Report: States Make Headway in Aligning Curriculum to Common Core

By Erik Robelen on August 7, 2013 10:38 AM

A majority of states say they have already begun to teach a curriculum aligned with the Common Core State Standards in at least some districts or grade levels, new survey results show. In fact, nine of the states say they began to implement a new math curriculum reflecting the standards across their entire K-12 system during the 2012-13 academic year or earlier, and 12 report the same for English/language arts.

These are just a few of the findings from a new report that probes in depth the progress states are making on a variety of fronts—and the challenges they are encountering—to help bring the common core to life in classrooms.

Meanwhile, 11 of the 40 states that responded to the survey have started to recommend or require the use of specific curricular materials that have been validated by the state education agency as reflecting the standards, with six more planning to do so this coming year or later, according to the new report from the Center on Education Policy, a research and advocacy organization based at George Washington University.

You can find more analysis over at the State EdWatch blog. (Also, I recently blogged about a common-core survey that fielded views from middle school math teachers.)

Not surprisingly, nearly all the 40 states that responded to the Center on Education Policy survey report taking specific actions to prepare educators to teach the common-core standards, which 46 states and the District of Columbia have adopted. The figures below indicate the number of states reporting that they have begun these activities.

• (37 states) Develop and disseminate professional-development materials and guides aligned to the common core;

• (36 states) Carry out statewide professional-development initiatives;

• (33 states) Work with institutions of higher education to align the academic content of teacher-prep programs with the common core; and

• (33 states) Encourage school and district professional learning communities on common-core implementation.

The data in the report are based on a survey of state education agencies conducted from February to May of this year. Forty states responded, including 39 that had adopted the common core in reading and math, and one that had adopted only the English/language arts standards (presumably Minnesota, which adopted only English/language arts).

The report also delves into some of the key challenges encountered by states in implementation. In all, 22 states said finding "adequate resources" to support all activities necessary to implement the standards was a "major challenge," and another 12 called it a "minor challenge." (Three said it was not a challenge.) Also, 13 states called identifying and developing curricular materials a "major challenge" and 13 a "minor challenge."

Only 14 of the 40 states surveyed said they had "adequate fiscal resources" to support state implementation of the standards, and only 13 said they had adequate staffing levels to do so. On the flip side, a majority, 27 states, said they did have adequate staff expertise to carry out implementation. Here's a table that spells out a whole set of data on this issue, including the adequacy of staff, expertise, and money to support new assessments (a huge issue, as this new story reminds us), technology to administer online assessments, professional development, and the creation of curriculum materials.

"State education agencies' general lack of capacity, combined with concerns about adequate funding, may create greater implementation challenges as the adopting states move closer to administering the CCSS-aligned assessments in school year 2014-15," the report says. "If the common core is going to succeed, governors, state legislators, and state boards of education need to examine whether more resources are needed to implement the standards."

Although the survey is focused on common-core implementation issues, another piece of budgetary data caught my eye. Of the 40 states survey, 16 reported that K-12 education funding increased in the current fiscal year compared with the prior year, while in nine it declined. (Eleven said it stayed the same, and four said they did not know.)

There's plenty more information to mine in this report, as well as two others just issued by the Center on Education Policy. Those include a survey report focused more squarely on professional development to support the standards, and another examining states' views of the federal role in supporting the common core.

Walls That Teach

One subscriber wanted suggestions on classroom decorations.  Don't just decorate....educate! As an elementary teacher I always put up learning charts.  Charts with initial sounds and examples, number charts, alphabet charts, charts that explain the vowel sounds, charts for sentence structure etc.  You can find all types of colorful charts and wall posters that teach, as well as decorate. Turn your walls into walls that teach.

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Setting the Record Straight on Ability Grouping

By Paula Olszewski-Kubilius


If committed educators could be easily trained to implement a low-cost intervention that boasted consistent learning gains for all students, headlines would herald the discovery of the educational holy grail.
That low-cost intervention is here and readily available. It’s called ability grouping. Unfortunately, despite overwhelming evidence that the flexible and appropriate use of this intervention benefits learners at all levels, some have opted to smear it as an evil twin of tracking and to lament its resurgence in the nation’s classrooms.
Flexible ability grouping, when used appropriately, works. According to a 2010 meta-analysis by Kelly Puzio and Glenn Colby, students who were grouped by ability within a class for reading were able to make up to an additional “half of a year’s growth in reading.” Similarly, a 2013 National Bureau of Economic Research study of students who were grouped by ability found that the performance of both high and low performing students significantly improved in math and reading, demonstrating the universal utility of this tool, particularly as our classrooms become more academically diverse.
For years, ability grouping has been unduly criticized and misconstrued. Contrary to what some may say, flexible ability grouping is not tracking, which typically sets a far more rigid and defined path for a student to traverse and where breaking out of one track and into another often requires the skills of Harry Houdini.
Flexible ability grouping could not be more different. When used properly, ability grouping does not affix permanent labels to students and does not prevent students from moving—either up or down—during their educational careers. Rather, flexible ability grouping is a tool used to match a student’s readiness for learning with the instruction provided, delivering the right content to the right student at the right pace and at the right time.
Ability grouping should not be static. Rather, flexible ability grouping, as its name implies, is an ongoing process where student assignments can and do change based on performance, requiring teachers to be on the lookout for signs of improved competency and skill development in their students.
It must be based on student performance data so decisions are objective and not subject to bias, and it must be customized by subject, never assuming that because a student is either advanced or in need of remediation in one subject he or she would require that same level of instruction in all subjects.
Constant Reassessment
To understand how flexible ability grouping works, imagine the following scenario: A 2nd grader’s past performance, including test scores, indicates he needs some additional support in reading. As a result, at the start of the school year, he starts off in a less-advanced reading group.
Over the course of several months, as a result of instruction aimed just above his skill level, his reading ability improves markedly. Based on daily work, his teacher notes this progress and moves him to a more advanced reading group. This same process of grouping based on data and reexamining based on performance happens constantly throughout the year for all students.
As noted above, ability grouping is not an effortless panacea for all of our education woes. Teachers must be willing and able to detect signs students are demonstrating changes—hopefully for the better—in their learning abilities and thus may be ready for movement to a different group. They must also be trained on how to differentiate their instruction to learners at different levels within the same classroom. To be effective, this requires that teachers are able to add advanced content and adjust pacing for students who are ready to move ahead. It’s important to emphasize that without modified instruction, the learning gains that are possible will fail to materialize.
When flexible ability grouping is used appropriately and effectively, students win. They receive the right content at the right time from teachers better able to direct their instruction to a smaller group of students. Additionally, because the students are concentrated with others who have similar levels of knowledge and learning rates and clear learning goals, they can better challenge one another to grow further.
The latest evidence makes clear that flexible ability grouping is effective, enabling students to make the types of gains all educators should desire and expect. The time has come to dispel the myths, to stop criticizing ability grouping using disingenuous rhetoric and to redouble efforts to support teachers and others as to how to appropriately use this tool so all students can maximize their abilities and achieve their full potential.

Technology in the Classroom: Helpful or Harmful?

by Samantha Cleaver
Kids gravitate towards technology—if your child heads straight for the video games or Facebook after school, you know what we’re talking about. With a world of information at their fingertips nowadays, it seems like kids should be finding it easier than ever to succeed in school. However, as more classrooms invest in the latest technology, test scores remain the same, bringing its effectiveness into question.
Technology and Teaching

“Incorporating technology into the classroom requires a double innovation,” says Shelley Pasnik, director of the Center for Education and Technology, Educators who receive new technology must first learn how to use the equipment and then decide whether or not it supports the class objectives and curriculum.
For example, an instructor may restructure a lecture into a group activity, having students conduct online research to boost their understanding. With such a vast reference tool, the students might pose questions that no one in the class, not even the teacher himself, can answer. Many teachers and schools choose to avoid this situation by discouraging the use of computers in a well-organized lesson. Their latest shipment of Smartboards, ELMOs, or iPads stays locked in a closet as they struggle to find the time to effectively incorporate them into the curriculum plan.
Despite the challenges, incorporating technology into education still has proven benefits, especially when it comes to personalized learning. From math games that adjust the level of difficulty as players progress to electronic books that talk and respond to the tap of a finger, products that personalize the learning experience for students often benefit their understanding. An interactive game is more engaging than a book, so technology often promotes more practice and review in areas requiring memorization, such as spelling, math and geography. This frees up time in the classroom so educators can focus on skills like problem solving, character development and critical thinking.
Technology also makes it easier to spend more overall time on learning. “After school and weekend time can become effective learning time with the right technology,” says David Vinca, founder and executive director of eSpark Learning, an education company that focuses on bringing iPads and iPods into the classroom. Much like how smart phones extend the workday by allowing professionals to send emails anytime, educational technology extends the school day for kids who will happily play multiplication games or review grammar on computer programs.
Educators also find it easier to track and assess student progress with the help of technology. At the end of each lesson cycle in eSpark’s app, students record a video summarizing what they’ve learned, and email it to their teacher. If a student consistently misspells words of a certain pattern, the teacher will know immediately and reintroduce that specific skill. This kind of data-driven information is invaluable for teachers who want to revise and review.
Maximizing Your Child’s Tech Time

Consider these three tips when you consider your child’s daily interaction with technology
Look for Connections. When students use technology, it should be within the context of larger learning goals rather than in isolation. “Technology used in isolation is less effective than when it’s integrated into a curricular set of activities,” says Pasnik.
Don’t Assume. There are a lot of facts floating out there, and everyone has an opinion. Base your understanding of education technology on reliable sources. Pasnik suggests asking your child’s teacher about how technology is incorporated into the curriculum.
It’s All in the Application. The success of any tool depends on how it’s used. Ask how a gadget or program furthers higher thinking, basic skills, or the child’s ability to evaluate, analyze, and synthesize ideas. This way, you’ll ensure that it’s being used for more than its novelty.
Looking Ahead

Technology may be changing the experience of education, but the role of teachers and parents grow increasingly important as they become the experts and guides for new learning resources. Teachers remain the constant in an ever-changing classroom environment, which will continue to shift with the technological tides. Vinca agrees. “However technology is used in class, it has the opportunity to be a game changer.”

© Copyright 2006-2012 Education.com All Rights Reserved.
http://www.education.com/magazine/article/effective-technology-teaching-chil

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Newmark Learning Common Core Mathematics (see comments for reviews)

Common Core State Standards 2nd grade - Lesson Plans: Language Arts & Math

Common Core State Standards 2nd grade - Lesson Plans: Language Arts & Math







5.0 out of 5 stars Love, February 20, 2013
By
Kickingblondie -
Love these lesson plans! I feel better prepared for the common core state standards! Other team members have bought books for the others grades and feel the same way!



5.0 out of 5 stars Please again, December 22, 2012
By
Gatorsklc -
I ordered the books for kindergarten and first grade and I was looking forward to this book as well. It did not disappoint. Great lesson plans and ideas to help me in the classroom. Every classroom teaching to the CCSS needs this book.

Math Starters: 5- to 10-Minute Activities Aligned with the Common Core Math Standards, Grades 6-12 [Paperback]

Now updated with new math activities for computers and mobile devices—and now organized by the Common Core State Standards—this book includes more than 650 ready-to-use math starter activities that get kids quickly focused and working as soon as they enter the classroom.

Guided Reading Tasks

Reading Tasks 1 - Fiction

Choose an activity to complete about the book you are reading.

TASK A – Give your book marks out of ten and explain why you have given it that mark.

TASK B – Draw a picture of your favorite part of the story. Color it in and explain what you’ve drawn.

TASK C – Write down any new words you have come across in your book and look them up in the dictionary. Record what each word means.

TASK D – Draw a picture of your favorite character in the book. Write down their names and what you have learnt about them from your reading.

TASK E – Write about your favorite part in the story and explain why you liked it.

TASK F – Write down 5 questions you could ask someone about this book to check whether they have read it carefully. 

Reading Tasks 2 - Fiction

Choose an activity to complete about the book you are reading.

TASK G – Draw a picture of one of the settings in the story. Where is this place? What happens there?

TASK H – Copy out 3 sentences or phrases you really liked in this book. Why did you like each of them?

TASK I – Draw a poster to advertise the book you have read. Make sure you write on the poster why people should read it.

TASK J – Find 5 – 10 interesting words in this book. Write down what each one means. Then use each word in a sentence of your own.

TASK K – Draw a picture of one of the characters in the book. Find and copy at least 3 things the writer says about this person.

Reading Tasks 3 - Fiction

Choose an activity to complete about the book you are reading.

TASK L – Pretend you are one of the characters in the book. Who will you be? Write your diary for one day in the story.

TASK M – Draw a large picture of one of the settings used in the story. Label everything in the picture, using words and phrases from the book if you can.

TASK N – Which chapter or part of the story is the most important? Explain what happens in this section and why you think it’s important.

TASK O – Write a letter to your friend telling him or her a bit about this book. Explain why you think they ought to read it.

TASK P – Do you think the writer uses language (words) in an interesting way? Find 3 – 5 examples, copy them out and explain why you like them.

Reading Tasks 4 - Fiction

Choose an activity to complete about the book you are reading

TASK Q – Make notes about the story under these headings: *opening *build-up *dilemma *resolution.

TASK R - Make up a wordsearch or crossword based on the book.

TASK S - Write about the main character in the story. Choose 5 – 10 words to describe his or her behavior. Give an example for each one. E.g. Sally is foolish when she goes to the mill by herself.

TASK T – Pick a descriptive word from the text, write it down and use a thesaurus to find 5 words that mean something similar and 5 words that mean the opposite.

TASK U – Re-write a section as a playscript. Remember to include the correct features of a playscript, including setting, props, stage directions and names of characters.

Reading Tasks 5 - Fiction

Choose an activity to complete about the book you are reading.

TASK V – Think of 5 questions you would like to ask one of the characters in your book. Then swap these with another person in your group and write the answers as if you were that character.

TASK W – Write an interview between you and the main character of your book. Be sure you write detailed responses for your characters.

TASK X – Which character in this book are you most like? Explain your answer. Which character do you like the most? Which character do you least like? Explain your answer.

TASK Y – Construct a timeline to show all the main events in the story in the order they happen.

TASK Z – Write a summary of the story in 50 words only.

Reading Tasks 6 - Fiction

Choose an activity to complete about the book you are reading.

TASK 1 – Make a list of as many adjectives and adverbs as you can from the book. Choose 5 and use a thesaurus to write other words that mean something similar.

TASK 2 – What do other characters think or say about the main character? Why do they feel this way?

TASK 3 – Write a poem describing a place or a person in the story you’re reading.

TASK 4 – Write a newspaper report about an important event including a headline, interviews with people involved and pictures.

TASK 5 – Imagine you are one of the characters. Draw a picture diary recording the key events that happened in the story. Add a comment about how you felt.

Reading Tasks 1 – Non-fiction

Choose an activity to complete about the book you are reading.

TASK A – Write a list of features of your non-fiction book. Does it have a contents? An index? How many features can you find?

TASK B – Copy a sentence from your book and answer these questions: What tense is it written in? (past/present/future) How do you know? Is it written in 1^st or 3^rd person or is no-one referred to at all? Does it contain any speech? What is the sentence about?

TASK C – Find 5 – 10 technical words that you don’t know and write your own glossary to explain what they mean. Use a dictionary to help you.

TASK D – Find any 10 words in your book. Now put them into alphabetical order.

Reading Tasks 2 – Non-fiction

Choose an activity to complete about the book you are reading.

TASK E – Read through 3 paragraphs in your book and make notes on the most important points.

TASK F - Make a list of as many adjectives and adverbs as you can from the book. Choose 5 and use a thesaurus to write other words that mean something similar.

TASK G - Make up a word search or crossword based on the book.

TASK H – Draw a poster to advertise the book you have read. Make sure you write on the poster why people should read it.

TASK I – Think about 5 questions you would like to find out answers to when reading your book.

Reading Tasks 3 – Non-fiction

Choose an activity to complete about the book you are reading.

TASK J – Write down 5 – 10 interesting facts that you have found out in your reading.

TASK K – Choose your favorite section from your book. Read each sentence and write down the key words and phrases to summarize it.

TASK L – Choose your favorite section from your book and summarize the main points.

TASK M – Thought shower what you have learnt from reading this book.

TASK N – Draw a diagram of something mentioned in your book and label it with relevant information.

 Adapted from a resource contributed to TES Connect by liz_alston

NewPath Learning English Language Common Core Curriculum Mastery Flip Chart Set, Grade 1

NewPath Learning English Language common core curriculum mastery flip chart set. Developed directly from the common core standards and leveled by grade, these unique flip charts are designed to enhance and complement any Reading/English Language program.

Common Core State Standards 3rd Grade Lesson Plans: Language Arts & Math Paperback

This book contains two lesson plans for each of the Common Core State Standards. These include both Language Arts & Math. There are a total of 126 lessons and 7 rubrics. Also, included is a recommened reading list.


Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Love
By Kickingblondie on February 20, 2013
Love these lesson plans! I feel better prepared for the common core state standards! Other team members have bought books for the others grades and feel the same way!



5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Great help for the CCSS
By Gatorsklc on February 4, 2013
I found this book very helpful when trying to come up with lessons for the Common Core Standards. Friends recommended this book because they have used some of the other books for the other grades and found them helpful.



Not High Quality
By NC Teacher on July 28, 2013
The lessons in this book do not build conceptual understanding. The directions are unclear for many lessons. In some cases the activity does not connect to the standard. Any new teacher with Internet access has already heard of these activities or could create better ones on their own.

The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher ..... Harry K. Wong......A Must Read!

Math Work Stations: Independent Learning You Can Count On, K-2 [Spiral-Bound]

Amazon Customer Reviews:

By angela r vanhoose

Format:Spiral-bound

I am crazy about this book! It is so colorful and direct and to the point! You can begin using the ideas immediately and effectively. I love how the author shows real teachers and their classrooms and how they organized their math station materials. It has caused me to totally rethink how I organize my math materials. BUY THIS BOOK!!!!

By Dorothy of Oz

Format:Spiral-bound|Amazon Verified Purchase

WOW!!! I wish I would've had this eight year ago when I started teaching kindergarten!! I am SO EXCITED about this book! I have been telling everyone I teach with! This summer, I am getting everything together so I can start next year with these ideas. I have been searching for better ways to teach my kindergarten kids math that is MEANINGFUL and CHEAP! With Math Workstations, you use materials that you already have - bears, unifix cubes, dice, dominoes, etc. Mrs. Diller gives lots of details on how to introduce and manage Work Stations. The color pictures are wonderful...seeing the actual work done by children really helped me.

Grab a HIGHLIGHTER and take notes because there are ideas that you can start with tomorrow in your classroom.

Third Grade Learning Games Free

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By Robert

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Fun learning game designed for 3rd graders. Want to boost up your third grader's intellectual abilities ? This app is for you, it covers multiple facets of actual 3rd grader's curriculum from Multiplication, Measurements to sentences and parts of speech. Will surely unlock your child's potential. Download this app now!

By R

My son is entering third grade and enjoys the games on this app. He likes the fraction/decimal game. We have had good conversation about different skills in a fun way. Some of the games are challenging so I would not just hook your child up and walk away depending on their age. My son likes the race car game you get to play when you answer questions correct for the fraction/decimal game. There are limited games to play on the fee app so you need to upgrade to play all the games.

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Consider This...

Harry K. Wong is an educator, speaker and author. His works include The First Days of School, How to Be an Effective Teacher and New Teacher Induction.  The First Days of School is a must for new teachers and seasoned classroom teachers as well. 

Learning Resources LER6900 Time Tracker Programmable Electronic Timer

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Steffanie E. Steelhammer - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Learning Resources LER6900 Time Tracker Programmable Electronic Timer (Office Product)

This rocks as it displaces a child's anger from you as the time keeper. It allows you to walk away and not continue to nag your child. We use this in conjunction with 123 magic. Awesome!

By 

brandon vos (Richmond, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Learning Resources LER6900 Time Tracker Programmable Electronic Timer (Office Product)

We bought this for our 5 year old at the dinner table. We don't want her to eat quickly, but she takes FOREVER to finish dinner! So, we'll set this timer for 30mins total. After 15mins we set it to move to the yellow light and announce that times almost up. Then we set the red light to go off at 20mins and announce time is up. The red light will blink until time is REALLY up, then it will ding.

Sounds great right? Just know that it probably took me that long to program it! The menus and settings aren't easy, and don't expect the manual to help.

With a little work though- you'll be all set and ready to give your kiddos a little more structure! Have fun with that!

Fourth Grade Learning Games Free

Amazon Customer Reviews of this product:

By Mom of 3

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My kids LOVE these games and actually ask to play them. No doubt well be getting the full version soon!

By Scott Adelman

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I like this app! I went ahead and bought the full version and my kids love it. I even had fun with the math racing.

By Trixie

Amazon Verified Purchase

This game is awesome but in the free version it only lets you play 3 games. If you want to play all of the games you have to buy the full version.

Consider This...

Learning Styles are very important to the teaching process. As difficult as it may seem sometimes, try your best to incorporate more than one style for each lesson. You will find that more of your students will grasp and understand the skill you are teaching.

D.C. Schools Post Strong Results on Common-Core-Aligned Tests

By Lesli A. Maxwell on July 30, 2013 4:48 PM

Washington

A record number of students in the District of Columbia public schools reached proficiency in reading and mathematics on the city's annual exams in 2013—growth that comes as the school system has moved aggressively to implement the more rigorous common standards, city and education leaders announced with much fanfare earlier today.

At a packed news conference held at Kelly Miller Middle School in Northeast Washington—where math and reading scores jumped 14 percentage points this year over 2012—Mayor Vincent Gray said the strong results across nearly every student subgroup and across every ward in the city stem from the massive restructuring of the school system that began in 2007 when then-Mayor Adrian Fenty won authority to run 45,000-student system.

"I think we are beginning to see the systemic changes we've all worked hard for," Mayor Gray said.

Even with its strong growth in 2013, less than half of all students—48.4 percent—were proficient across both math and reading. The charter school sector—which serves roughly 35,000 students—did better with an overall proficiency rate of 55.8 percent. And the racial achievement gaps remain very wide in the city's traditional public schools. Forty percent of African-American students were proficient or higher in math in 2013, compared to more than 91 percent of white students. In reading, the gap was even bigger, with 38.6 percent of black students demonstrating proficiency compared to 92.1 percent of whites.

Still, every student subgroup posted gains between 2012 and 2013 in both subjects, except for English-language learners, whose reading performance slipped slightly. ELLs make up 10 percent of the district's enrollment, said Chancellor Kaya Henderson, and are in need of more of focus and more investment.

Perhaps more than almost any other urban school system in the country, the District of Columbia has moved swiftly and comprehensively to put the common standards in reading and math into classroom practice and has made major investments to train and support teachers and students through that transition. (My colleague Catherine Gewertz has been closely documenting that transition at one middle school near the U.S. Capitol.) The annual exam—known as the DC CAS—was redesigned in 2012 to align with the new English/language arts standards, and this year to align with the new math standards.

City and education officials hailed the steady trajectory of growth seen over the past six years in the District of Columbia schools, and credited the progress to an array of changes—a new teacher-evaluation system, an almost complete turnover in the principal ranks, and more city resources sunk into classrooms to support teachers and students—that stem from the radical change in governance that put the mayor in charge of the system.

Still, it's important to note that the standards, curriculum, and the tests changed during that period, raising questions about how comparable results from 2012 and 2013 are with prior years.

But Chancellor Henderson said that since students' record performance this year was on a test that is more difficult than the old DC CAS, the progress can't really be in doubt.

"The test, I think, has not gotten easier," she said in an interview with Education Week. "The fact that more students are meeting the floor level of proficiency, fewer students are below basic and more students are at advanced than ever before provides an indication that we are going in the right direction, so that even with a more difficult exam or an exam more aligned to the common-core standards, we are showing progress."

She also said that while she does worry about what scores will look like when District of Columbia students take the new common assessments designed by the PARCC consortium of states in 2015, the district's early move to common-core implementation should help students and teachers be prepared.

"It doesn't mean we are going to ace [the new tests], but it doesn't mean we are necessarily going to tank them either," she said. "By exposing our young people as early as possible and our educators to the rigor and content of the common core, we we can be prepared as best as possible."

Henderson does not support a suspension or moratorium on testing for accountability during the transition period between the new standards being taught and the new assessments being ready for prime time. Other high-profile education leaders such as Montgomery County, Md., schools Superintendent Joshua Starr and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten have been pushing for that.

"I'm not afraid to help our community make the transition to a different test, but I do feel like we have to chart our progress," Henderson said.

Still hanging over the district's head are persistent suspicions that isolated instances of cheating on state tests in 2008 when Michelle Rhee was chancellor (and Henderson her deputy) were actually a sign of a more coordinated, sweeping effort to make the district's academic performance look better than it was. It's a suspicion that Henderson believes she has done everything possible to dispel. The district has adopted more rigorous testing security protocols over the last couple of years and are "equal to, or more secure" than any other measures used in districts across the country, Henderson said.

The constant questions about the integrity of student performance disturb her deeply.

"To see what's happening in our classrooms right now, to see the amazing things our teachers are doing, the amazing things that our principals are doing, and the amazing things that our young people are doing, and when they achieve, to have people say that it can't be real unless adults cheated is a kick in the stomach," she said. "If I could cut off my right hand just to not disrespect the people and the work they are doing, I would do it."

Categories:

 

• Common Core ,
 
• District of Columbia

Tags:

 

• assessment ,
 
• common core ,
 
• District of Columbia

How to Help Student-Teachers Feel Prepared

By Angela Riggs

This school year, I plan to take on a classroom of "my own" for the first time.

Compared to nearly all of you, I am inexperienced—still a novice in our field. But even at this moment, I know I have a tremendous advantage over many other new teachers: I had a substantial internship with an expert teacher who was also a skilled mentor. And that advantage will also extend to my students.

Based on my experiences, I'd like to offer some tips for preparing student-teachers to succeed in the classroom.

Help your intern learn how to be reflective.

Mrs. S taught me how to reflect on my teaching in meaningful ways. Every time I taught a lesson, Mrs. S and I talked about things I did well, and discussed how I could improve next time.

She made sure to ask me what I thought before sharing her opinion. This was critical. Over time, I learned to review my teaching realistically, be aware of what worked and what didn't, and understand how to tweak and modify for the next lesson.

Make sure your intern is familiar with your students' areas of strength and need.

Like many preservice teachers, my internship took place in the spring semester, halfway through the academic year. Mrs. S showed me photos of each student and offered some social and academic background.

This helped me get to know students better and informed my instruction. I could determine which students to check in with for understanding, and which students I could call on to help move the lesson or concept forward. I could make better decisions about when and how to group students, and what approaches to take.

(Yes, I'll have to assess and get to know my students on my own this year—perhaps with some help from colleagues. But even if I walk in blind, I will have a better sense of how to assess them because of my work with Mrs. S.)

Introduce your intern to every aspect of teaching—including what goes on outside the classroom.

Teaching in the 21st century isn't just about what you do behind your classroom door. Far from it. I sat in on meetings, workshops, professional-learning communities, teams within teams, parent conferences, and faculty committees.

When administrators decided 4th and 5th grade teachers would pilot online grades and report cards, I was there to hear the teachers' questions, concerns, and strategies firsthand.

Throughout these meetings, the school's administrators, Mrs. S, and her teaching colleagues made sure that I felt welcome to offer my opinion and ask questions.

Let your intern teach.

This one seems obvious, of course. But I think that how Mrs. S handled it was especially effective—for me and the students.

We started off small—I began by taking over the math block after the first week. This gave me a taste of how to really prepare a unit and lessons (because lesson planning in university classes certainly did not!). I had a lot to learn about timing and how best to make transitions.

Little by little, I began to plan and instruct the other subjects as well—first science and social studies, then reading and language arts. By the end of March, I was responsible for planning and teaching the entire day!

I'll be honest. My senior internship did more to prepare me than the previous three years of coursework and observations—due in large part to Mrs. S's influence.

She went far beyond the "supervising teacher" role to become my mentor. She taught me how to collaborate and how to participate in the entire school environment. She was open and welcoming—willing to share her own experiences and guide me to my own understandings.

Perhaps most extraordinary was her insistence on self-reflection: that being a teacher is as much about knowing how to learn as it is about knowing how to teach.

I plan to take on my own classroom this year, and I know that I still have a lot to learn. I’m an expert on one thing: how to know a great mentor when I find one. And that feels like a pretty good start.

What about you? What did your mentor do for you? How do you "pass it on" to students you are charged with supervising?

Angela Riggs is a recent transplant to Portland, Ore. In the fall, she will begin her first year as a full-time teacher. She finds inspiration and advice as a member of the CTQ Collaboratory. Follow her @AngelaRiggs_.

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