Getting into the Common Core Standards

So I’m spending some of my “free” time reading through the CCSS ELA standards. I downloaded   the standards when they were first published in 2010 and sort of skimmed through them because I wanted to see what the fuss was about. At that time, any possible implementation seemed so far off so I felt no need to read closely or figure them out. Promptly set them aside.

Summer 2011 gave me time to look at them more closely. Skimmed through the appendices and introduction, but did spend more time thinking about the grade level ELA standards. At that point, I was still looking at the standards in isolation; I hadn’t studied the anchor standards, nor had I spent much time looking at the grade level progression.

Working with Jen B, we focused primarily on the three types of writing (narrative, argument, and inform-explain). We changed our weekly schedule to include a double-block of English on Fridays, focusing on writing skills. We introduced each type of writing and had students produce one process piece for each type over 4-5 weeks, taking the first semester to introduce and practice all three types of writing.

This summer, Jen and I read Pathways to the Common Core, College Knowledge, and College and Career Ready, as well as a couple of other books on the Common Core standards and college readiness. These three texts were the ones that really shifted my thinking about how I could better prepare students for college and make a full transition to the CCSS.

Anyway, now I am going back to the CCSS and reading the Introduction slowly and carefully – exactly the kind of reading I want students to be doing as well. More thoughts on the CCSS standards soon.

~Jen P