Feeling overwhelmed and /or demoralized by the National Common Core
Standards? You are not alone.
According to an insightful
article written by Mike Schmoker from Education
Week, complexity kills. Elements of School
improvement efforts are clarity, priority and focus. Many of the standards’ language are
mystifying and “After state standards documents were launched and hardened into
law, it was discovered that it would take about 20 years to teach all the
skills and topics contained in them. But their worst feature was their
abstract, imprecise language, which made it hard to convert them into clear,
coherent curriculum and lessons.”
These obstacles can seriously hamper improvement efforts.
Also in the article, Schmoker outlines best
lessons:
1.
Are low tech; described on half
a page
2.
Has a clear objective
3.
Has an assessment aligned with
that objective
4.
Has an ongoing cycle of
assessments of learning at each step – ex. Teacher circulates to observe
student work
5.
Has reteaching when necessary
6.
Ensures student success
A helpful resource to simplify the standards is the “Three Shifts”
document on the achieve the core website. Three Shifts link
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