A Standards Based Education

Hortonville Area School DistrictAugust 30th, 2011

What are Standards?

• Educational standards define the knowledge and skills students should possess at critical points in their educational career.

• In other words….

“What is it we want students to know and do?”

Why a standards based curriculum?

• Because such a “guaranteed and viable curriculum” is perhaps the most significant school factor that affects learning. (What Works in Schools: Translating Research in Action, Marzano, 2003 p.22)

What the heck is a guaranteed curriculum?

• Dr. Bob says it, “assures us that specific content is taught in specific courses and at specific grade levels, regardless of he teacher to whom a student is assigned.”(Leaders of Learning, DuFour & Marzano, 2011,p.91)

• At the same time? On the same page? Are we all just robots doing the bidding of an evil curriculum director?

Viable?

• Again, back to researcher Bob, “viable indicates that there is enough instructional time available to actually teach the content identified as important.” (Leaders of Learning, DuFour & Marzano, 2011,p.91)

• Oh I see, a mile wide and an inch deep, right?

Where are the standards?

• All state standards can be found on the DPI website:– http://dpi.wi.gov/home.html– Click on Division and Teams– Under Division for Academic Excellence click on Content and Learning– On the left side you can then click Academic Standards– Select a subject area and you will find all of the standards OR select

Common Core• Common Core standards for English/Language Arts, Literacy in

the content areas and Math can be found at: http://www.corestandards.org/

• In Build Your Own Curriculum aka BYOC: http://admin.buildyourowncurriculum.com/Admin/Login.aspx

Common Core

1. Being literate is at the heart of learning in every subject area.

2. Learning is a social act.3. Learning about learning establishes a habit of

inquiry important in life-long learning.4. Assessing progress is part of learning.5. Learning includes turning information into

knowledge using multiple media.6. Learning occurs in a global context.

Discuss- 3 minutes

English/Language Arts, Math, Literacy

• ELA and Math have begun to study and even unpack these standards for our district.

• Haven’t seen that yet? You will…and will have input.

• Literacy standards for Grades 6-12 in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects are found on page 59 of the ELA Common Core

http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf

Shared Responsibility

• In order to be College and Career Ready upon graduation from high school, the Common Core State Standards “insist” that literacy is to be a “shared” responsibility across the school district.

• Wait a tick, does that mean if I am teaching art or physical education I need to use the six traits of writing and follow these literacy standards?

What about Science and Social Studies Common Core?

• Science-Grade band vs. Grade level.– July of 2010…or January of 2011 or January of

2011 ….now…– June of 2012. WHAT!?

• Social Studies- Grade band vs. Grade band– No timeline has ever been set– The selection committee for writer’s of the

framework has not be completed.

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How do we get a standards based curriculum?

Funny you should ask….let’s take a five minute break first