Be Inspiring and Creative with Common Core

Linda FaulkMarcella Cook

Background• Linda has taught High School Consumer

Math, Pre Algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2. Common Core Transition team rewriting course descriptions and pacing guides for Geometry, this year Math 7

• Marcella has taught Elementary as well as High School Consumer Math, Pre Algebra, Algebra 1 and Geometry. Common Core Transition team rewriting course descriptions and pacing guides for Algebra 1.

Opportunities that Common Core Gives Us

• The opportunity to look anew at our courses, ourselves and our students (we are all new teachers again)

• The opportunity to try something new without worrying about doing it right the first time (everyone is in the same boat)

• The opportunity to talk to other teachers across campus, state, country (we are at ground zero)

How is it all different?

• The Common Core curriculum itself will not look radically different from the lessons teachers have been presenting all along. The deep change takes place in how teachers teach that curriculum, what they do in the classroom to foster the higher-order cognitive skills that Common Core calls for.

Marzano 2013

Less Standards? Greater Depth...

• There are still too many. Before we were teaching a mile wide and an inch deep, now we are teaching 3/4 a mile wide and a mile deep, often with fewer days in the year?

• One strategy--collaboration leads to teaching key standards with mastery

What do CC Teachers do?• "New Strategies" for teaching

ERROR ANALYSIS--Make more mistakes, let students examine their thinking

EXAMINE STUDENT WORK--Don't just grade, use Exit cards, POW, Exemplars to see student thinking

QUESTION--Ask Why, How do you know, call on everyone-no opt out, Can you prove it to me,

COLLABORATE- Deep meaningful conversations about what students know and how you will

respond when students don't know. ENSURE STUDENT CONVERSATIONS ASSIGN LESS WORK but with more meaning

What do CC Teachers do?• "New Strategies" for teaching continued

Scaffold activities so students do not give up

Offer opportunities for students to practice, review

and retake important tests

Focus on key standards and teach with depth.

Use notetaking strategies, foldables, organizers,

for students to get critical content

What do CC students do?

• Reexamine the task when they’re stuck.• Develop a foundation for problem solving

strategy• Make sense of the meaning of the task• Persevere until the problem is solved• Ask more questions -- see bookmark• Peer coach, peer tutor,

Great Print Activities that Promote Discussion

Puzzles--great group activity, Tarsia

Great Print Activities that Promote Discussion

Sage and Scribe--

Great Print Activities that Promote Discussion

Travel Around--If you have an odd number, use trios instead of pairs or teacher can be a partner (near silent parner)

Great Print Activities that Promote Discussion

Mad Libs--Students write their own word problems and then solve them, swap problems with partners and solve others. Post them on walls for a gallery walk.

Great Print Activities that Promote Discussion

Team competitions--Yes, I offer a prize for the winners, but I have never seen students work together with such energy to solve math problems

Great Print Activities that Promote Discussion

Gallery Walks--Anything that can be printed or completed by students can be posted on the wall and groups of students can discuss and analyze...

Great Print Activities that Promote Discussion

Treasure Hunt-- posted around the room, students move with a group and discuss. Self checking

Great Print Activities that Promote Discussion

Scavenger Hunt using QR codes (On Door to Classroom) Do Math outside the math classroomOther UsesPost codes for syllabus, homework schedules, on walls during back to school night or parent conferences

Oldies but goodiesFoldables--Graphic organizers, note taking, manipulatives....

Jeopardy--Nothing new here, but always a winner in the classroom-see the variety at my wiki

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