As simplistically and clearly as they have been "laid out" and broken down, The Common Core State Standards (used in both my current state, as well as the one I will soon be relocating to), are anything but simple. The word I would more likely use to describe the experiences of exploring and unpacking these standards, would be "overwhelming." Speaking as a lowly novice student, after a week newfound research and application, I cannot imagine a more daunting set of tasks than dissecting each of these standards and generating meaningful, creative, enriching, content-based lessons and assessments for them. Yet, I know from speaking to more experienced teachers, that these tasks will in fact, become easier and that having this concrete guide (and correlating iPad apps), will be tremendously useful to me someday soon. We shall see...
My (for now) "Take-Aways" from A Week of Standards Introduction & Exploration:
In analyzing three particular standards to give focus to broad research, using the third grade as an example of my ideal placement in a K-6 school setting, I discovered the "Common Core" app which provides a very user-friendly interface for finding the subject-and-grade-specific standards by number. From there I was able to further my research online, to see what some other teachers are doing to apply those standards to their lessons, developing specific learning activities and assessments around the core specific criteria. Based on the lessons I read about being currently used, I was able to identify certain strategies and big ideas or "take-aways" that helped me "unpack" each standard in a way that was more easily digested and manageable, in smaller parts or pieces, all fitting together.
I have thus, recently learned that when using common standards to scaffold work, which is required, the standards must be first in the process, then the teaching/learning objectives or big ideas, and finally the lessons, activities, supplies or resources, and assessment, in that order. It makes perfect sense, now having attempted it myself, however, I wonder once again, how on earth, these elementary school teachers manage the time to do is, for each subject, for every standard?! The time consuming element, in addition to the complex application, is another fear of mine. How will the theory of practice, and practice itself measure up?
One of the standards I investigated for example, the Common Core Standard 3.OA.A.1 Math Content, Operations & Algebraic Thinking, requires one to: represent and solve problems involving multiplication and division. Specifically, the measurable goal and big idea is to have third grade students interpret products of whole numbers in such a way that they can interpret an equation like 5 x 7 as the total number of objects, in 5 groups of 7 objects each. Sounds simple in theory right? Yet, to meet this standard, a teacher would ideally want to plan activities and lessons that will help students learn that number patterns and operations relationships are useful for solving math problems. Thus activited/lessons should be diverse to add interest and engagement, but tie into the overall idea, through repetition and appeal to multiple senses. The ideas I had were, reading content related stories where characters have to sort in this way, modeling and demonstrations by self and students, using Smartboard and manipulatives, creating "math story" illustrations and graphic products by computer by hand, completing math games and handouts on paper and by digital means, watching "how to" videos or creatively designing a music video tutorial as a class. In theory, this sounds like fun, but in practice, it sounds more like exhausting...and that's only one subject!
However I note that between the "carry-overs" of supplies/preparation, and the routines/procedures maintained in the classroom, this initially daunting workload might seem a lot lighter over time, as it is learned, repeated often, and improved upon along the way. Examples of the carry-overs might be that from the list of math lesson/activity ideas above, I could further breakdown this standard to materials (such as IPads or computers, handouts, pencils, markers, manipulatives, flash cards, etc) and resources (such as software apps and CDs, online materials and research sites, books, and movies), that could mostly all be re-used in other activities and become familiar fairly quickly.
In a final step of the process, assigning appropriate assessment, I would ideally (in theory) attempt to diversify and differentiate assessment based on individual student needs and a more wholistic measurement of ability; perhaps by using rubrics for evaluating products, digital/hand grading of quizzes, tests, and games, and/or direct observation and reporting of participation and effort by students/groups. All of these techniques then, in practice, would also be "carry-overs" that when utilized often enough, could become routine and familiar, and then further developed/improved upon as needed.
To reiterate my current stance, from what I have witnessed so far, this process of working from standard on down, is anything but easy, quite complex, somewhat inflexible, and more than likely, is wrought with imperfections (standardized education from a parent-perspective at least, leaves little to no space for creativity, spontaneity, exceptional case modifications/enrichment, and general innovation), but for this moment in time, in our country, The Common Core standrads and process of breaking them down into a framework for practice, is truly the most efficient and effective way to create a definitive plan of action with measurable goals and results, by subject, in improving the overall education of most students. And while theory and practice may not always align, I believe that one must continue to strive for the best possible solutions and outcomes in all endeavors regarding children, even the more difficult tasks, in order to consistently improve and deliver.
Resources
Third Grade Operations & Algebraic Thinking - CCSS Mathematics - 3.OA.A.1
Common Core App
Toolkit forCommon Core
Skills Available for Common Core (interactive standards based, timed activities)
Language Arts Standards Unpacked
Mathematics Standards Unpacked
