This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Aran W. Glancy, Anne E. Adams, Tamara Moore, Angela Murphy Gardiner, Matthew N. Gaertner, Maria Blanton, Kevin G. McGrath, Julie L. Booth, Melissa Case, and Linda H. L. Furuto.
(2015). School Libraries and Innovation, Knowledge Quest. School library programs have measured success by improved test scores. But how do next-generation school libraries demonstrate success as they strive to be centers of innovation and creativity? These libraries offer solutions for school leaders who struggle to restructure existing systems built around traditional silos of learning (subjects and departments) and prescribed curricula that aim to cover content. The Common Core State Standards call for a shift from content to process, from memorization to problem-solving. School libraries can lead schools to embrace innovation, think outside the box, engage in interdisciplinary and community collaboration, embrace sudden learning opportunities, and address real-world problems. Innovative organizations "are ones that continually identify and adopt programs and practices, including the requisite organizational structures and cultures that help them better serve students" (Moreno, Luria, and Mojkowski 2013). This article chronicles an evidence based library redesign project of a public high school of 700 students. The Library Improvement Committee was formed, consisting of teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community members. The committee started with a common belief that the school library can and should improve student achievement and that new functions of the library would determine the design of the learning space. As part of the planning process, the committee imagined where the school library would be in five years and asked, "What do you see people doing in the school library?" [More] Descriptors: School Libraries, Innovation, Library Role, Library Services
(2015). Just Say Yes to Early Algebra!, Teaching Children Mathematics. Mathematics educators have argued for some time that elementary school students are capable of engaging in algebraic thinking and should be provided with rich opportunities to do so. Recent initiatives like the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) (CCSSI 2010) have taken up this call by reiterating the place of early algebra in children's mathematics education, beginning in kindergarten. Some might argue that early algebra instruction represents a significant shift away from arithmetic-focused content that has typically been taught in the elementary grades. To that extent, it is fair to ask, "Does early algebra matter?" That is, will teaching children to think algebraically in the elementary grades have an impact on their algebra understanding in ways that will potentially make them more mathematically successful in middle school and beyond? In this article, the authors share findings from a research project whose goal is to study the impact of a comprehensive early algebra curricular experience on elementary school students' algebraic thinking within a range of domains including generalized arithmetic, equivalence relations, functional thinking, variables, and proportional reasoning. The focus here is on the performance of third-grade students who participated in an early algebra intervention on a written assessment administered before and after instruction. The authors also discuss the strategies these students used to solve particular tasks and provide examples of the classroom activities and instructional strategies that they think supported the growth they saw in students' algebraic thinking. A bibliography is included. [More] Descriptors: Algebra, Mathematics Instruction, Elementary School Students, Elementary School Mathematics
(2015). A Worked Example for Creating Worked Examples, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School. Researchers have extensively documented, and math teachers know from experience, that algebra is a "gatekeeper" to more advanced mathematical topics. Students must have a strong understanding of fundamental algebraic concepts to be successful in later mathematics courses. Unfortunately, algebraic misconceptions that students may form or that deepen during middle school tend to follow them throughout their academic careers. In addition, the longer that a student holds a mathematical misconception, the more difficult it is to correct. Therefore, it is imperative that teachers attempt to address these algebraic misconceptions while students are still in middle school. One tool commonly used to do such a task is the combination of worked examples and self-explanation prompts. This article will describe not only the benefits of using this strategy but also how it connects to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) (CCSSI 2010). It will also provide instruction on creating worked-example and self-explanation problem sets for students. [More] Descriptors: Algebra, Mathematical Concepts, Fundamental Concepts, Misconceptions
(2015). Transformational Opportunities: Language and Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners in the Common Core Era in the United States, TESOL Journal. New demands of the Common Core State Standards imply instructional transformations for all classrooms in the United States, but teachers of students designated as English language learners (ELLs) are among those most likely to feel the impact in their daily professional lives. Language is an integral part of classroom learning in all subject areas, and this article addresses the new and special demands made by the English language arts Common Core Standards that are particularly relevant for the education of ELLs in mainstream and sheltered language arts and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classrooms. The authors propose three key reconceptualizations for teachers of ELLs in English language arts, outlining what is necessary to realize opportunities provided in the standards for these students' linguistic development and academic achievement. They illustrate these reconceptualizations with examples from an instructional unit that has been designed for linguistically diverse middle school Common Core classrooms and exemplifies subject-specific instructional practices that meet the needs of ELLs. [More] Descriptors: English Language Learners, Literacy, State Standards, Mainstreaming
(2015). Taking It to the Next Level: Students Using Inductive Reasoning, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School. Although discussions about inductive reasoning can be traced back thousands of years (Fitelson 2011), the implementation of the Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP) within the Common Core State Standards (CCSSI 2010) is generating renewed attention to how students learn mathematics. The third SMP, "Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others" (CCSSI 2010, p. 6), explicitly calls for mathematically proficient students to be able to reason inductively and be able to judge the validity of their conclusions. NCTM (2000, p. 16) also emphasizes that middle school students should be "proficient in using inductive and deductive reasoning appropriately." The development of these reasoning skills can help promote students' conceptual understanding, linking conceptual knowledge and procedural knowledge (Hiebert and Lefevre 1996; NCTM 2000). Hence, to align with national standards and promote conceptual understanding, middle school mathematics educators should provide ample opportunities for students to engage in inductive reasoning activities that can build to deductive reasoning. The series of tasks proposed in this article encourages students to reason inductively and uses problem solving with multiple representations, supported by current mathematics education standards (CCSSI 2010; NCTM 2000). Because the tasks are undergirded by science education inquiry, these tasks support recent STEM literacy initiatives, as well (Zollman 2012). [More] Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Secondary School Mathematics, Middle School Students, Mathematical Logic
(2015). Map It Then Write It, Science and Children. All writing begins with ideas, but young students often need visual cues to help them organize their thoughts before beginning to write. For this reason, many elementary teachers use graphic organizers or thinking maps to help students visualize patterns and organize their ideas within the different genres of writing. Graphic organizers such as thinking maps help students plan their writing and aid in organization. Research has shown that all students benefit from using graphic organizers, although some are better suited to particular writing tasks than others. As students become familiar with and comfortable using these organizers, they can easily be adapted for scientific writing. A summary of how these thinking maps are aligned to "Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy" and "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS) is presented. In this article, the authors share examples of how different thinking maps have been used for writing in science from kindergarten to second grade. They also discuss connections to NGSS core ideas and crosscutting concepts. [More] Descriptors: Elementary School Teachers, Elementary School Science, Instructional Materials, Science Instruction
(2015). Assessing for Learning, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School. Continual assessment of student understanding is a crucial aspect of teaching. The adoption of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) represents raised expectations for the level and depth of mathematical understanding that is expected of our students. But new standards also mean new tests. What those tests will be like is of concern for many: students, teachers, parents, and school administrators. Although various consortia and groups work on designing better assessments for accountability and reporting at the state and national levels, this article is concerned with improving assessment design and practice in the classroom. How can teachers design test items to meet the goals of CCSSM and assess deep mathematical understanding while also offering opportunities to learn? The authors present research-based strategies that use levels of mathematical cognition to design assessment items. These design strategies apply to such formative assessments as warm-ups; informal questioning; class discussions; problem sets incorporating practice, evaluation, and feedback; and summative assessment including unit tests, projects, and quizzes that are used to determine grades. CCSSM provides a common framework of learning goals; in this article, they we focus on one standard from seventh grade to illustrate the strategies. [More] Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Student Evaluation, Formative Evaluation, Summative Evaluation
(2015). Performance, Perseverance, and the Full Picture of College Readiness, Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice. Although college readiness is a centerpiece of major educational initiatives such as the Common Core State Standards, few systems have been implemented to track children's progress toward this goal. Instead, college-readiness information is typically conveyed late in a student's high-school career, and tends to focus solely on academic accomplishments–grades and admissions test scores. Late-stage feedback can be problematic for students who need to correct course, so the purpose of this research is to develop a system for communicating more comprehensive college-readiness diagnoses earlier in a child's K-12 career. This article introduces college-readiness indicators for middle-school students, drawing on the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS), a nationally representative longitudinal survey of educational inputs, contexts, and outcomes. A diversity of middle-school variables was synthesized into six factors: achievement, behavior, motivation, social engagement, family circumstances, and school characteristics. Middle-school factors explain 69% of the variance in college readiness, and results suggest a variety of factors beyond academic achievement–most notably motivation and behavior–contribute substantially to preparedness for postsecondary study. The article concludes with limitations and future directions, including the development of college-readiness categories to support straightforward communication of middle-school indicators to parents, teachers, and students. [More] Descriptors: College Readiness, Progress Monitoring, Middle School Students, Longitudinal Studies
(2015). Media Literacy Is Common Sense: Bridging Common Core Standards with the Media Experiences of Digital Learners, Middle School Journal. The purpose of this article is to investigate the concept of "texts" and how the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) affords teachers opportunities to implement media literacy education, in turn providing developmentally and culturally responsive middle level practice and promoting 21st century skills. This has implications for middle level teachers seeking to meet and move beyond Common Core Standards in ways that extend and expand notions of text while also supporting middle level practice and 21st century skills. The article begins by contextualizing media use by adolescent learners in the 21st century, briefly reporting the time teens spend with media and technology and how the media affects them. This discussion is followed by a brief examination of the Common Core's concept of texts, seeking to define the concept in alignment with research and scholarship on 21st century skills. Perspectives and practice from a case of media literacy instruction is then described, including accounts of teaching and learning activities that integrate a variety of texts. In conclusion, suggestions are offered for connecting Common Core Anchor Standards with responsive and relevant curricula for reaching and teaching middle school students in the 21st century. [More] Descriptors: Media Literacy, Case Studies, Integrated Activities, Adolescents
(2015). Changing Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Beliefs about Mathematical Knowledge, Mathematics Teacher Education and Development. Studies have reported that pre-service teachers often enter teacher preparation programs with beliefs and attitudes not conducive to teaching the subject conceptually. In the USA, the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics have brought a renewed focus on procedural and conceptual understanding. However, many U.S. pre-service teachers have developed a procedural focus from their own schooling experience. This study investigated the effect of a mathematics and pedagogy course focused on conceptual understanding on one class of U.S. preservice elementary teachers' beliefs about mathematical knowledge. The course used the Lesh Translation Model (Lesh, 1979) to build conceptual understanding through multiple representations. While the change in beliefs from the beginning to the end of the course was investigated, this study also specifically investigated the change in beliefs arising from session activities concerning division by fractions. The course combined difficulties that students can have when taught procedurally, shown with example video, and conceptual understanding that students can display when taught with well-structured activities. This proved to be a useful combination for changing pre-service teachers' beliefs by showing the need to learn fraction division differently and then providing conceptual ways to think about this concept. [More] Descriptors: Preservice Teachers, Student Teacher Attitudes, Knowledge Level, Mathematics Instruction
(2015). STEM Education on a Worldwide Voyage: Curriculum to College, Career, and Community Readiness, International Journal for Mathematics Teaching and Learning. This article addresses issues in equitable and quality STEM education, and comes at a significant time as students, educators, and policymakers strive to meet federal and state standards such as the Mathematics Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). CCSS and NGSS require significantly higher levels of cognitive engagement, including what teachers must teach (content), how they should teach it (pedagogy), and how much teachers need to know to be effective. The principles embedded in these standards have potential to be applied to all other academic learning fields. This article begins with an overview of the current climate and theoretical frameworks, including Hokule'a's Worldwide Voyage 2013-2017 by celestial navigation and traditional wayfinding. Hokule'a is a vehicle to explore culture-based, indigenous models of STEM at local and global levels, and connects curriculum to college, career, and community readiness. The broader impact is that culturally-responsive STEM practices are recovered and integrated in curriculum units that enrich the global pedagogical base, such as the Ethnomathematics and STEM Institute, and support continued research. [More] Descriptors: STEM Education, College Readiness, Career Readiness, State Standards
(2015). Anticipation Guides: Reading for Mathematics Understanding, Mathematics Teacher. With the acceptance by many states of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, new emphasis is being placed on students' ability to engage in mathematical practices such as understanding problems (including word problems), reading and critiquing arguments, and making explicit use of definitions (CCSSI 2010). Engaging students in mathematics through reading and discussing mathematical ideas is an important means of developing these mathematical practices and the skills needed to be successful in such tasks. Reading is a fundamental skill for learning in all disciplines, including mathematics. Independent readers can gain new knowledge and understanding from reading a variety of mathematics-focused texts. Students' reading abilities also influence their performance on mathematics assessments. In this article, the authors describe benefits and specific considerations for supporting reading comprehension in mathematics and discuss the use of anticipation guides as tools to actively and critically engage students in reading, mathematical reasoning, and comprehension of mathematics text. Their discussion is based on their work with mathematics teachers using literacy strategies in the Literacy Instruction in Math and Science for Secondary Teachers (LIMSST) project. During this four-year project, they observed mathematics lessons, collected lesson plans, and interviewed teachers about their use of literacy strategies. [More] Descriptors: Mathematics Education, Reading Comprehension, Teaching Methods, Mathematical Logic
(2015). Mathematical Modeling: A Structured Process, Mathematics Teacher. Mathematical modeling, in which students use mathematics to explain or interpret physical, social, or scientific phenomena, is an essential component of the high school curriculum. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) classify modeling as a K-12 standard for mathematical practice and as a conceptual category for high school (CCSSI 2010, p. 7). CCSSM also describes mathematical modeling as "the process of choosing and using appropriate mathematics and statistics to analyze empirical situations, to understand them better, and to improve decisions" (CCSSI 2010, p. 72). The main goal of this article is to elaborate on the process of modeling as described by CCSSM, paying particular attention to the modeling elements. The authors highlight practical aspects of modeling through a concrete example, carefully analyzing to make the process of mathematical modeling more accessible to teachers and students. The example provided shows how a single activity can target multiple concepts and approaches, allowing students to understand those concepts and make connections among then. Students' work should be evaluated not only on the outcome of their model but also on the thought process demonstrated in more than one iteration of the modeling cycle. To help with this understanding, the authors also provide a useful evaluation rubric with criteria for assessing student work in modeling. [More] Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Mathematical Models, Teaching Methods, Mathematical Concepts
(2015). Preserving Pelicans with Models That Make Sense, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School. Getting students to think deeply about mathematical concepts is not an easy job, which is why we often use problem-solving tasks to engage students in higher-level mathematical thinking. Mathematical modeling, one of the mathematical practices found in the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM), is a type of problem solving that can allow students to think mathematically through realistic contexts. Modeling is also meant to help connect students to situations that resonate with their lives or the lives of others. A model-eliciting activity (MEA) is a useful tool for helping students develop and refi ne important mathematical concepts through realistic (and useful) contexts. What distinguishes MEAs from many other types of problem-solving tasks is that they are designed to allow students to bring their initial conceptions and ideas, which are likely in an early stage of development, to the problem to be solved. When students engage in these modeling tasks, rather than use mathematics that they have already mastered, they co-develop their mathematical ideas and their proficiency as problem solvers. The example provided in this article, Pelican Colonies MEA, shows how sixth-grade students' concepts of area developed through modeling. The authors describe strategies that can help students' conceptual development and ability to connect with other mathematical concepts. [More] Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Secondary School Mathematics, Middle School Students, Mathematical Concepts
(2015). A New Era for Educational Assessment, Education Policy Analysis Archives. In this article, David Conley focuses on how to assess meaningful learning in ways that promote student achievement while simultaneously meeting system accountability needs. The article draws upon research that supports the notion that a major shift in educational assessment is needed in order to encourage and evaluate the kind of learning that enables success in college and careers. Over the next several years, almost every state will either implement the Common Core State Standards or develop an alternative version of their own. The question worth posing is whether educational stakeholders should be satisfied with ondemand tests that measure only a subset of the standards, or will they demand something more like a system of assessments in which multiple measures result in deeper insight into student mastery of complex and cognitive challenging standards? This article presents a vision for a new system of assessments, one designed to support the kinds of ambitious teaching and learning that most parents say they want for their children. The article begins with a brief historical overview, describes where educational assessment appears to be headed in the near term, and then discusses some longer-term possibilities, concluding with a series of recommendations for how policymakers and practitioners can move toward a better model of assessment for teaching and learning. [More] Descriptors: Educational Assessment, Academic Achievement, Accountability, Academic Standards