WHOLE CHILD- WHOLE SCHOOL One hundred years from now it will not matter what your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove…but the world may be different because you were important in the life of a child!
Understand what aspects of the Common Core are critical to communicate to parents Receive tips on how to facilitate communication with parents Highlight free Common Core links & resources you can use Objectives
How are standards and curriculum different? The Common Core is not a curriculum – control over materials and course content still rests with local educators and the community. Parents must still feel that they are a part of curricular decisions. “Standards are the WHAT, curriculum is the HOW.” Parents Need to Know…
Significant changes in math standards. The Common Core is benchmarked to other high- performing countries. This means the math content will get more difficult, and the order in which some concepts are taught will change. Students will return to learning fundamental concepts more deeply rather than rushing through large amounts of material. Parents Need To Know…
Standards of Mathematical Practice. Filling in the right bubble is no longer good enough. Students must function as mathematicians – explaining their reasoning and assumptions, comparing solution methods, and representing their answers in multiple forms (verbal, graphic, symbolic, etc.) Parents Need to Know…
Significant changes in English/Language Arts. Purposeful shift toward more informational text. In our increasingly knowledge-based society, students need tools to dissect textbooks, manuals, etc. Literature is still present, but de-emphasized. There are also standards on listening and speaking, in hopes of guiding students to be effective in multiple modes of communication. Parents Need to Know…
Special education and the Common Core. Special education experts were consulted during the creation of the standards and many documents exist specifying how the standards can be modified to meet the goals and abilities of special education students. Special education was not an afterthought in this effort. Parents Need to Know…
How will assessment change? Specific changes vary by state, but overall teachers will have real-time feedback on student mastery. Computer adaptive testing will mostly replace or augment traditional pencil and paper testing. Test items will assess higher order thinking, not just factual recall. Technology infrastructure in schools will be key to this effort. Parents Need to Know…
Involve parents in resource development. It can be difficult to attain parent buy-in by handing out an informational flyer. Involving parents in the creation of these resources not only ensures parent-friendly language, it also gives you natural allies when it comes time to disseminate information. Tips for Communication
Be prepared to answer “Why am I here?” A parent’s time is valuable, and educators have to respect that. Be prepared with objectives for every meeting or presentation, and meet them. Be comfortable with being direct and to the point. Parents appreciate solid information delivered quickly and without education lingo. Tips for Communication
Build leaders’ image and trust. School and district personnel should be accessible and visible. Designate contact people at all organizational levels for various initiatives (like Common Core.) Too often parents search for information and nobody knows where to send them – you can fix that problem. Tips for Communication
Keep in touch! Information is more powerful when it is accessible round-the-clock. This means you can’t just rely on parent meetings. Collect e- mail addresses and send out periodic updates. Parents will see you as a trusted source of information if you continuously send them high-quality resources. Tips for Communication
Stay positive in your messaging. Nobody likes a Negative Nancy, and as educators parents are always observing your words and actions. Find ways to communicate your frustrations that involve parents as a solution. Tips for Communication
Discuss ideas for building and communicating a common vision and message Discuss ways you might consider supporting the change over time Discuss means of monitoring the implementation and potential adjustments you may may need to consider Ponder Point
Questions????? The Common Core Standards are an opportunity to transform how we teach our students to prepare them for the 21 st Century “ WE AND IN THIS TOGETHER “
There is absolutely no research correlation between success and family background, race, national origin, financial status, or even educational accomplishments. There is but one correlation with success, and that is ATTITUDE.
Questions?????