1. An Introduction to the Common Core State Standards
What they mean for you and your children
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2. What are the Common Core Standards?

3. “These Standards are not intended to be new names for old ways of doing business. They are a call to take the next step… It is time to recognize that standards are not just promises to our children, but promises we intend to keep.”
-- The Common Core State Standards in Math, page 5
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4. Tonight’s Objectives
Help parents understand what college readiness is and why it matters.
Introduce parents to the new standards and help them understand what to look for and how to help their children at home.

5. Activity: What is college readiness?
At your table, discuss:
What does college-readiness look like?
When is a student is ready for college?
What do children need to learn to be ready for college?
How can parents help?

6. So? What does it mean?
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7. College and Career Readiness
The new standards will get students ready for success in college and the workforce.
…but what does that mean?
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8. College Readiness
College readiness means that graduates have the skills they need to do well in college.
“College” doesn’t just mean a four-year degree. It can mean any program that leads to a degree or certificate.
Being “ready” means that students graduate from high schools with key skills in English and mathematics.
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9. Career Readiness
Career readiness means that high school graduates are qualified for and able to do well in long-term careers.
“Career” doesn’t just mean a job. It means a profession that lets graduates succeed at a job they enjoy and earn a competitive wage.
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10. Why does this matter? Because it’s what our students need
For every 100 ninth graders…
65 graduate from high school
37 enter college
24 are still enrolled in sophomore year
12 graduate with a degree in six years

11. … and only 6 get a good job after graduation
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12. The new standards will…
Prepare students to succeed in college and the workforce
Ensure that every child—regardless of race, ethnicity or zip code—is held to the same high standards and learns the same material
Provide educators with a clear, focused roadmap for what to teach and when
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13. What are the Common Core Standards?
A single set of clear standards for English language arts and mathematics
A tool to help students and parents set clear and realistic goals for success
A first step in providing young people with the high-quality education that will prepare them for success in college and careers
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14. States that adopted the Common Core

15. What’s different in the new standards?
English Language Arts/Literacy:
Focus on non-fiction, careful reading
Discuss reading and write using evidence
Increase academic vocabulary
Mathematics
Learn more about fewer concepts
Focus on skill building, speed and accuracy
Use of real world examples to better understand concepts
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16. ELA Test Question – Pre Common Core
In both the Demosthenes biography and the Icarus and Daedalus myth the main characters are given advice from other people. Do you respond to advice from other people more like Demosthenes or more like Icarus? Write an essay in which you explain who you are more like when it comes to taking advice and why. Use details from both articles to support your answer.  
In your response, be sure to do the following:
tell whether you are more like Demosthenes or Icarus
explain why you are respond to advice similar to Demosthenes or Icarus
use details from both passages in your response
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17. ELA Test Question – Post Common Core
In both the Demosthenes biography and the Icarus and Daedalus myth the main characters exhibit determination in pursuit of their goals. Did determination help both main characters reach their goals, or did it lead them to tragedy? Write an argument for whether you believe determination helped or hurt the two main characters.  In your response, be sure to do the following:
describe how determination affected the outcome in Demosthenes
describe how determination affected the outcome in Icarus and Daedalus
explain the similarities or differences that exist in the ways determination played into the outcome of both texts
use details from both passages in your response
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18. Math Test Question: Pre-Common Core
7.G04
Determine the surface area of prisms and cylinders, using a calculator and a variety of methods.
In order to solve this problem, students need to:
Calculate the surface area with the given dimensions. Then, calculate the surface area given a different dimension. Then, find the difference (to the nearest hundredth) between the two measurements.

19. Math Test Question: Post Common Core
6.G.1
Find the area of right triangles, other triangles, special quadrilaterals, and polygons by composing into rectangles or decomposing into triangles and other shapes; apply these techniques in the context of solving real-world and mathematical problems.
6.RP.1
Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities. For example, “The ratio of wings to beaks in the bird house at the zoo was 2:1, because for every 2 wings there was 1 beak.” “For every vote candidate A received, candidate C received nearly three votes.”
In order to solve this problem, students need to:
First find the area of the triangle using the measurements given. Then, use the area of the triangle and create a ratio of triangle ABE with ADE, or other equivalent ratio, then find the ratio of the triangle CDE (students have to know that CDE is the same as ABE) with the total rectangle.
How these problems are different:
1. Old problem uses only surface area in isolation with basic operations (subtraction) to find the difference between two surface areas; new problem requires that students calculate area and relate it to ratios (multi-standard)
2. Old problem is multi-step, but again simple steps that really require fluency, whereas, the new problem requires multi-steps of different concepts (both area and ratio) and pushes kids to create ratios given different information and shapes within the diagram. This new problem forces kids to use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities.
3. Old problem is rote use of the standard algorithm for finding surface area (fluency) whereas new problem requires that students decompose a polygon and the information given to determine the area of a part of the polygon.

20. So, what can parents really do to help?
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21. Parent support can help students succeed
By staying involved, informed and engaged, parents can help students be successful
There are many ways to help:
Read with your children
Review and discuss their homework
Communicate with their teachers
Attend public meetings to learn more
Learn about the standards and how they affect your child’s education and school
Look through your child’s backpack each afternoon
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22. Activity: After school routines
Grab a partner and discuss your after school routines. Be specific!
Ask each other questions:
How do you help your child with homework? How closely do you review it?
How closely do you review their schoolwork?
How often do you communicate with their teachers?
How do you celebrate your child’s success in school? How do you address poor performance?
What is your favorite part of your after school routine?
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23. So? What works best?
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24. Backpacks: What you should see
Books that are both fiction and non-fiction
Real-world examples that makes what they’re learning in English and math make more sense
Writing assignments that require students to use evidence instead of opinion
Math homework that asks students to write out how they got their answer
Math homework that ask students to use different methods to solve the same problem

25. Some questions to ask your child
Did you talk about anything you read in class today? Did you use evidence when you talked about what you read?
How did you use evidence in school today? Where did you get it?
How often did you use math today? How did you use it?
Did you learn any new words in class today? What do they mean? How do you spell them?

26. Activity: Talking to your kids about school
At your table, talk about strategies you use to get your kids talking about their days after school
What questions do you ask?
Do you discuss what they tell you?
How do you get them excited to talk?
What do you do when they refuse to talk?
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27. What works best?
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28. A Closer Look: ELA/Literacy Shifts
Read as much non-fiction as fiction
Learn about the world by reading
Read more challenging material closely
Discuss reading using evidence
Write non-fiction using evidence
Increase academic vocabulary
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29. A Closer Look: Mathematics Shifts
Focus: learn more about less
Build skills across grades
Develop speed and accuracy
Really know it, Really do it
Use it in the real world
Think fast AND solve problems
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30. Resources for parents
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31. EngageNY
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32. Additional resources www.achievethecore.org www.pta.org/4446.htm

33. Closing discussion
What strategies did we discuss today that you think you might use with your children?
What other information would be helpful to you?
What other questions do you have?
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34. Classroom Visits Please head to your children’s classrooms
Their teachers want to show your kids have been learning
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35. Thank you
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