Common Core Implementation

Today our students had only a half-day of school.  For the second part of the day, all of the teachers had a workshop all about common core.  Our district is just starting to implement common core this year.

Everyone was split first by grade level and then by either ELA or Math.  Luckily, I was put in the ELA group.  :)  This made me very happy because I am working on my master's degree in reading.  Right now, our district doesn't have any guidelines for this year as far as what is expected in our classroom in regards to common core, but that will be coming soon.

For the most part, I felt that I already cover the ELA standards in my classroom as did most of the teachers in my group.  We felt as though we now just need to view our teaching differently.  We need to look at the big picture with the end of year expectations in mind.  I think it made us breathe a sigh of relief because implementation won't as hard as we thought it would.

This whole day got me thinking......where is your district in the implementation of common core?  Last year, I researched common core and starting implementing the standards in my classroom because I knew that it was coming.  What is your district or school doing?  I would love to hear!

6 comments

  1. Our state fully implemented CC last year. We are of the type, let's just do it all at once and figure it out as we go! :)

    I had read/heard about it the previous year so I, like you, began to research and do some things in my room with it. Then last year we were being trained as we started it. Still doing training (and I get to be a trainer..fun times!)

    Good luck!

    Nicki
    Mrs. Thigpen's Kindergarten

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  2. We are on year 3 of implementation. The biggest thing we found when we deconstructed the standards was that while we cover them, we didn't necessarily cover them as in depth as we needed to. We were told that the end of the year goal is mastery so what do we need to do to promote mastery, not just cover the standards. We were in teams of 3 to deconstruct the standards, and it was interesting to hear the different interpretations we each had of some the standards. Each group was responsible for one strand of ELA standards and one in Math.

    Like you, I was more excited about the ELA, but the conversations around math were very interesting. I learned a lot and look at my teaching and students' learning differently after talking with other teachers about the new standards.

    Amanda
    A Very Curious Class

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  3. My district began implementing common core K-1 these past four years, but grade 3-5 just started diving in this year and 2 last year I believe. It's interesting to see the struggle the upper grades are going through as they try to comprehend the standards and change their ways of teaching. I wasn't a part of the prep and "diving in" with kindergarten since it's only my second year, but the more we continue to learn, the more our teaching changes. I feel like the biggest change (for us) was in math since our reading curriculum really does a nice job meeting common core standards. We're no longer looking at teaching things a mile wide and only an inch deep. There is less to teach, but we teach it so much deeper now. Very exciting I think! :)
    We actually don't use a math curriculum at this point since our district hasn't found something that aligns really well. Instead we had a kinder committee that created a scope and sequence for math and that's what we use. It seems to work really well for us at this point!
    It's so interesting to see where different schools are at in implementing common core. Good luck!! :)

    ✿ Regina
    Keepin It Krazy

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  4. We are in the beginning stages at this time as well. It is very confusing and I just hope we don't lose sight of the kids!! Our district is a "learn as we go" kind of place...scary when our jobs depend on it...:(

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  5. Hey girl! The school I worked at in Mississippi began Common Core my last year there which was 2011-2012. I went to the Gulfport School District website to find their common core standards and when they require each standard to be taught for each grade. They changed up and revamped the website so I couldn't find it but I do have the K CC standards saved on my computer. I uploaded it to my google drive so you can take a look at it. Maybe that can help with what y'all are putting together?
    ELA CC Kindergarten
    https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7JdrEIk0yOyQWF3UEt2YnNlNXM/edit?usp=sharing
    Math CC Kindergarten
    https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7JdrEIk0yOyemkzSkFUa0MyTGs/edit?usp=sharing

    Brittany
    Lovely Literacy and More

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  6. P.S. The numbers on the side 1,2,3 or 4 stand for which quarter that skill should be mastered by the student and that was the quarter is what on the report card.

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