Friday, January 28, 2011

Common Core State Standards and the Role of Teachers


Should classroom teachers be held accountable for their students’ standardized test scores? A more viable long-term approach regarding teacher success based on the Common Core State Standards might be offered by Master Plans and Programs for 21st century Schools.  There is a definite correlation between results-based teaching and curriculum alignment.

Good teaching plans produce good teachers. This necessitates a stronger approach to pedagogy. Teachers should always be accountable for content knowledge. However, if they don’t possess the ability to teach the content and have the necessary tools to teach, no amount of student testing and tutorial help will suffice. Students will not be college ready or able to enter a post-high school career path with any sense of confidence unless they are taught using a strong curriculum that will ensure that they are ready to meet the challenges of a college-and- career ready agenda.


Many good teachers (and administrators) have been injured in their career due to CRCT and End of Course Testing. Standardized tests used to measure proficiency presuppose that traditional parents supported educational goals and more specifically the success of individual students. This is no longer applicable. Even before the 2008 economic depression, parental involvement was declining as both parents were forced to work. 

The burden of educational results fell to teachers who had no control of other factors affecting individual learners. Teachers desperately need essential tools, resources, and the support of administrators and parents to ensure students receive the high quality education they want, need, and deserve in order to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. 

Now teachers and staff can  learn how to write Courses of Study that are aligned with local standards, state standards, national standards, Common Core State Standards, benchmark assessments, and standardized tests including CRCT, EOCT, GHSGT, PSAT, ACT, SAT, etc. How to Implement the Core State Standards Using The 20 Steps To Writing Curricula Aligned Courses of Study  will enable all students to receive the Quality Education they need and deserve in order to successfully meet the challenges of the 21st Century. This step-by-step plan is designed to guide teachers and staff as they write properly and completely aligned Courses of Study.

This plan will
·         Help your educators to effectively and successfully implement the CCSS into the curriculum.
·         Help build a strong system-wide school curriculum by content area and grade level.
  • Improve student and teacher performance.
  • Increase test scores.
  • Provide a uniform, continuous, comprehensive, educational program
for students in grades Pre-K-12.
  • Prepare students for college and the workforce.
  • Provide teachers with the powerful tools they need. 
  • Make stakeholders knowledgeable and confident.
  • Produce life-long learners and productive citizens.
  • Prepare students to succeed in our global economy.
  • Replace pressure with peace of mind.

The Finished Product is a Collection of superbly designed, completely aligned, teacher-friendly Courses of Study for Every Content Area by Grade Level.
  • Every teacher will have the tools needed to provide a Quality Education for all students.           
  • Every student will master the skills he/she needs to be Successful in school and in life.
  • ALL of your schools will receive the Test Results they want and deserve.
  • This will be the Best Investment you will ever make for your school system.
For more information about Common Core State Standards and How to Implement the Common Core State Standards Using The 20 Steps to Writing Personalized Curricula Aligned Courses of Study go to: http://www.childrensbooksandmusic.com/master_plans


Monday, January 24, 2011

Courses of Study Aligned with the Common Core State Standards


The public school systems in the United States are facing their greatest challenge since the late 1950s and early 1960s. American students are not performing as well as they have in past years.  However, they must be prepared to compete with not only their American peers in the next state, but with students from around the world.

The Common Core State Standard Initiative is a significant and historic opportunity for
states to collectively develop and adopt a core set of academic standards in mathematics
and English language arts. Forty-six states and three territories have joined the Common
Core State Standards Initiative.

The initiative is being jointly led by the NGA Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers in partnership with Achieve, ACT, and the College Board. It builds directly on recent efforts of leading organizations and states that have focused on developing college-and career-ready standards and ensures these standards are evidence- and research-based and internationally benchmarked to top performing countries.

Now teachers and staff can  learn how to write Courses of Study that are aligned with local standards, state standards, national standards, Common Core State Standards, benchmark assessments, and standardized tests including CRCT, EOCT, GHSGT, PSAT, ACT, SAT, etc. How to Implement the Core State Standards Using The 20 Steps To Writing Curricula Aligned Courses of Study  will enable all students to receive the Quality Education they need and deserve in order to successfully meet the challenges of the 21st Century. This step-by-step plan is designed to guide teachers and staff as they write properly and completely aligned Courses of Study.

This plan will
·         Help your educators to effectively and successfully implement the CCSS into the curriculum.
·         Help build a strong system-wide school curriculum by content area and grade level.
  • Improve student and teacher performance.
  • Increase test scores.
  • Provide a uniform, continuous, comprehensive, educational program
for students in grades Pre-K-12.
  • Prepare students for college and the workforce.
  • Provide teachers with the powerful tools they need. 
  • Make stakeholders knowledgeable and confident.
  • Produce life-long learners and productive citizens.
  • Prepare students to succeed in our global economy.
  • Replace pressure with peace of mind.

The Finished Product is a Collection of superbly designed, completely aligned, teacher-friendly Courses of Study for Every Content Area by Grade Level.
  • Every teacher will have the tools needed to provide a Quality Education for all students.           
  • Every student will master the skills he/she needs to be Successful in school and in life.
  • ALL of your schools will receive the Test Results they want and deserve.
  • This will be the Best Investment you will ever make for your school system.
For more information about Common Core State Standards and How to Implement the Common Core State Standards Using The 20 Steps to Writing Personalized Curricula Aligned Courses of Study go to: http://www.childrensbooksandmusic.com/master_plans




Thursday, January 20, 2011

Common Core State Standards and Your School Curriculum: A Step by Step Guide to Curriculum Alignment


The Common Core State Standards Initiative was a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers. Governors and state commissioners of education from 48 states, 2 territories and the District of Columbia committed to developing a common core of state standards in English language arts and mathematics for grades K-12. The standards have now been released in final form and most states have either already committed to or are considering adopting the Common Core State Standards.

Kentucky was the first state to officially commit to adopt the standards. Implementation of the new standards can help prepare superintendents, principals, teachers, staff, and students for a smooth, effective, and successful school career. Implementation that is constructed directly from the CCSS, can help teachers ensure that their students are gaining the critical knowledge and skills specified by the new standards.

 How to Implement the Common Core State Standards Using The 20 Steps to Writing Personalized Curricula Aligned Courses of Study is a specialized plan designed to meet the needs of all the students in every state in the USA by virtue of Courses of Study that include all of the local, state, national, and Common Core State Standards which have been properly and completely aligned with teacher-made tests, norm-referenced tests, criterion-referenced tests, etc.   

Information on this plan is being released to all the states that have adopted the CCSS. Teachers and staff will write curriculum aligned courses of study for every content area by grade level. Included in the Courses of Study  will be  standards, course guides, assessments, syllabi, and lesson plans just to name a few. 

 In addition, How to Implement the Common Core State Standards Using The 20 Steps to Writing Personalized Curricula Aligned Courses of Study provides for the curriculum alignment to be done during professional development time. Teachers and staff will be given step-by-step directions to effectively incorporate the new standards into the school curriculum. After the Courses of Study have been completed, each teacher will have access to the Course(s) of Study based on the subjects taught.
 
Implementing the standards can be complex or easy. We want it to be easy. That is why we recommend How to Implement the Common Core State Standards Using The 20 Steps to Writing Personalized Curricula Aligned Courses of Study.
 
For more information about Common Core State Standards and How to Implement the Common Core State Standards Using The 20 Steps to Writing Personalized Curricula Aligned Courses of Study go to: http://www.childrensbooksandmusic.com/master_plans

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Common Core Standards Adopted for Mathematics and English Language Arts


Are Schools Prepared to Implement the Change?

It has been a nationwide effort to provide clear, consistent, uniform expectations for all students. The Common Core Standards have been created and adopted for both mathematics and English language arts. To date, forty (40) states have committed to adopting the Common Core Standards.  Listed below are some of the key points of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts and mathematics. How will these standards be implemented? The answer is at the end of this article.

Key Points in English Language Arts: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, Language, Media and Technology
Key Points In Mathematics: Whole numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, negative numbers, geometry, conceptual understanding, algebra, probability, statistics, and applying mathematical ways of thinking to real world issues and challenges.

The standards have been adopted. Now, it is time for implementation, and a plan is available. The plan was created by a group of educators. It makes implementation the easiest part of the entire process. The plan is How to Implement the Common Core State Standards Using The 20 Steps to Writing Personalized Curricula Aligned Courses of Study.  It is a specialized plan designed to meet the needs of all the students in every state in the USA by virtue of Courses of Study.  When completed, the Courses of Study will include all of the local, state, national, and Common Core State Standards which have been properly and completely aligned with teacher ‑ made tests, norm-referenced tests, criterion-referenced tests, etc. 

The best part of the plan is that the Courses of Study will be written by teachers and staff members. No one knows what students need more than the professionals who teach and interact with them every day.  Information on this plan is being released to all the states that have adopted the CCSS. Teachers and staff will learn how to write curriculum aligned courses of study for every content area by grade level. Included in the courses of study  will be standards, course guides, assessments, syllabi, and lesson plans just to name a few.

For more information about Common Core State Standards and How To Implement The Common Core State Standards Using The 20 Steps to Writing Personalized Curricula Aligned Courses of Study go to: http://www.childrensbooksandmusic.com/master_plans

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Common Core State Standards Supported by School Superintendents


The Common Core State Standards Initiative was launched more than a year ago by state leaders of the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association for Best Practices. The goal was to make the standards the same across state lines in English language arts and mathematics. The Standards outline what material students should learn in each grade level. According to the initiative, the standards “will provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so that teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them.”

 The Common Core State Standards define the knowledge and skills that students should have within their Kindergarten through 12th grade education careers so that they will graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs. The standards
·         Are aligned with college and work expectations;
·         Are clear, understandable and consistent;
·         Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
·         Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
·         Are informed by other top performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society; and
·         Are evidence-based.
On November 18, 2010, Alabama became the 40th state to adopt the standards. It is the belief school superintendents that the standards will bring a level of uniformity across state lines. Each state will know what the other states are doing. Many states agree that their English and mathematics curricula need to be aligned with the standards and assessments, but they want and need a plan of implementation.

How to Implement the Common Core State Standards Using The 20 Steps to Writing Personalized Curricula Aligned Courses of Study is a specialized plan designed to meet the needs of all the students in every state in the USA by virtue of Courses of Study that include all of the local, state, national, and Common Core State Standards which have been properly and completely aligned with teacher ‑ made tests, norm-referenced tests, criterion-referenced tests, etc.  Information on this plan is being released to all the states that have adopted the CCSS. Teachers and staff will write curriculum aligned courses of study for every content area by grade level. Included in the courses of study  will be  standards, course guides, assessments, syllabi, and lesson plans just to name a few.

For more information about Common Core State Standards and How to Implement the Common Core State Standards Using The 20 Steps to Writing Personalized Curricula Aligned Courses of Study go to: http://www.childrensbooksandmusic.com/master_plans