1. Laguna Beach Unified School District
November 5, 2014
Transitioning to the Common Core: All Roads lead to Calculus and Statistics
Dr. Patrick Callahan
Statewide Co-Director, California Mathematics Project
UCLA

2. Why Common Core?

3. Where did the CCSS Come From?

4. Overriding question: What do we want HS graduates to know and be able to do?

5. Current Adoptions of CCSS
CCSS Adoptions as of 11/3/2014
The Common Core State Standards in Mathematics present school districts, states, and publishers across the United States with the challenge of rebuilding curricula from the floor up.
The standards express what students will understand when instruction and learning are complete, but in order to be successful, they must be translated first into a coherent story or pathway to understanding, and then a sequence of classroom experiences.
2.  what is the problem we are trying to solve (lack of coherence, sequences of activities with no purpose or rationale)

7. 43 State are currently implementing the CCSS
When will we be fully implemented?

8. “fully implemented?”
From a student’s perspective the first time the Common Core could be fully implemented is a student graduating in 2024.
Before that time every student will experience a hybrid of Common Core and previous mathematics.

9. “fully implemented?”
From a student’s perspective the first time the Common Core could be fully implemented is a student graduating in 2024.
Before that time every student will experience a hybrid of Common Core and previous mathematics.
You have experienced about 7.692% Common Core!
Congrats Class of 2014 !

10. Implementation vs. Transition
The word “implementation” tends to refer to the policy aspects of adopting the Common Core.
In a policy sense you can be “fully implemented” right away.
Another, more student-centric, approach is to think in terms of “transition” rather than “implementation”.
This is a pragmatic approach that acknowledges that student, parents, teachers, and systems are where they are now and that it will take time to move the system to the Common Core.

11. Transition to What? We use the phrase “implement the Common Core” or
“transition to the Common Core”
but what does that mean?
What exactly are the Common Core Standards?

12. Common Core Standards, what they are NOT and what they ARE:
The Common Core standards are not a list of topics to be covered or taught.
The Common Core State Standards are a description of the mathematics students are expected to understand and use, not a curriculum. The standards are not the building blocks of curriculum, they are the achievements we want students to attain as the result of curriculum.

13. How are the CCSS different?
The CCSS are reverse engineered from an analysis of what students need to be college and career ready.
The design principals were focus, coherence, and rigor. (No more mile-wide inch deep laundry lists of standards)
The CCSS in Mathematics have two sections:
CONTENT and PRACTICES
The Mathematical Content is what students should know.
The Mathematical Practices are what students should do.
Real life applications and mathematical modeling are essential.

14. Mathematical Practice
Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
Model with mathematics.
Use appropriate tools strategically.
Attend to precision.
Look for and make use of structure.
Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

15. CCSS Mathematical Practices
REASONING AND EXPLAINING
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
OVERARCHING HABITS OF MIND
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
6. Attend to precision
MODELING AND USING TOOLS
4. Model with mathematics
5. Use appropriate tools strategically
SEEING STRUCTURE AND GENERALIZING
7. Look for and make use of structure
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

16. What is rigor?

17. What is rigor?

18. Sample Algebra Worksheet
This should look familiar.
What do you notice?
What is the mathematical goal?
What is the expectation of the student?

20. A sample Algebra Exam

21. A sample Algebra Exam
I typed #16 into Mathematica

24. Look at the circled answers. What do you notice?

25. “Answer Getting”
As Phil Daro has mentioned:
There is a difference between using problems to “get answers” and to learn mathematics.
This algebra exam sends a clear message to students:
Math is about getting answers.
Note that there is no context, just numbers and expressions.

26. Getting correct answers is necessary, but students must also understand, and be able do applications

27. Previous Expectations for Mathematics
California STAR test released items 5th Grade

30. What are these assessing?

31. The Common Core is NOT just about shuffling topics around.
The Common Core is fundamentally about changing the definition of what it means to be mathematically proficient.

32. OLD DEFINITION OF PROFICENCY NEW DEFINITION OF PROFICENCY
The Target has Changed!
OLD DEFINITION OF PROFICENCY
NEW DEFINITION OF PROFICENCY

33. SBAC Claims

38. SAT Redesign (2016) Focus on Math that Matters Most
The exam will focus in depth on three essential areas of math:
Problem Solving and Data Analysis
Heart of Algebra
Passport to Advanced Math

40. New SAT items

42. New expectations require new Pathways

43. Changing expectations: The trouble with course names
In the particular case of mathematics, there is a “vocabulary” around the names of mathematics courses that is likely to cause confusion not only for educators, but also for parents. “Algebra 1” is a course that, prior to CA CCSSM, has been taught in 8th grade to an increasing number of students. That same course name will be the default for ninth grade for most students who moving forward will complete the CA CCSSM for grade eight – a course that is more rigorous and more demanding than the earlier versions of “Algebra 1.” Even so, we expect the changes to cause confusion. The single most practical solution is to describe detailed course contents, in addition to course names, as a way of clearing up confusion until “Algebra I” as commonly used, refers to a ninth grade and not an eighth grade course

44. Changing expectations The trouble with course names
In the particular case of mathematics, there is a “vocabulary” around the names of mathematics courses that is likely to cause confusion not only for educators, but also for parents. “Algebra 1” is a course that, prior to CA CCSSM, has been taught in 8th grade to an increasing number of students. That same course name will be the default for ninth grade for most students who moving forward will complete the CA CCSSM for grade eight – a course that is more rigorous and more demanding than the earlier versions of “Algebra 1.” Even so, we expect the changes to cause confusion. The single most practical solution is to describe detailed course contents, in addition to course names, as a way of clearing up confusion until “Algebra I” as commonly used, refers to a ninth grade and not an eighth grade course

45. An important equation:
Algebra 1 ≠ Algebra 1

46. Previous 8th grade CA standards

47. Crosswalks are not the answer

48. Changing expectations: Middle School is key
When the expectations for middles school mathematics were mostly about speed and accuracy of computations it made sense to accelerate in middle school, and even skip grades.
This no longer makes sense.
Middle school mathematics is the key to success for all students. Rushing or skipping is a bad idea for almost all students.

49. Sample Common Core Grade 8 Curriculum Plan
Common Core is much more rigorous than previous middle school expectations.

50. CA Framework on Acceleration
Decisions to accelerate students into the Common Core State Standards for higher mathematics before ninth grade should not be rushed.
Placing students into an accelerated pathway too early should be avoided at all costs. It is not recommended to compact the standards before grade seven to ensure that students are developmentally ready for accelerated content. In this document, compaction begins in seventh grade for both the traditional and integrated sequences.

51. CA Framework on Acceleration
Decisions to accelerate students into higher mathematics before ninth grade must require solid evidence of mastery of prerequisite CA CCSSM.

52. What it means to be successful at mathematics
It’s not rushing to get as far ahead as you can.
It means mastering rigorous mathematics.

53. OLD vs. CC: Same Advanced Options for Students (A POSSIBLE SET OF CC PATHWAYS)
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
OLD
GRADE 6
OLD
GRADE 7
OLD
ALG 1
OLD
GEOM
OLD
ALG 2
OLD
PRE-CALC
AP CALC
OLD
GRADE 6
OLD
ALG 1
OLD
GEOM
OLD
ALG 2
OLD
PRE-CALC AP
CALC AB AP
CALC BC CC 6 CC 7 CC 8 CC
ALG 1 CC
GEOM CC
ALG 2
YR 4 or
AP C/S CC 7 CC 8 CC
ALG 1 CC
GEOM CC
ALG 2 AP
CALC AB AP
CALC BC

54. Transitioning to Common Core: Focus and Purpose
Transitions are like home remodels: they take time and they can be messy along the way, but it is worth the effort if you have a vision for improving mathematics for all students.

55. I would like to personally thank the teachers and administrators of Laguna Beach Unified School District.
It has been a pleasure to work with them.
They are committed to providing the best possible education for all your students.
They are working hard to ensure that all students not only get into the college of their choice, but to be successful when they get there, and after they graduate.
Sincerely, ,
Patrick Callahan