This document provides an overview of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and how administrators can lead their schools through the transition. It discusses the key shifts in ELA, such as an increased focus on informational texts and academic vocabulary. It also outlines the PARCC assessments and their components. The document then gives recommendations for steps administrators should take, such as assessing alignment, implementing instructional strategies like close reading, and observing classrooms to ensure standards are being met. The goal is to prepare students to be college and career ready through this transition to more rigorous standards.
1. Common Core for Administrators
Maureen Cohen
Assistant Principal
Grafton High School
March 2013
@GHSAPrincipal
Maureenmcohen@blogspot.com
2. How much do you know about the new
ELA standards?
Activator----Raise your fingers 5,3,1,0
5---I have a thorough understanding
3--- I have some understanding
1-- I know very little
0--I don’t know anything
3. Students need to be college ready…
not just complete high school
Demonstrate independence
Build strong content
knowledge
Respond to varying demands of
audience, task purpose, and
discipline
Comprehend and critique
Value evidence
Use technology strategically
Understand other perspectives
4. A Fast Timeline
Implementation
is NOW!
2014-2015
Dec 2011
CCSS
June 2010 Assessments
46 Adopted
CCSS
Formal Release
March 2010 of K-12 CCSS
K-12 Draft
Released for
June 2009 Public
Beginning Comment
of CCSS
Initiative
5. 2 Types of PARCC Assessments
Performance-Based End of Year Assessment
Assessment (90% of the school year)
(75% of the school year)
1. Research Simulation 1. Include 4-5 texts, both
literary and informational
2. Literary Analysis
(including social
3. Narrative task science/scientific/technical)
4. ---Read one or more texts, 2. Short-answer
answer short comprehension and vocab
comprehension/vocab questions
questions, and write an
essay to draw evidence.
6. Number of Testing Sessions
PBA EOY
5 Sessions 4 Sessions
3 ELA/Literacy 2 ELA/Literacy
2 Math 2 Math
20 Days to administer 20 Days to administer
Min requirement: 1 device Min requirement: 1 device
for every two students for every two students
9. Key ELA Shifts
Six Instructional Shifts in ELA/Literacy
1. Balancing Informational and Literacy Texts…
Increase in Informational Texts
2. Building Knowledge in the Disciplines…
Content Area teachers also responsible for CC instruction
3. Staircase of Complexity
Moving students towards college level texts
4. Text-Based Answers
Evidence drawn from the text
5. Writing from Sources
Argumentative writing, multiple perspectives, less personal
narrative
6. Academic Vocabulary
Focus on commonly found words and less esoteric literary
terms
11. ELA Standards
Design and Organization
Reading
Language ELA Writing
Speaking and
Listening
12. Reading Strand
Critical Reading….is a way of looking at a
book and ANALYZING what the author is
saying and THE METHODS the AUTHOR
(and illustrator) are using to communicate
a MESSAGE or IDEA.
Your analysis is complete when you have
formed YOUR OWN INTERPRETATIONS of
the author’s intentions.”
13. Writing Strand
80% of student writing by
Nonfiction writing: short
senior year—argument,
and more substantial
informational/explanatory
formal writing projects
text
Value—growing analytical
thinkers and critical
consumers
16. Speaking/Listening Strand
Student
proficiency as
Comprehension Evaluate Presentation of using media
and Speaker’s Point knowledge and and visual
collaboration of View ideas display to
enhance
understanding
17. BIG CHANGES
Teachers have
to teach
differently,
therefore
principals have
to lead
differently
20. Start Today with School Culture
Frequent conversations
focused on learning
Collaborative culture—
centered on student learning
and reflective inquiry
Build trust—shared decision-
making, frequent visits to
classrooms
Grow leaders—many
tasks…require many leaders
21. School Leader’s To Do List
Assess Readiness for PARCC
(tech)
Create CC Committees of
Teacher Leaders
Unpack standards
Alignment of Curriculum
Create and communicate
vision for change (both short-
term and long-term)
Build Capacity with PD
Evaluate Progress
22. Assessing Alignment
Content Alignment Rigor
• Compare state standards • Are the state standards at
with the Common Core the same level of rigor as
Common Core
Progression
• Do the state standards
address the Common
Core at the same grade
level
23. Step 2: School-wide Changes
Close Reading
Writing across Literacy
and Text-Based
Content Areas Initiatives
Response
Text Complexity/ Student
Informational Bell-to-Bell
Texts Engagement
24. Instructional Strategies: Reading
Vocab
Introduce Vocabulary
Active Reading
Acquisition Strategies to
Teach active reading
Text Complexity
teachers
strategies to teachers and
students. Expose students to
increasing text complexity—
Annotation Skills. compare/contrast/analyze.
Primary sources.
25. Instructional Strategies: Writing
Increase short
and long research
Teach students to assignments
use textual across disciplines
Use of Common evidence to
Writing Rubric support
Increase arguments
informational
writing in every
discipline at
every grade level.
26. Instructional Strategies: Speaking
Use of mutli-modal
Authentic Experiences and
presentation tools and
Audiences--
infused with technology
Speaking Skills
Variety of opportunities—
School-wide use of
informal discussions and
speaking rubric
formal presentations
27. Classroom Observations: What to look for?
Engaged Students
Close Reading and Writing
Higher-Order Thinking and Questions
Real-World Applications
Writing Across All Disciplines
Student Centered Classrooms
Use of Evidence
Demonstration of Speaking Skills
Multiple Viewpoints
The students need to be able to understand what the text says before they can do textual analysis.Listen to fluency. Fluency is one of the strongest indicators of comprehension.The goal is to move students up the ladder of text complexity.
Writing Across Content Areas:Emphasize the importance of writing with teachersWork with the school literacy group to develop a schoolwide approachWork with school leadership team to develop a definition of student engagement. Create and Learn vs. Sit and GetBell to Bell: communicate expectation of bell to bell instruction. How can you increase instructional time beyond the classroom.
Analyze assessments to determine the degree to which students are asked to engage in close reading and to construct responses that refer to evidence.Conduct annual daignostic literary assessment of all studentsAnalyze assessment data to identify expected reading comprehensionAnalyze books used
“80-90% of questions teachers ask should be text-based”Adopt school-wide rubric and work with feeder schoolsAdopt grade-level expectations for amount and type of formal/informal writingIncrease time spent writingAsk students to respond in complete sentences in every classroom