Week 2: Chapter 2

Great responses and discussion last week! Feel free to reply to someone else right after you've made your own comment. You don't have to wait until the following Thursday. 

After you've read chapter 2, please respond to the following prompt.

PROMPT: Nowhere in the Common Core standards are teachers instructed to guide students to “make text-to-self connections, access prior knowledge, explore personal response, and relate to [one’s] own life. In short, the Common Core deemphasizes reading as a personal act and emphasizes textual analysis” (25). With the focus squarely on textual analysis as the primary means of comprehending and interpreting texts, how might these expectations change your approaches in the classroom? What are the implications for your reading instruction?

Responses to the prompt are due by Monday evening April 29. Then, you are expected to revisit this site and reply to at least one of your fellow participant’s comment by Thursday, May 2. If you need help posting your comment, watch this video.

Don’t forget to read chapter 3 in anticipation of next week’s prompt.

Week 1: Chapter 1

Welcome to the CCSS Book Study! I'm happy you decided to join our discussion. As you know, Washington, along with 44 other states have recently adopted the Common Core State Standards. These standards will begin to be assessed in 2014-2015. You can read more about our state’s participation here.  To provide a foundation and make sure we all have the same background knowledge, take a moment to read the introduction on page 3 of  the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy.

While at the CCSS website, you may want to bookmark the page or make yourself a copy of the standards, as you’ll likely be referring to the standards as you participate in this book study.

PROMPT: Begin your post this week by introducing yourself and telling us where and what you teach. Then post your response to the following prompt: In Chapter 1 the authors discuss how we can regard the CCSS as a curmudgeon or treat them as gold. Identify a concern and/or a reason to celebrate the adoption of the Common Core State Standards.

Your response to the prompt is due by Monday evening, April 22. Then, you are expected to revisit this site and respond to at least one of your fellow participant’s comments by Thursday, April 29. If you need help posting your comment, watch this video.

Don’t forget to read chapter 2 in anticipation of next week’s prompt which will be posted next Thursday.

Welcome! Class Starts 4/18

Welcome to the Common Core State Standards Book Study. Starting April 18 you and others from Riverview, Snoqualmie Valley, Mercer Island, Issaquah, and Tahoma school districts will meet here each week to discuss Pathways to the Common Core: Accelerating Success. 

I'll send you an email reminder with a link to the post each Thursday starting April 18. In the meantime, you can start reading. Please visit the Course Information and FAQ page (link above) to read about important details regarding the class, including clock hours, expectations, and a course outline.

"See" you next Thursday back here at the Common Core Book Study blog!