My Teacher Site: Enhancing Classroom Communication

Wendy Says

Click here to view Welcome Letter

Common Core State Standards Resources

November 4, 2013 Tagged as Engaging Students, Teacher Ideas

If you are in the one of the 45 states that has adopted the Common Core State Standards, your teaching practices are likely in the midst of change. While change is difficult, and getting students ready for the new assessments that go along with the new standards is also a challenge, utilizing a similar standards base nationwide will only benefit our children. Especially in the more transient communities, students who move frequently will enjoy expectations that are aligned from district to district and state to state.

As you likely know, the new CCSS are much more in-depth than many current states’ standards. With full implementation this year, many school districts are struggling to get students up to speed, especially since old state standards are still being tested with school labels depending on these assessments.

With the same end goal in mind, a sharing of resources is essential to student success in our own school districts and beyond. Here we’re sharing a list of resources we’ve found that will help teachers master the CCSS and provide much-needed ideas for teaching to the new standards.

  • As an endorsing partner for the common core initiative, ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) shares a wide range of resources on its website. From Common Core background to implementation resources to professional development opportunities, ASCD has a comprehensive list of tools for teachers.
  • The International Reading Association is dedicated to worldwide literacy. Here you’ll find information about professional development, books and journals for personal exploration, and links to outside sources to ensure your instruction is up-to-snuff on the new English Language Arts standards.
  • Wondering what the new assessment instruments will look like? Be sure to visit the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers and Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium websites for sample test questions, implementation information, and more.
  • Edutopia offers a guide to numerous resources for both administrators and teachers, including how to plan lessons using CCSS and where to being your implementation of the new standards.
  • TeachThought has compiled all the best websites for teachers with their 50 Common Core Resources for Teachers list. While you won’t have time to sift through them all, a quick scan could bring about new ideas and teaching practices.

CCSS is a great step in the right direction for education in the U.S. and with a little cooperation, we can all learn from one another. What are your favorite resources for implementing the new standards?