #3:Text Complexity and Informational Text

0The word “text” and its variations represents 19% of the total words in the CCSS compared to less than 1% on former state standards.

0Text complexity has increased within the grade levels, and much more informational (nonfiction) text is used

0Teachers must become very familiar and well read in children’s literature. They must examine quantitative measures (Lexile scores) of a text as well as qualitative measures. For example, is To Kill a Mockingbird a fifth-grade novel?

Step/Change #4: Close Reading and Text-Based Response

0Building close reading skills in all students is one of the ultimate goals of the CCSS, and it is a skill most likely assessed through writing.

0The CCSS emphasizes “text-based answers,” which means that students must both carefully read and cite specific evidence to support their interpretations and assertions about a text.

Some are concerned that scripted curriculum will create teacher drones.

Consider, instead, the magnitude of this change, especially for mid-career teachers accustomed to a different paradigm.

Like a student teacher, once the strategies and processes become more familiar, the teacher will not be as connected to or dependent upon the ready-made curriculum material.

Various states allow varying degrees of autonomy and latitude, even among non-public schools.

Step/Change #5: Writing Across Content Areas

0 The CCSS aspires to create a “literacy rich” environment in which reading and writing are a shared responsibility of all teachers.

0 Teachers must be better prepared to teach writing.

0 Students will continue to write narratives, but they will also write informative and argumentative works. By 12th grade, the latter two may comprise 80% of all writing done by students.

Step/Change #6: Mathematics Instruction

0CCSS is a departure from the mile wide and inch deep criticism, particularly in mathematics.

0Didactic instruction and rote practice needs to be replaced with contextualized, relevant work.

0According to an ACHIEVE survey, 41% of American teachers believed that innate intelligence was more important than studying hard.

0Resnick & Dweck’s research has demonstrated that work and effort create ability. Success in mathematics is no different.

Step/Change #7: Student Engagement and Collaboration

“Students are engaged when they are actively interacting with the teacher or other students in relation to the content of the lesson.” - Anita Archer

School leaders should0Work with the school leadership team

to develop a definition of student engagement;

0Develop classroom protocols which encourage engagement.

0Construct a plan to teach collaborative skills to students schoolwide.

Step/Change #8: Instructional Time

School leaders directly control three variables in teaching and learning:

Time, Setting, Methods

Increasing quality instructional time may offer the most immediate gains in student achievement.

CCSS encourages teachers to teach “bell to bell.”

Step/Change #9: Create-and-Learn vs. Sit-and-Get

Beyond “knowing” an answer, in the CCSS system, students should be able to create an answer, make claims, and produce evidence from text to support their claims.

More frequent checks for understanding

Targeted proportions of teacher talk to student work

e.g. Mini lessons in writers’ workshop

Step/Change #10: Professional Learning

“The dramatic shift in teaching prompted by the common core will require practical, intensive, and ongoing professional development—not one of ‘spray and pray’ training that exposes everyone to the same material and hopes that some of it sticks.” - Stephanie Hirsh

Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching and Teachscape Assessment System

Step/Change #11: Assessment

0Both PARCC (The Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers)

and SMARTER Balanced Assessment are being used with CCSS

0How does one ensure that informal formative assessment does not get lost in the shuffle?

Step/Change #12: Technology Integration

0The CCSS departs from traditional technology instruction because technology is integrated throughout the standards. It is not perceived as a separate subject but rather as a vehicle for core subjects.

0Technology is fully integrated with CCSS summative assessments, too.

ResourcesLCMS = Low Cost Makes Sense!

The Reading and Writing Project(Teachers College Columbia University)http://readingandwritingproject.com/

The Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austinhttp://www.utdanacenter.org/pre-kindergarten-12-education/common-core-state-standards/

The TN-Core Common Core Standardshttp://www.tncore.org/

Firsthand: Units of Study (Calkins, Heinemann Publisher)http://www.unitsofstudy.com/writing-grade-by-grade/

ResourcesFive Close Reading Strategies to Support the Common Corehttp://iteachicoachiblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/five-simple-close-reading-strategies.html

Illustrative Mathematicshttp://www.illustrativemathematics.org/

Implementing the Common Core Standards: the Role of the Elementary School Leader. http://www.achieve.org/publications/implementing-common-core-state-standards-role-elementary-school-leader-action-brief

No Red Inkhttps://www.noredink.com/

Wrege, T. W. (2013). Common core implementation checklist for Lutheran schools.

ResourcesAllyn, P. (2013). Be core ready: powerful, effective steps to implementing and achieving the common core state standards. Boston: Pearson.

Kalina, J. Director of Curriculum and Instruction and middle-school principalErin School DistrictHartford, WI

Uden, M.Dean, School of Education, Concordia University Wisconsinmichael.uden@cuw.edu EmailMichael_Uden Twitterhttp://www.udenportfolio.wordpress.com Online Vitae

Un-Common Core Considerations for Christian Schools

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June 16 – 18, 2014Concordia University Wisconsin

• Designed for school administrators & teachers

• Hands-on opportunities to experience and develop CCSS assessments in grade-level teams

• Discount for registrations received prior to May 15

• Workshop participation may be used toward EDGP or EDG credits for licensure renewal and/or a graduate degree