THE COMMON CORE
Why were the standards created?
How different are they from our former California State Standards?
Will instruction look different?
Also, click the blue button below to read the fundamental shifts of how Common Core has impacted Literacy and Math from www.achievethecore.org
What is the implication for your children and their learning?
What will the new state testing (SBAC) look like?
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Where can I find practice test links or other resources?
What have we, as a staff, been doing to prepare?
The Common Core was developed by building on the best state standards in the United States; examining the expectations of other high-performing countries around the world; and carefully studying the research and literature available on what students need to know and be able to do to be successful in college, career, and life. No state was asked to lower their expectations for students in adopting the Common Core. The evidence-based standards were developed in consultation with teachers and parents from across the country, so they are also realistic and practical for the classroom.
Since 2010, a number of states across the nation have adopted the same standards for English and math. These standards are called the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Having the same standards helps all students get a good education, even if they change schools or move to a different state. Teachers, parents, and education experts designed the standards to prepare students for success in college and the workplace.
The new standards mean...
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Deeper, richer, more relevant instruction for your child
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Clearly defined learning goals for each grade level that build from year to year
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A focus on key knowledge and skills, including communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity
It’s important to remember that the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are standards and not structured curriculum. They’re able to be implemented in a wide variety of ways and with a wide variety of teaching styles.
Here at Wonderland Avenue Elementary School we are are already using programs that support the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Click the blue button below to read the "Literacy Partners Guide for Parents" for more information on how Wonderland's Reading and Writing Workshop are aligned with CCSS.
In our quest to align our math curriculum to the CCSS, we are currently piloting several new math programs at Wonderland. It is our hope that a new program will be selected by the end of this school year and we will have full implementation at the start of the 2015-2016 school year.
In recognizing their unique design, there are certain changes that should be happening in the classroom as a result of Common Core. A read through of materials provided by Achieve the Core on implementing CCSS shows what classrooms implementing CCSS well should be doing.
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Deeper order thinking should be on show. With CCSS, it’s not enough for students to just memorize how to do something, in many cases they’re expected to know why. Teachers should be challenging students to explain their thinking and to provide proof.
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The classroom should be language-rich. It doesn’t matter what you teach anymore, language skills are expected to be involved. Reading, writing, and speaking skills should be practiced across the board and every classroom from elementary to high school, from self-contained to subject specific should be reflecting that.
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The atmosphere should be one of “create and learn,” not “sit and get.” In order to push the thinking skills associated with CCSS, students will need to be engaged in their lessons. If all a student ever does is sit and take notes, they won’t be able to learn how to think.
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Technology should be a part of learning. The CCSS specifically call for students to learn how to communicate and collaborate with others using technology. Expect to see a greater push toward blogging, Twitter, and services like Google docs.
1. Common Core Puts Creativity Back in the Classroom
The Common Core State Standards are standards and not a prescribed curriculum. They may tell educators what students should be able to do by the end of a grade or course, but it’s up to the educators to figure out how to deliver the instruction.
2. Common Core Gives Students a Deep Dive
The Common Core allows students to stay on a topic and not only dive deeply into it, but also be able to understand and apply the knowledge to everyday life.
3. Common Core Ratchets up Rigor
The CCSS requires students to take part in their learning and to think more critically about content, as opposed to simply regurgitating back what their teachers feed them.
4. Common Core is Collaborative
The Common Core allows educators to take ownership of the curriculum — it puts it back into the hands of teachers, who know what information is best for students and how best to deliver that information.
5. Common Core Advances Equity
The Common Core Standards will go a long way to closing achievement and opportunity gaps for poor and minority children. If students from all parts of the country — affluent, rural, low-income or urban — are being held to the same rigorous standards, it promotes equity in the quality of education and the level of achievement gained. Also, when teachers in one grade level focus consistently and comprehensively on the most critical and fundamental concepts, their students move on to the next grade level able to build on that solid foundation rather than reviewing what should have been learned in the previous grade.
6. Common Core Gets Kids College Ready
Students with this kind of education will be able to decide what kind of career path to follow or whether they want to attend a university or any kind of school because they were prepared to do a higher level of work that is expected in our society and our economy.
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Click the red button on the right for a link to the Smarter Balanced Practice Tests.
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Click the "Take the Practice and Training Tests."
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Click "Student Interface Practice and Training Tests." Click "Sign in." You can leave the words as guest.
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Select your grade level and press "YES"
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Click the red button on the right for a link to the Smarter Balanced Practice test with scoring capabilities.
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Scroll midway down until you see "Explore items and performance tasks." Here you will find sample items and performace tasks for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics.
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Click the task you wish to try. These tests are NOT grade level specific, however they are geared toward what an upper elementary student would see on the test.
What are the Smarter Balanced Assesssments?
The Smarter Balanced Assessements are next-generation assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards that accurately measure students progress toward college and career readiness in Math and English Language Arts/Literacy.
Which students will take the Smarter Balanced Assessments?
Students in grades 3-8 and grade 11 will take these new assessments.
When are the assessments taking place?
Students at Wonderland will be testing between March 4 - May 15. 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades will be assigned testing dates within this window.
How will these new assessments contribute to my child's success?
All students deserve an education that prepares them for their next step in life--whether going to college or career. The Smarter Balanced Assessments will give parents and students accurate information about whether students are on track to graduate college-prepared and career-ready.
The assessment system also provided teachers with resources to tailor instruction to fit student needs through a digital library of instructional best practices.
As a parent or guardian, what can I expect the scores of these new assessments to be?
Since LAUSD will be receiving scores for these new assessments for the first time in 2015, we can expect to learn, grow and adapt together. We are setting a new baseline and paving the way for an exciting future of a more accurate measure of our students' proficiency levels.
We must remember that along with the new assessments, LAUSD shifted to the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as well, which means that it is going to take a while to adjust to how we measure what our students learn through these new standards. Although the assessments and standards are new, we know that we are better-preparing our students for their futures -- whether college or career.
Will students who need extra support -- such as students with special needs and English learners -- also participate in the Smarter Balanced Assessments?
Yes, through the use of universal tools, designated supports, and accommodation, the assessments will be accessible by all students, including students with special needs and English learners.
What will the questions on the assessments be like?
Smarter Balanced assessments will go beyond multiple-choice questions and include short constructed response (in-depth short answers), extended constructed response (in-depth long answers), and performance tasks that allow students to complete an in-depth project to demonstrate analytical skills and problem solving.
Will students use paper-and-pencils for the new assessments?
No, students will take the assessments using an LAUSD-provided electronic device, instead of the old, paper-and-pencil approach. (Note: Students in grades 5, 8, and 10 will take paper-and-pencil science assessments as well.)
Why will the Smarter Balanced Assessments be given on electronic devices?
Taking the assessments online using an electronic device offers multiple benefits, including giving our student hands-on experience with the type of technology they will be expected to use in college and career. This approach also reduces testing time, and allows for specific, timely, meaningful information so teachers can follow-up with targeted instruction.
Also, the assessments are given using "computer adaptive testing," which means that the test adjusts to a students' ability by basing the difficultly of future questions on the student's previous answers. You can't do that with paper and pencils.
What are some additional benefits to the new assessments?
The assessments will be taken annually, as well as on an interim (or periodic) basis, to measure progress throughout the school year. Also, teachers, principals, and parents will be able to receive results from computerized assessments more quickly.
More progress measures and faster results mean that teachers can use the information from optional interim assessments throughout the school year to individualize instruction and better meet the unique needs of their students.
*Excellent Resource
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Great news! Wonderland has already been preparing for the New Common Core Standards and SBAC testing. In fact, throughout the years, Wonderland has been using many programs and progressive curriculum that have helped prepare our students for what is a smooth transition to the Common Core.
Some of these strategies and programs include:
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Writing and Reading Workshop (with a Literacy Consultant)
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On-going professional development opportunites for teachers
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Understanding and teaching the Common Core
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GATE, Depths of Knowledge D.O.K.
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English Language Learners and the Common Core
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Kagen strategies
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Technology
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Staff training on Kagan strategies (effective communication and management in the classroom)
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Three iPad carts divided equally amongst the third, fourth and fifth grades for the purpose of preparing students for the types of questions they will find on the SBAC
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Piloting a Common Core aligned computerized math program called Dreambox
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Investigating other Common Core Math programs to adopt for the 2015-16 school year
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ST Math: Gigi
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Dreambox
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Context for Learning
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Engage New York/Eureka
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Singapore Math
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Encouraging small group discussions and student-driven lessons
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Project based learning experiences
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Hands-on learning
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