Dr. Ronald Thomas Center for Leadership in Education at Towson University rathomas@towson

1. Riding the Third Wave of Maryland’s Reform: What the Best Principals Are Doing NOW to Assure Common Core Success Dr. Ronald Thomas Center for Leadership in Education at Towson University rathomas@towson.edu 410-704-5770

2. Standards . . . No big deal. We have had standards before. Been there . . . Done that! Well, not quite!

3. Standards . . . There is a big difference between teaching standards and being standards-based.

4. Being Standards-Based Means • Making sure that teachers . . . • Understand the Standards • Teach to the Standards • Assess the Standards • Monitor Student Progress on the Standards • Focus Interventions on the Standards

5. Today’s Focus: Being Standards-Based Means • Making sure that teachers . . . • Understand the Standards • Teach to the Standards • Assess the Standards • Monitor Student Progress on the Standards • Focus Interventions on the Standards

6. Being Standards-Based Means Making sure that teachers understand the standards in a deep and rich way “Solve quadratic equations by inspection (e.g., for x2 = 49), taking square roots, completing the square, the quadratic formula and factoring, as appropriate to the initial form of the equation. Recognize when the quadratic formula gives complex solutions and write them as a ± bi for real numbers a and b.” (Mathematics, “High School: Algebra,” Reasoning With Equations & Inequalities). So, what does this mean? What do teachers need to do before they can successfully teach this standard?

7. Being Standards-Based Means Making sure that teachers understand the standards in a deep and rich way “Solve quadratic equations by inspection (e.g., for x2 = 49), taking square roots, completing the square, the quadratic formula and factoring, as appropriate to the initial form of the equation. Recognize when the quadratic formula gives complex solutions and write them as a ± bi for real numbers a and b.” (Mathematics, “High School: Algebra,” Reasoning With Equations & Inequalities). Teachers need to come to a common understanding with their colleagues about the meanings of the standards and, especially, about what students need to know or do to demonstrate their proficiency on them.

8. # 1 Action for Principals NOW Teachers need to engage in a substantive conversation about what is essential for their students to know or be able to do after their course.

9. Using Learning Progressionsto “Unpack” Objectives and Build Deep and Rich Understanding of Standards A learning progression is sequenced set of subskills and enabling knowledge that students must master en route to mastering a more remote objective OR The step-by-step building blocks students need to master a learning objective -Popham, Transformative Assessment (2008)

10. The Learning Progression Reveals the Knowledge and Skills: • To pre-assess prior to instruction • To sequence the lessons • On which to provide students formative feedback during instruction using analytical scoring tools • To use on the summative assessment to determine if students have met the standard

11. Developing Learning Progressions BREAK DOWN

12. One Format for Unpacking Common Core Objectives In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to:

13. Unpacking Common Core Objectives In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: Unpack Down

14. Unpacking Common Core Objectives In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: TEACH UP

15. Unpacking Common Core Objectives In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: TEACH UP

16. Learning Progressions May Look Like This In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to: In order to know this, students need to know/know how to:

17. Learning Progressions May Look Like This:

18. Or, This: Objective

19. Or, This:

20. After Developing Learning Progressions, a Teacher Said: “Although I’ve been teaching for several years, this is the first time I’ve really looked at the standards and analyzed them with other teachers. At last, I feel I really understand what it is I am supposed to be teaching my students.”

21. Using Analytical Scoring Tools The critical knowledge and skills embedded in the Learning Progression become the headers for the rows of the scoring tool.

22. Developing an Analytical Scoring Tool RI7 CCR Anchor Standard Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. Essential Skills and Knowledge (Grades 9-10): Analyze print, non-print, and digital text for relevant details that are emphasized in an informational text and that contribute to meaning. Compare, contrast, draw conclusions, and connect significant details and ideas between two different mediums.

23. Analytical Scoring Tools

24. Using Analytical Scoring Tools Identify the number of levels or score points. These are the headers for the columns in the scoring tool.

25. Analytical Scoring Tools

26. Using Analytical Scoring Tools Write descriptors for each cell (beginning with the highest level of performance (3s) and the lowest level of performance (0s) and working toward the middle (1s-2s). Use these tools to assess student progress formatively and to provide detailed and focused analytical feedback to students.

27. Analytical Scoring Tools

28. A Thoughtful Moment Reflect individually for a few moments about the potential of this kind of professional development for your faculty. Talk to a colleague or two about how you might suggest and implement this kind of activity.

29. Today’s Focus: Being Standards-Based Means • Making sure that teachers . . . • Understand the Standards • Teach to the Standards • Assess the Standards • Monitor Student Progress on the Standards • Focus Interventions on the Standards

30. What Does It Mean to “Monitor Individual Student Progress in Relation to” the Curriculum Standards? When educators monitor student progress in relation to the standards, they can identify the essential knowledge and skills that individual members of their class have mastered and the knowledge and skills that individual students need to work on more.

31. If We Tracked Student Progress on Essential Knowledge and Skills? • What would grade • books look like? • What would interactions • with parents sound like? • Talk to a few colleagues around you and be ready to share your thoughts.

32. To “Monitor Individual Student Progress in Relation to” the Curriculum Standards: Go to: http://www.mdk12.org/data/progress/index.htmlfor data collection templates that enable educators to generate Excel spreadsheets that are monitoring templates on which they can track student progress on the essential knowledge and skills that they identify.

33. You will then go directly to the CCSS. • English Language Arts : Reading: Literature : Grade 9-10 • Please check the Essential Skills & Knowledge statements to be included in the gradebook. • Standard CCSC.ELA.RL.9-10.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. • Demonstrate the behaviors of a strategic reader. • Analyze text clues that affect meaning. • Analyze relevant denotative, connotative, and figurative language. (See 9-10 CCSS L.5) • Analyze and evaluate available evidence for thoroughness, completeness, and relevance. (See also MD SLM 4.0) • Participate actively and appropriately in discussions about literature. • Interpret, explain, and apply appropriate academic and/or domain-specific vocabulary when responding and discussing literature. (See 9-10 CCSS L.4 & L.6) • Use knowledge of language and its conventions when speaking and writing. (See 9-10 CCSS L.1) Generate worksheet

34. The site will generate an EXCEL spreadsheet.

35. What Will Teachers’ Grade Books Look Like?

36. What Does It Mean to “Focus Interventions on the Curriculum Standards”? When educators intervene with students not succeeding on the curriculum standards, they focus their academic assistance on the specific essential knowledge and skills on which students need help and vary the assistance based on individual needs, as shown by the data.

37. Zero to Five Where is your staff on these initiatives? 0:Forget It: “My staff is opposed to these and will not do them.” 1: Not Planned :“These are not on our radar screen.” 2: Planned but Not Implemented:“We know about these things but, with all our other priorities, we have not done them yet.” 3: Implemented a Little:“We are really trying to do these things, at least sometimes.” 4: Implemented a Great Deal:“We are pretty good at these things but know that we have a lot more to learn.” 5: Fully Implemented:“We are experts at these things.”

38. I Recommend . . . Info and samples of Learning Progression formats, pp. 14-20. My article, “Riding the Waves,” Principal Leadership (Oct. 2013), pp. 21-24 of this packet. Rothman, Robert. Fewer, Clearer, Higher: How the CCSS Can Change Classroom Practice. Cambridge: Harvard Education Press, 2013. Achieve, Inc. Implementing the Common Core State Standards: The Role of the Secondary Leader. From MSDE web site. Educational Leadership, March 2014 issue. “Using Assessments Thoughtfully.”

39. Above All, Be Positive About the Changes and their Potential to Be Game Changers THE CHOICE WE FACE: We could see Common Core and PARCC as: • Just another set of standards to implement and assessments to administer • Just another hoop to jump through to prove to the public that we are doing our job • Just another compliance issue

40. Above All, Be Positive About the Changes and their Potential to Be Game Changers OR . . . • Wecould leverage the strengths and uniqueness of the new national standards and the innovative assessments to help to transform teaching and learning. • We could take the time to understand exactly what is visionary about the common-core standards and the next-generation assessments and how they can help students become more proficient in 21st. century learning skills.

41. We have a unique opportunity . . . To lead the way to postsecondary and career success for more students.  Or, we can treat it as just business as usual. Been there. Done that. As a MASSP attendee, I know which path you will choose!

42. Best wishes for continued success. Thank you for the opportunity to work with you. - Ron