This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Joellen Killion, Chandra Orrill, Judah L. Schwartz, Drew Polly, Laura Greenstein, Shane Templeton, Susan Jo Russell, Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, Thomas R. Koballa, and Principal.
(2012). Informational Text and the CCSS. What constitutes an informational text covers a broad swath of different types of texts. Biographies & memoirs, speeches, opinion pieces & argumentative essays, and historical, scientific or technical accounts of a non-narrative nature are all included in what the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) envisions as informational text. Also included are literary non-fiction, journalism, and information that appears in graphs, charts, and maps. Informational text oftentimes has unique text features that requires experience learning how to navigate. What informational text is not is text that might appear under the classic rubric of literature: novels, short stories, poetry, and drama–in other words, fiction. The clearest divide then between the realms of informational and literary text is the reliance of the former on fact as a basis for the information conveyed. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Reading Materials, Expository Writing, Literature
(2012). Meet the Promise of Content Standards: Investing in Professional Learning, Learning Forward (NJ). New standards alone will not prepare all students for college and careers. The success of the Common Core State Standards depends on educators' capacity to make the instructional shifts the standards require. Meeting the promise of content standards cannot be achieved merely by agreeing on and publishing the new standards. Effective teaching of the standards, not the standards themselves, prepares students for college and careers. The need for ensuring effective professional learning has never been more important. The standards will require that teachers in 46 states and the District of Columbia remodel instruction, assessments, and assignments to meet the expectation of the new standards. The standards require students to achieve more rigorous content outcomes, apply their content knowledge in authentic situations, solve problems, engage in critical and creative thinking, work collaboratively with their peers, and demonstrate or present their learning. To achieve this vision, allocation and application of professional learning resources must change. [More] Descriptors: Teacher Effectiveness, State Standards, Careers, Professional Development
(2012). At the Center of the Common Core. While the 2011-2012 school year offered educators a sketch of the Common Core State Standards and how they would impact teaching and learning, this year that painting takes shape. Many states and districts are well on the way to implementing the standards–but the process is complex, especially for the school leaders who shoulder the task of preparing an entire school community for the shift. "Principal" sat down with four principals–Hester Chandley Alfred, Jessica Johnson, Kaivan Yuen, and Don Sternberg–to gauge where administrators stand with implementing the standards. Despite many challenges–orchestrating major shifts in teaching, instituting new assessments, and facilitating staff development–principals report that the process has offered great rewards. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Principals, Administrator Attitudes, Program Attitudes
(2012). Beyond the Core: Assessing Authentic 21st Century Skills, Principal Leadership. Principals' wheelbarrows are full of initiatives: closing learning gaps, preparing for the Common Core State Standards, differentiating instruction, and improving college and career readiness, to name a few. Meanwhile, principals have too few assets in their toolboxes to meet all the hefty demands. Taking the long view, it becomes clear that true reform requires preparing students for a complex, globally connected future that cannot yet be envisioned. The Common Core outlines what a good foundation in literacy and numeracy looks like. Any well-built structure needs this type of solid foundation, but it is the bridges and buildings that are built on it that provide the pathways and scaffolds for success. Moving beyond the Common Core means moving beyond standardized tests. It means moving toward the skills that current kindergartners will need to prepare them for both the rigor of college and the demands of the workplace. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Standardized Tests, Principals, Educational Change
(2012). Studies Probe Power of "Personalization", Education Week. While "personalization" has become a buzzword in education, it can be hard to determine what really makes a subject relevant to individual children in the classroom. An ongoing series of studies at Southern Methodist University suggests learning students' interests upfront and incorporating them into lessons can get struggling students to try harder and substantially improve their performance in algebra. The studies, which were discussed at a recent meeting at Carnegie Mellon University, highlight one way to boost learning in algebraic expression, a concept considered critical in the Common Core State Standards but which educators say is perennially challenging to students. The study found that personalized math problems not only made it easier for students to understand what was being asked, but also helped boost the confidence of students who may have been intimidated by the subject. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Individualized Instruction, Relevance (Education), Algebra
(2012). Getting from Arithmetic to Algebra: Balanced Assessments for the Transition, Teachers College Press. In this innovative book, two experienced educators present a fresh and engaging approach to mathematics learning in the middle grades with the transition from arithmetic to algebra. The authors provide a collection of balanced, multi-dimensional assessment tasks designed to evaluate students' ability to work with mathematical objects and perform mathematical actions. Assisting teachers in their efforts to put into practice the NCTM and Common Core State Standards, these assessments were carefully developed and tested to make them as revealing and adaptable as possible, suitable for incorporation into any curriculum. Teachers will appreciate the explicit and illustrative material the authors include to specifically help assess the mathematical understanding of students in grades 5-8. The text features a teachers' guide to each task, reproducible student tasks, and solutions and rubrics. [More] Descriptors: Mathematics Education, Student Evaluation, State Standards, Arithmetic
(2012). Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium: Building a Plan for Higher Education to Implement the Smarter Balanced Assessment System. The national movement to improve K-12 education through the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) presents a tremendous opportunity for higher education to experience reduced remediation and increased degree completion. In order for the CCSS to realize their promise, however, higher education must be a full partner with K-12 in their implementation. This document provides guidance for state higher education leaders on one crucial aspect of implementation: the role that state systems of higher education must play to build toward recognition of the Smarter Balanced assessment as evidence that students are ready for entry-level, credit-bearing courses and should be exempted from remediation in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. [More] Descriptors: Elementary Secondary Education, Educational Improvement, Core Curriculum, State Standards
(2012). CCSSM: Keeping Teaching and Learning Strong, Teaching Children Mathematics. The Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSM) are, at the same time, promising and problematic. Some educators hope that the adoption and implementation of this document can result in a deeper, more coherent curriculum for all students. Others are concerned that it will push schools and teachers to be even more focused than they have been on high-stakes tests and that it will be implemented as a list of items to "cover" rather than as a lattice on which strong teaching and learning must be woven. To support mathematics educators as they consider implications of the CCSSM for instruction and assessment, "Teaching Children Mathematics" launched a series of articles beginning in the February 2012 issue. This concluding installment concentrates on the implementation of the eight Standards of Mathematical Practice and the constellations of Practices and Standards. [More] Descriptors: Academic Standards, State Standards, Mathematics, Differences
(2012). Exploring the Science Framework, Science and Children. The vision for science education set forth in "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" (NRC 2012) makes it clear that for today's students to become the scientifically literate citizens of tomorrow, their educational experiences must help them become mathematically proficient. "The focus here is on important practices, such as modeling, developing explanations, and engaging in critique and evaluation" (NRC 2012, p. 3-2). Mathematics is fundamental to modeling and providing evidence-based conclusions. The "Framework" also includes "using mathematics, information and computer technology, and computational thinking" in its list of eight essential practices for K-12 science and mathematics (NRC 2012, p 3-5). This article discusses what it means for students to be mathematically proficient in the context of science, and makes connections in math with the Common Core State Standards. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Computers, Science Education, Scientific Literacy
(2012). Exploring the Science Framework, Science Scope. The vision for science education set forth in "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" (NRC 2012) makes it clear that for today's students to become the scientifically literate citizens of tomorrow their educational experiences must help them become mathematically proficient. "The focus here is on important practices, such as modeling, developing explanations, and engaging in critique and evaluation" (NRC 2012, p. 3-2). Mathematics is fundamental to modeling and providing evidence-based conclusions. The "Framework" also includes "using mathematics, information and computer technology, and computational thinking" in its list of eight essential practices for K-12 science and mathematics (NRC 2012, p 3-5). This article discusses what it means for students to be mathematically proficient in the context of science and makes connections in math with the Common Core State Standards. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Computers, Science Education, Scientific Literacy
(2012). Pedagogy and the CCSS. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) spell out for teachers what their students must learn in order to be authentically literate. By focusing on the capacities of students, the CCSS does not advocate one particular pedagogical approach over another for achieving these goals. Teachers are given wide latitude to exercise their professional judgment in how they assist children in acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills to read and write effectively and think critically about what they hear and believe. In short, the purpose of the standards is not to specify how teachers should teach, but rather identify what all students are expected to learn from their teachers such that they will achieve college and career readiness. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Core Curriculum, Literacy, Writing Skills
(2012). Stages and Standards in Literacy: Teaching Developmentally in the Age of Accountability, Journal of Education. This article describes a model of literacy development as reflected in students' spelling. The model, based on research that identified five stages of word knowledge, explains the development of this knowledge in readers and writers, and provides a framework for elementary-grade instruction that is intended to: (1) address grade-level expectations in the "Common Core State Standards, English Language Arts"; and (2) describe a developmentally appropriate approach to instruction. The model also informs the assessment of word or orthographic knowledge to gain insight into the range of developmental levels in a class and to guide instruction in whole-class and small-group contexts. Examples focus on a third-grade classroom in which the range of levels includes beginning, transitional, and intermediate readers and writers, and suggest implications of developmentally grounded instruction for students' growth toward achieving grade-specific "CCSS/ELA." [More] Descriptors: Literacy Education, Spelling, Word Recognition, Knowledge Level
(2012). It's the Teacher, Stupid, T.H.E. Journal. The author has taken the liberty of borrowing from past candidate (and president) Bill Clinton's "War Room" mantra to suggest that those who are working toward preparing schools for online assessments of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) might be forgetting the most important element in the process: the classroom teacher. The author argues that the Common Core standards and new online assessments need more than technology readiness–they need teacher readiness. He stresses that states and districts need an all-out collaborative planning effort among the assessment, curriculum, and technology staff to ensure that teachers and other instructional staff are ready for the new approach to assessment. Collaboration is the key in the planning effort as each department has a lot to bring to the proverbial table. Although each teacher readiness plan will be somewhat different depending upon a state's or district's circumstances, some crucial steps must take place in all planning. The author discusses steps that could ensure teacher readiness. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Teacher Education, Teacher Role, Teacher Competencies
(2012). A Vertical Approach to Math Instruction, Principal. In the current era of mathematics standards, whether they are Common Core State Standards or other state standards, effective vertical mathematics teams offer an opportunity for teachers to grow professionally through shared experiences, for leadership to grow among the faculty, and for the school to change its perspective on the teaching and learning of mathematics. At their core, vertical mathematics teams regularly bring groups of teachers across grade levels together to discuss content, pedagogy, and practice in a structured and supportive environment. Establishing vertical math teams creates professional development opportunities for teachers while also improving student achievement. Effective vertical teams provide a structured professional development experience that encompasses the intersection of analyzing and understanding curriculum and content with the practice of teaching focused on student thinking. The author presents strategies that contribute to successful vertical mathematics teams. The primary goal is for teachers' mathematical understandings to lead to student growth. [More] Descriptors: Academic Standards, State Standards, Educational Opportunities, Teaching Methods
(2012). CCSSM: Examining the Critical Areas in Grades 5 and 6, Teaching Children Mathematics. Cognitively demanding tasks are at the heart of the implementation of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSI 2010). As with all the grades, teachers of grades 5 and 6 are challenged to use tasks that simultaneously address the grade-level Standards as well as the Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP). Cognitively demanding tasks require students to examine a mathematical situation, find an entry point to begin their exploration, and apply their understanding of mathematical concepts to find and justify their solutions (Smith and Stein 1998). In this article, the authors present two examples that teachers of grades 5 and 6 can use to leverage cognitively demanding tasks with the intention of integrating the grade-level Standards and the SMP. They will also discuss the progression of the Content Standards Domains in grades 5 and 6. [More] Descriptors: Academic Standards, State Standards, Instructional Program Divisions, Elementary School Mathematics