Harvard Education Letter Volume 27, Number 5 September/October 2011 Five Myths About the Common Core State Standards, continued Five Myths About the Common Core State Standards The Common Core State Standards are one of the most significant initiatives in American education in decades. Yet the swiftness with which they were developed and adopted has left educators uncertain about exactly what they are. Americans have long had a leery view of a national curriculum, but the Common Core State Standards do not create this scenario. For example, one of the Common Core standards for English language arts in grade 5 states: “By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4–5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.” {*style:<i><b> Myth #2 The Common Core State Standards are an Obama administration initiative. No federal official was on the work teams and feedback groups that developed the standards. Take English language arts.
Engage the Common Core Me in San Diego talking Common Core. I am finally (one month later) getting around to blogging some ISTE 2012 related information. Today I want to share a presentation I gave related to the Common Core State Standards. I’m embedding my slideshow from my ISTE Live presentation entitled “Engage the Common Core.” Within, you’ll find resources for finding information about the CCSS, great blogs and feeds to follow, sites to use to organize and curate CCSS info, and web tools to use to implement some of the tech-related standards. Spoiler alert! Sometimes you need a little more than the slideshow to tell the whole story. Photo Credit: Jennifer Bond (Thanks, Jennifer!) Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.
East Coast Mommy: 8 Ways to Encourage Summer Reading A number of studies have shown that children's reading skills decline during the summer months. The "summer slide" is common, but that doesn't mean we (as parents) are powerless to do anything about it. Here is a list of fun and easy ways to get kids excited about reading during the summer months. 1) Create a "Mommy and Me Journal" - This is a favorite of mine (which you can read more about here). My 6 year old and my 7 year old both have journals, and we spend all summer writing secret notes to each other. It's a really fun way to get little ones practicing their reading and writing skills and to document all their summer adventures. 2) Put it in the schedule - Summer can be a busy a time, so setting aside a specific time for reading is helpful. 3) Visit the library - The library is a great place to head on a rainy day, and it is always fun to check out new books. 4) Make a summer reading list - Have children make a list of topics, themes, or characters they would like to read about.
5 Things Every Teacher Should be Doing to Meet the Common Core State Standards The following blog post was written by Eye On Education's Senior Editor, Lauren Davis. To read more newsworthy blog posts from Eye On Education, subscribe to our Insights eNewsletters . At the NCTE convention in November, everyone was buzzing about the Common Core State Standards . Teachers wanted to know how the new standards will alter what they teach and how they teach it. To gather answers to those questions, I attended a variety of NCTE sessions, and I spoke to educators across the country. 1. ...to read the other four things every teacher should be doing to meet the CCSS, as well as more details and examples, download Eye On Education's free whitepaper: 5 Things Every Teacher Should be Doing to Meet the Common Core State Standards . Check out Eye On Education's other free whitepapers!
HECTOR'S WORLD EDUCATION | Hector's World Information Island Hector’s World Information Island Welcome to the Education Section of Hector’s World. Hector’s World is a comprehensive school resource designed to foster digital citizenship and safe online behavior for 2 -9 year olds. Through the adventures of Hector the dolphin and his friends, Hector’s World 7 animated episodes promote the skills and values young people need to grow into confident, knowledgeable and caring members of the online community. The Hector’s World episodes have a variety of support materials, lesson plans and classroom activities. What’s New? Tech Cave The Silicon Deep Tech Cave has new animations that will help young people develop digital literacy knowledge and skills. How does the internet work? Computer security resources The Hectors World computer security resources offer a foundation of basic computer security skills by introducing young children to topics like viruses and strong passwords.
Four Major Shifts in Literacy This video mini-series has been designed to provide an efficient pathway for understanding and implementing the most significant shifts in English/language arts and literacy instruction. Ranging from seven to ten minutes in length, each video tackles one important topic and then provides tools that educators can begin using in their classrooms immediately. The order in which the videos are watched in not critical, so please feel free to start with the one that seems the most intriguing. Major Shift 1: Emphasizing Informational Text The Common Core State Standards insist on the use of more information texts throughout the school day. Major Shift 2: Literacy Standards for All Content Areas Content-area teachers are not English teachers by training. Major Shift 3: Text Complexity Students must have opportunities to read challenging texts. Major Shift 4: The Special place of Argument Arguing and informing/explaining are crucial in the Common Core State Standards. Next Steps
Learn the Ropes on Digital Citizenship - For Kids & Teens...Sites Skip to main content Create interactive lessons using any digital content including wikis with our free sister product TES Teach. Get it on the web or iPad! guest Join | Help | Sign In Learn the Ropes on Digital Citizenship Home guest| Join | Help | Sign In Turn off "Getting Started" Loading...
CC Key Expectations Explained - Vander Ark on Innovation How the Common Core Will Change the Way Teachers Teach and Students Learn Since the Common Core State Standards were introduced, there has been much discussion about what they mean for educators and students and how they will impact teaching and learning. While the standards have been adopted by 45 states and 3 territories so far, there is a lot of concern, anxiety, and debate around what is best for students, potential challenges for teachers, and what implementation should and can look like. The new standards are focused on two categories: English Language Arts and Mathematics. Since the 1960s, text difficulty in textbooks has been declining ( ). In order to be college-, career-, and life-ready, students need to be familiar and comfortable with texts from a broad range of genres and formats. In addition, students are expected to understand the presentation of texts in a variety of multimedia formats, such as video. The Common Core State Standards are not "test prep" standards.
Professor Garfield Cyberbullying 5 BIG ideas from CCSS This post is a summary/adaptation from Wiggins/McTighe article on 5 big ideas. 1. Read carefully AH-HA Moment: DON'T turn directly to YOUR grade level. You'll miss the point. READ THE WHOLE THING! Long term outcomes are in mind so the components are intended to work together.Educators need to understand the internt and structure of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)Read the "front matter"What is the instructional emphasis? ASIDE: We are looking at "curriculum" wrong. We are looking at it as what is to be "covered," as opposed to what is to be LEARNED. 3. AH-HA MOMENT: This understanding of "cornerstone tasks" inspired me to write the next blog post pending. This "unpacking" is intended at a district or "macro" level as they call it. AH-HA MOMENT: Thinking of standards as discrete skills or concepts leads to "coverage mentality" and reveals a misconception that teaching bits in a logical and specified order will somehow add up to the desired achievements called for in the standards." 5.