This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Neal D. Finkelstein, Jennifer Smith, Nicholas H. Wasserman, Bruce Vandal, Michelle Stephan, Rebecca R. Perry, Elizabeth Burr, Phil Daro, Council of Chief State School Officers, and Claude Goldenberg.
(2012). Teaching Common Core Math Practices to Students with Disabilities, Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals. The widespread adoption of the Common Core State Standards (2010) has caused mathematics and special educators to reconsider instructional methods. The Common Core introduces eight Standards for Mathematical Practice that outlines the dispositions that should be fostered in students. Most notable are those that push students to analyze problems, create a solution, explain/prove their reasoning to others and critique other students' methods. Although direct instruction has been the primary approach advocated in working with students who have disabilities, this approach tends to teach basic skill proficiency with less emphasis on the problem solving advocated in the Common Core. In this paper, we use examples from our own teaching to offer an alternative to direct instruction for special education teachers who are moving into mathematics or co-teaching, an approach that has the potential for fostering the disposition advocated in the Common Core State Standards. [More] Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Common Core State Standards, Special Education, Disabilities
(2014). Oakland and San Francisco Create Course Pathways through Common Core Mathematics. White Paper, Strategic Education Research Partnership. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M) set rigorous standards for each of grades 6, 7 and 8. Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP) has been working with two school districts, Oakland Unified School District and San Francisco Unified School District, to evaluate extant policies and practices and formulate new policies based on the CCSS-M shifts that promise to work better for students. This work has culminated in school board adoptions of new policies in both districts. This report focuses on the problems, solutions and designs that that have been found in the CCSS-M and can be of immediate use to other districts and states. [More] Descriptors: Common Core State Standards, Mathematics, Grade 6, Grade 7
(2012). Empowering Students with Digital Reading, District Administration. This article describes new digital reading products that are designed to improve aptitude, fulfill Common Core State Standards, provide unlimited access to online libraries, and bring 21st-century learning into the classroom. With a coming wave of the new products, school districts have various options to help bring 21st-century learning into the classroom. Some teachers and librarians say that digital reading products can personalize learning for struggling students and help interest young readers in nonfiction books, which are a major component in the Common Core State Standards Initiative designed to strengthen current state standards. As school districts across the country struggle under the weight of budget cuts, however, school administrators will need to be creative in finding funding sources. [More] Descriptors: Childrens Literature, School Districts, Electronic Learning, Handheld Devices
(2013). Implementing the Common Core State Standards: State Spotlights. As of the 2012-2013 school year, over 20 states have formally moved to the Common Core State Standards being used as the learning expectations for all students across the state, and the remainder will be doing so in the 2014-2015 school year. This document highlights state initiatives that are supporting Common Core implementation in the following areas: (1) Communication and Engagement; (2) System alignment and systems change; and (3) Educator supports. The Common Core State Standards will impact student learning through improvements in instruction and clarity of purpose between educators, students, and parents. Once implemented, the standards will result in more students having the powerful, engaging, and challenging learning experiences that prepare them for success in college and career. The next year of Common Core implementation is critical not only because of the ongoing process of enactment but also because of the release of the next generation assessments. Additionally, critics of the Common Core State Standards are becoming more forceful requiring states to enhance their communication, stakeholder engagement, system alignment, and educator and student support systems. The following spotlights are offered to: (1) provide resources and examples of states enacting successful communication campaigns; and (2) provide all states with quick access to sample practices they can quickly and easily review. It is hoped that this document can serve as a resource and will facilitate ongoing networking between states, districts, educators, and parents. This is intended to be a quick reference document to support the sharing of innovative practices and lessons learned. Examples are fluid and were chosen based on quality and accessibility of information via the web. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Stakeholders, Educational Change, Academic Standards
(2015). Classroom Observations: Documenting Shifts in Instruction for Districtwide Improvement. Formative Evaluation Cycle Report for the Math in Common Initiative, Volume 2, WestEd. Math in Common® (MiC) is a five-year initiative that supports a formal network of 10 California school districts as they implement the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSS-M) across grades K-8. This research brief explores how best to select or develop and use classroom observation systems in order to document instructional shifts and inform MiC school district improvement efforts. The report is organized into three main sections: (1) An exploration of what the research literature says about existing observation systems and several design considerations for successful observation systems; (2) A detailed discussion of several considerations of these findings for school districts as they implement observation systems in order to better track and understand how teachers are implementing the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics in their classrooms; (3) An annotated bibliography for recent publications on classroom observations that might be of interest to school districts interested in exploring these ideas in more depth. The following are appended: (1) Methods for Annotated Bibliography; and (2) Classroom Observation Analysis Tool. [For Volume 1, "Under Construction: Benchmark Assessments and Common Core Math Implementation in Grades K-8. Formative Evaluation Cycle Report for the Math in Common Initiative, Volume 1," see ED559581.] [More] Descriptors: Classroom Observation Techniques, School Districts, Educational Improvement, Instructional Innovation
(2012). The Right Equation for Math Teaching, Principal. Full implementation of the Common Core State Standards for mathematics is still a few years away for many states. But district and school leaders are faced with many decisions now–from curriculum adoption to teacher professional development–that will influence the long-term effectiveness of this bold initiative. School leaders have a significant task in front of them, as they are key agents in ensuring that the Common Core fulfills its promise of transforming mathematics teaching and learning across the country. To lead an effective adoption of the standards, they need to know why a Common Core approach is different from what existed before, what mathematics instruction should look like, and how to support teachers throughout the implementation phase. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematical Practice require a new method of teaching. The authors suggest what to look for in your classrooms. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Teaching Methods, Mathematics Instruction, Mathematics Education
(2011). Understanding Common Core State Standards, ASCD. Now that the Common Core standards are coming to just about every school, what every school leader needs is a straightforward explanation that lays out the benefits of the Common Core in plain English, provides a succinct overview, and gets everyone thinking about how to transition to this promising new paradigm. This handy, inexpensive booklet helps you get everyone in your school community–teachers, parents, and other stakeholders–up to speed. Circulating multiple copies throughout your school will provide an overview of the new standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics, highlighting their key aspects. Plus, there are numerous suggestions on transition activities for teachers and districts to consider, including: (1) Creating a Crosswalk, which compares the content of the Common Core with your current standards; (2) Developing transition documents that support deeper understanding of the Common Core standards by using current standards as a bridge; and (3) Taking the longer view of implementing the Common Core systemically. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Core Curriculum, Educational Policy, Mathematics Education
(2014). Tell Me so I Can Hear: A Development Approach to Feedback and Collaboration, Journal of Staff Development. Feedback plays an important role in education. New teacher and principal evaluation systems, the Common Core State Standards, and Race to the Top initiatives, among others, underscore the critical importance of giving and receiving meaningful, actionable, and effective feedback to colleagues regardless of their roles in schools. A developmental approach to feedback can shed new light on the important work of educational leaders and feedback scholars across different disciplines and fields. A new approach to feedback, called feedback for growth, intentionally differentiates feedback so that adults, who make meaning in qualitatively different ways, can best hear it, learn from it, take it in, and improve their instructional and leadership practice. [More] Descriptors: Feedback (Response), Cooperation, Teacher Evaluation, Administrator Evaluation
(2012). The Devil and Daniel's Spreadsheet, Mathematics Teacher. "When making mathematical models, technology is valuable for varying assumptions, exploring consequences, and comparing predictions with data," notes the Common Core State Standards Initiative (2010, p. 72). This exploration of the recursive process in the Devil and Daniel Webster problem reveals that the symbolic spreadsheet fits this bill. Indeed, the scope of this technology reaches far beyond the study of such processes into other areas of the high school curriculum. It puts more powerful mathematics within the reach of all students. Most important, it can help teachers create opportunities for students to engage in experimentation, sense making, reasoning, and problem solving, thereby achieving the vision of technology and the mathematical practices called for in "Focus in High School Mathematics" and in the NCTM [National Council of Teachers of Mathematics] and Common Core State Standards. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Prediction, Mathematical Models, Secondary School Curriculum
(2014). Striking a Balance: Students' Tendencies to Oversimplify or Overcomplicate in Mathematical Modeling, Journal of Mathematics Education at Teachers College. With the adoption of the "Common Core State Standards for Mathematics" (CCSSM), the process of mathematical modeling has been given increased attention in mathematics education. This article reports on a study intended to inform the implementation of modeling in classroom contexts by examining students' interactions with the process of creating mathematical models and analyzing the types of models so generated. Results indicate students' tendencies to oversimplify or overcomplicate the modeling process. Implications of the study are discussed, especially for understanding which aspects of the modeling cycle might be most helpful for teachers to focus on in order to develop students' modeling abilities. [More] Descriptors: Mathematical Models, Common Core State Standards, Mathematics Education, Curriculum Implementation
(2012). The Common Core Challenge for ELLs, Principal Leadership. The new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) currently being rolled out in 46 states give little specific acknowledgement of the challenges for English language learners (ELLs). The introduction to the CCSS states that identifying the supports needed to help ELLs (or any other population of students) is "beyond the scope of the Standards". The Common Core State Standards do not fully address how to serve language minority students, but there are best practices that ensure that students will meet the requirements. There is research that can be used as the basis for helping promote high levels of content and language learning among ELLs. Drawing broadly on this research, the authors suggest guidelines in this article. These guidelines vary with respect to how much research support they have; some are based on research in the general education literature rather than research specifically with ELLs. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Second Language Learning, Guidelines, English (Second Language)
(2014). States and the (Not So) New Standards–Where Are They Now? State Academic Standards: Activity around the Common Core, Education Commission of the States. States began adopting the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in 2010 after they were launched by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association. Five years later, policymakers in numerous states continue to debate the Common Core and related elements, such as how to assess the standards. This brief provides a sampling of state legislative activity and executive branch action around the CCSS through Sept. 1, 2014. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list; rather, it is narrowly focused on the single issue of state affirmation, modification or replacement of the Common Core. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, State Legislation, State Policy, State Action
(2012). Helping Children Become More Knowledgeable through Text, Reading Teacher. With the adoption of the Common Core State Standards, curriculum resources are shifting from an emphasis on literary texts to a greater focus on informational texts. Although we need to understand the intention of these new Common Core State Standards, and the important drive toward greater content knowledge for all students, we must be wary of the pendulum shifting too far in one direction. Content-rich instruction is important at all grade levels, and there are many different types of texts that can support it. Text sets that include challenging and informational content using multiple genre on a common topic can support students' developing knowledge networks, reading skills and content-area learning. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Reading Skills, Reading Instruction, Children
(2012). Riding the Storm out: Developmental Education Reform as a Key Component of Common Core Implementation. The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center Affinity Network Background Paper, College Board Advocacy & Policy Center. The Common Core State Standards provide a unique opening for K-12 and higher education institutions to work together to ensure that high school students are better prepared for postsecondary education. The college and career readiness assessments will provide educators the opportunities to intervene with students while still in high school to maximize the likelihood that students will be college ready. The assessments can also open the door to a more nuanced assessment system that considers a variety of variables that can help predict student success in college-level courses. In addition, the standards provide a platform for collaborative work to create clear curricular pathways so students can enter their programs of choice. To assist states with their preparations for the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and the assessments, the author offers several suggestions on how to meet the needs of students who are assessed below college ready. [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, State Standards, Educational Change, Elementary Secondary Education
(2012). A Common Core of Readiness, Educational Leadership. The common core state standards, which have now been adopted by 46 states and the District of Columbia, were designed around the goal of ensuring college and career readiness for all students. In this article, Rothman discusses research showing that a large proportion of U.S. high school graduates are ill-prepared to succeed in college or a career. He describes how the common core state standards were developed to address this problem. With their greater focus on such important college and workplace skills as informational writing and comprehension of complex text, he asserts, the new standards represent an important first step in redefining basic education and advancing both equity and excellence. [More] Descriptors: Core Curriculum, State Standards, Alignment (Education), Goal Orientation