common core panel presentation: march 20, 2013

7/29/2019 Common Core Panel Presentation: March 20, 2013

1/13

Common Core State Standards

& Literacy

A Panel Discussion:

What Parents Need to Know


2/13

The Panel

Luke Forshaw, Principal, Ox Ridge School

Antoinette Fornshell, Literacy Curriculum Coordinator

Christina Hefele, District Technology Coordinator

Mary McGee, Instructional Specialist, Royle School

Kiera Parrott, Head of Childrens' Services, Darien

Library

Elizabeth Wesolowski,Assistant Director Special

Education, Elementary


3/13

The Common Core Standards are State-

Driven

Provide a consistent, clear understanding of

what students are expected to learn

Are designed to be robust and relevant to the

real world

Are dynamic and constantly evolving; focused

on globalized futures


4/13

Curriculum vs. Standards

Set of learning skills that all American students

should achieve, not a federal curriculum

Guidelines for what each student should learn,

not how or what teachers teach


5/13

The Standards are a Progression

In general, the standards set a progression of

skills that students learn as they move

through school

Parent Tip: Look through the common core

standards to get a feel for what your child will

be learning as he moves through school.

http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards
http://www.corestandards.org/the-standardshttp://www.corestandards.org/the-standardshttp://www.corestandards.org/the-standards


6/13

Focus on Deeper Understanding

Focuses on the most important topics that

students need to know

Topics are designed to foster the development of

lifelong cognitive skills Understanding vs. Knowledge

Parent Tip: Learn about topics of study in school and support

the development of your childs reflective capacity. (e.g.:

Whats the big idea when you are learning about skip

counting? How are you organizing your latest writing? Why

are you making those decisions and how is it helping you as a

writer?


7/13

The Reading Standards will Provide

Greater Challenge & Complexity

Students will be expected to read more difficult text

sooner, and discuss what they read at a more complex

level.

Students will be expected to read across varyinggenres and types: narrative, opinion and informational.

There will be a greater focus on informational text

than there has been previously.

Parent Tip: As you read with your child, ask her in-

depth why and how questions that encourage her to

analyze and synthesize texts.


8/13

Focus on Informational Text

To prepare students for college work and

beyond, there will be more of a focus on

informational and expository text.

Parent Tip: Encourage your child to research a

topic hes interested in using informational

texts and primary sources


9/13

State Required Standardized

Assessments Will Change

Compared to current achievement tests

(CMT), common core assessments will likely

be more challenging

Parent Tip: Ask your child to explain or show

how theyre solving problems. Then, have

them think of multiple ways to answer a

reading discussion question.


10/13

Focus on Practical Skills

Students will be working on taking the role of

scientists, historians, researchers, and more.

Parent Tip: As your child works through his

homework, ask him how someone might use

what hes working on in real life. Help

connect thinking in school to thinking at work

by explaining how you solve problems every

day.


11/13

Moving forward

As the CCSS start to be implemented, there

will be some changes, but many things will

stay the same.

Parent Tip: The most important aspect, as

always, is to stay in contact with your childs

teacher to find out how you can support this

latest educational advancement at home.


12/13

References and further reading

http://www.corestandards.org/

http://pta.org/content.cfm?

ItemNumber=2796

http://www.darienlibrary.

org/children/grownups/parents/common-

core-resources-parents
http://pta.org/content.cfm?ItemNumber=2796http://pta.org/content.cfm?ItemNumber=2796http://pta.org/content.cfm?ItemNumber=2796http://pta.org/content.cfm?ItemNumber=2796http://www.corestandards.org/


13/13

Process.. then Q&A Time!

Take a moment to process what wevediscussed so far.

Turn to the person next to you to chatabout it.

Then we will open it up to Q & A.

common core panel presentation: march 20, 2013

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