Aligning Your Curriculum to the Common Core State Standards

by Joe T. Crawford

Overview

Avoid “analysis paralysis” and just get started!

The Milken Award-winning educator and author of Using Power Standards to Build an Aligned Curriculum shows how to implement the new Common Core State Standards. This book outlines his proven process for building a guaranteed and viable local curriculum based on the CCSS, and includes:

• A system for creating local standards from the CCSS
• Methods for connecting the common, formative assessments to quarterly instructional objectives
• Ways to scaffold learning expectations

Readers will find helpful charts and graphs plus access to Internet-based software for mapping the CCSS to classroom instruction.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452216478
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	11/03/2011
Pages:	248
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Learn more about Joe Crawford's PD offerings

Joe Crawford spent 36 years in public education at the high school, junior high, middle school, and district level as an English teacher, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent focusing on improving student performance. He has been recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education in the Those Who Excel program and by the Carnegie Foundation in the National Systemic Change Award. Additionally, he was principal of a twice-recognized National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and met two presidents as part of that recognition. He was also chosen by the Illinois State Board of Education and the Milken Family Foundation as a National Distinguished Educator. He has also been active in the Total Quality Management and continuous improvement, and his work reflects the tenets of these industry-standard approaches to improvement. While doing this work, his district received a Silver Award from the Baldrige Foundation.

Following the work of Larry Lezotte, Doug Reeves, Mike Schmoker and others, he works with local districts to apply this invaluable work and research in the real world of public schools and kids—making the transition from research to reality possible and even pleasant. He works with teachers and districts to build capacity and to create a common sense of mission through shared ownership of solutions. By involving those who will implement decisions in the actual decision-making process, he helps create a sense of buy-in and a much deeper understanding of state standards and the improvement process, leading to sustainable, long-term improvement in student performance.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Karen Young
Preface
Acknowledgements
About the Author
partners4results Software Availability
1. Overview of CCSS and Associated Leadership Issues
Chapter Expectations
Aciton Steps
Leadership Challenges for Implementing CCSS
What Are Standards?
Develop and Use a Standards-Based Curriculum
Align the Curriculum
Think of Content as a Means to a Performance End
Staff Development Issues
Build Undersanding of the CCSS
Use What Has Already Been Developed as a Basis for Moving Forward
Defining and Creating Local CCSS
Understand Local CCSS (Power Standards)
How to Read These Samples
What Are Instructional Objectives?
Why Are Instructional Objectives So Important?
System Thinking
What About Using National Assessments as Formative Assessments?
What About Accountability?
What About Using the Data?
What About Monitoring?
System Thinking Summarized
Process Summary
Process Checklist
2. Curriculum Issues and a National Curriculum Model
Chapter Expectations
Action Steps
What Is a Curriculum?
Consider Your Options for Defining Curriculum
A New Model for a National Curriculum
New National Model Defined
Process Summary
Process Checklist
3. The Development and Use of Local CCSS, Quarterly Instructional Objectives, and Common Formative Assessments
Chapter Expectations
Action Steps
Build Local CCSS
Design Quarterly Instructional Objectives
Develop Common Formative Assessments
Addressing Formative Assessments Within the Assessment Development Cycle
Address Issues in Creating Common Formative Assessments
Designing Local Assessments
Process Summary
Process Checklist
4. A Sample K-12 Curriculum
Chapter Expectations
Action Steps
Read and Understand the New Model
Accept the Realities of a Sample From Several Districts
How to Read These Samples
Sample K-12 ELA Curriculum
Sample K-12 Math Curriculum
Process Summary
Process Checklist
5. The Journey Ahead
Chapter Expectations
Action Steps
Summary of Issues
Some Specific Issues
Current Reactions
Final Thoughts
Resource A: Collated Feedback on CCSS Work
Resource B: Suggested Forms for Developing Local CCSS (Power Standards) and Instructional Objectives and Feedback Forms
B1: Standards to Local Standards
B2: Follow-Up Process Guidelines for Local CCSS
B3: Quarterly Instructional Objectives, Critical Attributes
B4: Follow-Up Process Guidelines: Instructional Objectives
B5: Initial Distribution Feedback
B6: Local CCSS/Instructional Objectives Quarterly Feedback
B7: Quarterly Assessments Feedback
B8: End-of-Year Feedback
B9: Curriculum Audit: What the Research Tells Us
References and Suggested Readings
Index

Editorial Reviews

"Our teachers are eager to take ownership in curriculum development, and our district looks forward to updating other content areas using the Power Standards model. "

Denita Scott

At a time when all of us are seeking clarity and simplicity about the Common Core State Standards (less is more!), Joe Crawford’s book makes a helpful and practical contribution to the work of implementation. His real-school examples help us to see that standards can and must be reduced to be useful.”

Mike Schmoker

"The process and methods that Joe Crawford implemented with our teachers, and his ability to customize the process while working with three different school districts, speaks volumes to the scalability of his Power Standards approach. His work is not just transactional, but truly transformational. "

Scott Kuffel

"From developing a system for connecting different assessments and objectives to understanding how CCSS currently works in the real world, this is packed with guidelines suitable for any education collection. "

The Midwest Book Review, March 2012 - James A. Cox

"This readable title is directed toward the implementation leader and is designed as a guide for putting the CCSS into operation. This book is an excellent road map to guide schools and districts beginning to create workable local CCSS. "

Library Media Connection, August 2012 - Susan Mc Nair

"This readable title is directed toward the implementation leader and is designed as a guide for putting the CCSS into operation. This book is an excellent road map to guide schools and districts beginning to create workable local CCSS."

Library Media Connection, August 2012 - Susan McNair