Raising the standards is an appropriate responsibility of educators.  The CCS raise expectations in terms of life-long learning skills as well as workplace skills:  literacy, technology, communication, critical thinking, and numeracy to identify a few.  It’s all good, as long as students with special needs receive the corresponding appropriate specialized instruction, accommodations and support they need to be successful.

In order for that to happen, the principal players must be equipped to ensure maximum participation of students with special education needs.  This requires the ongoing developing of skills and knowledge as well as reliable and constant support.  Teachers must be able to develop IEPs that accurately identify the grade-level standards and the instruction that will meet the stated IEP goals.  Assessment must be valid and ongoing and the skill to scaffold instruction effectively is crucial.

Paraeducators must be knowledgeable about the social and academic skills needed for success.  More focus must be placed on helping paras develop strategies for supporting students, particularly those standards in reading, math and communication.

Parents need to be knowledgeable about the standards confronting their children, grade-level goals and precisely how those goals are to be achieved.  They must be provided with specific strategies for helping with school work and understanding how instruction needs to be adjusted to reach the standard.

For special education, the most significant change of the Common Core Standards will be developing the knowledge and skills of teachers, parents and paraprofessionals so students with special needs will engage and succeed.

The primary interaction between parents and teachers occurs at parent-teacher conferences. For conferences to be effective, both parties must operate under the same rules.  They must come to the meeting prepared.  Teachers should bring grades, test data, and any other pertinent information they have about the student.  Parents need to plan for the meeting by talking with their children about any concerns, familiarizing themselves with the child’s work and developing a list of questions to ask the teacher.  Both teachers and parents need to make a conscious effort to listen to one another and truly understand what the other is saying.  They also must realize that each can learn from the other and each can teach the other something about the child.  Most importantly, parents must come to the conference with the belief that teachers are trained professionals and treat them as such.  And teachers need to understand that the parents want what is best for their child even if they go about the task inappropriately.  Too often teachers are blamed for the lack of their students’ success when, in fact, student success or failure depends on the partnership between parents and teachers.  Teachers tend to complain about the lack of support at home or grumble about parents not caring enough to help their children.

If parents love their children, why don’t they do more to help them by cooperating with and supporting teachers? One answer may be that many parents feel detached from the school and educational process.  Many others may be doing the best they can, but lack the skills needed to deal with issues which affect their children.

Both individual school districts and the Federal Government are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of parents in the educational equation.  Parent or Family Involvement Coordinators are now employed by a growing number of school districts with many positions being funded by Title I.  The involvement coordinator has many roles which may include developing a more family friendly environment in the school, educating staff to communicate with parents as equal partners, and implementing programs and activities designed to engage parents in improving student success.  The emergence of Parent Academies and Universities, and other parent education programs is also part of this trend.  Diverse topics such as parenting skills, helping children enjoy and improve reading, cyberbullying and conferencing skills are examples of parent program offerings.

Parent education and involvement programs give parents the knowledge and skills necessary to provide more effective guidance and support for their children.  The education of staff and parents facilitates the development of an effective parent-teacher partnership by fostering mutual respect and understanding, and improving the quality of communication between school and home.  As a result, both teacher and parent frustrations decrease, attention focuses solely on the student, and student achievement climbs.

It is also important that parents communicate honestly with their children about their strengths and interests, along with their weaknesses and areas of less interest.  This open dialogue helps parents adjust their academic expectations accordingly.  A flair for art should be encouraged, while disinterest in math may require a tutor along the way.

Helping students set goals can be a motivator for kids.  As adults, we have learned that goal-setting turns expectations from ideas into reality.  Sitting together and developing a plan for accomplishing a goal can be a rewarding experience for both parent and child.  It’s advisable to begin with short-term goals.  Raising the score on a spelling test is achievable and measurable.  Work out a step-by-step plan of practice and study to raise the test score.  When a child sees results, goal-setting becomes a powerful tool!

Parents should be encouraged to discuss a child’s learning style with the classroom teacher.  Understanding whether a child is an auditory, kinesthetic or visual learner can make a significant difference in achievement.  Children are motivated when parents and teachers understand and support their individual learning styles.

A final word about praise and encouragement.  While it is important to acknowledge a job well done, it is not necessary, nor is it advisable to lay on the praise for every small achievement.  Research studies demonstrate that it can even have a negative reaction.  Use praise in moderation when it is genuinely deserved.

How did we come to this current movement for reform? In 1996, U.S. governors and corporate leaders founded Achieve, INC., a bi-partisan organization with goals to raise academic standards and graduation requirements, to improve assessments, and to strengthen accountability in all 50 states.

In 2002, No Child Left Behind became the response to this call for education reform. However, a decade later, this movement seems to have become stuck in assessment paperwork and an overall failure to thrive.

The initial motivation for the development of the Common Core State Standards was part of the American Diploma Project (ADP) sponsored by The Education Trust, the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, and Achieve, Inc. In 2004, the ADP released new graduation benchmarks in response to statistical analysis of employment data and extensive research involving faculty members postsecondary institutions, front-line managers, and high school educators. In a nutshell, the analysis clearly indicated that students are not entering the world of college and career with the knowledge base and skills needed to compete and succeed. The 2004 benchmarks clearly identified the English and math that graduates must master to succeed in credit-bearing college courses and high-performance, high-growth jobs.

Fast forward to 2012. Charged with the responsibility to prepare our students, educators throughout the country are deciphering and responding. Some are wary of the Common Core Standards having been disappointed by assessment trumping reforms with No Child Left Behind. Others are confused about what needs to change and what needs to be continued. And still others are simply not convinced that the Common Core Standards will create the outcomes needed.

Regardless of how we weigh in on current reforms, the bottom line is the same for one and all. In common, we must establish education standards that will develop the core skills required for successful competition in the 21st century global marketplace!

We welcome your thoughts on the subject.

For students who need more support, include:
- less difficult independent reading
- materials based on the average reading level of the participants
- sparse text, graphic aids
- low level of abstraction, as concrete as possible
- fewer steps to complete the assignment
- convergence on right answers to solve problems
- knowledge and comprehension levels of thinking for independent work
- supportive strategies (graphic organizers or teacher prompting) to help students infer and draw conclusions

For average students, include:
- independent reading materials from the textbook or other on-grade level sources
- concrete concepts to help students transition to more abstract concepts
- questions or problems that are a mix of open-minded and “right answers”
- more steps
- opportunities to infer and draw conclusions with less teacher support; teacher should count on being on hand if necessary to prompt students in this area.
- assurance that students can be successful with knowledge, comprehension and application on their own, and that with help, they can address some of the high levels of thinking

For advanced learners, include:
- reading materials from more complex and lengthy sources
- abstract concepts as much as possible and use of open-ended questions exclusively
- opportunities for students to infer and evaluate
- the assumption that students have knowledge, comprehension and application abilities, and that they will be challenged only if you ask them to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate.

While these tasks take some time to develop, the results allow learners to be challenged at their own readiness levels which increase motivation and engagement in the classroom.

Author:
Christina Fenton
Literacy Education and Resource Network (LEARN)
Christina’s bio

This school phenom has a significant impact upon student performance, productivity and attitude, but all too often strategies for mastering the hidden curriculum remain………hidden!

The hidden curriculum consists of the unwritten and unspoken school rules. Unique for every building, it is the culture of the school. While the standard curriculum is presented in handbooks and on websites, the hidden curriculum is not and woe to the student who hasn’t the skills or strategies to uncover and master it.

A University of Wisconsin study of the hidden curriculum identifies the following key factors:
• It is created, maintained and manipulated by students and staff
• It is both destructive and constructive in nature
• It must be taught to socially challenged children
• It can be more important to school success than the standard curriculum

How can you begin to identify the hidden curriculum? One way is to consider the aspects of your school’s physical plant such as:
• Locations of bathrooms and drinking fountains
• Short cuts from wing to wing
• Areas informally designated as gathering spots for certain groups such as the gym hallway for 8th graders or the front memory garden for seniors
• Location of support staff offices such as guidance and counseling office or nurse’s office

Students unaware of these features may run into difficulties. You can help them by pointing out and discussing these aspects of the school setting and culture.

It also helps to draw attention to social cues that some students might miss:
• Mr. James allows gum chewing in class, but Mr. Allen gives detention for it
• Adults respond best when students look at them when they are speaking
• When a teacher is scolding a student it is wise not to laugh, comment or ask questions
• We address people differently, based upon roles – one doesn’t speak to the principal the way she speaks to her friends at lunch

Once you have identified some of the elements of your school’s hidden curriculum, you are ready to share this information with students who are struggling with these unwritten, unspoken but important aspects of the school experience!

For more information and ideas about the hidden curriculum, go to www.cec.sped.org

Author:
Beth Sugg, Co-Founder
Literacy Education and Resource Network (LEARN)
Beth’s bio
email: bsugg@learnwebsite.com

Once you start to feel comfortable with the SMART Board tools, you are ready incorporate the bells and whistles the SMART Board has to offer to make your lessons differentiated and interactive. The following is a list of a few tips and resources that can help you take full advantage of your SMART Board. These tips and others can be found in the SMART Learner Workbooks (Level 1 and 2) by SMART Technologies. Those who enroll in our SMART Workshops will receive copies of both of these workbooks.

1. Include a title page, a teacher note page and a lesson note page at the beginning of every SMART Board lesson. Placing these pages at the beginning of each lesson will help you list the objectives and standards you are addressing in a lesson. These pages will also be a great help to colleagues with whom you may share lessons. On the lesson note page, be sure to take time to critique your lesson after you have taught it. This will help the teaching and learning go more smoothly the second time around!

2. Consistent page layout helps students know where to look on a page for important information. You can also create your own lesson Notebook Pages and save them in My Content. These self-designed pages could contain the school or self- designed subject area logos. Going to the Format Menu in the Notebook Software even allows you to create your own themes.

3. Use links (link to pages in a lesson, files on your computer, sounds, attachment tab links that can incorporate Word documents, PowerPoint files, Internet links) to expand upon lesson material Links will easily allow you to differentiate your material for addressing the diverse learning styles of your students. Links also improve the organization and flow of a lesson.

4. Make use of interactive games/tools available on the Internet Many interactive sites for use with your SMART Board lessons can be found by Googling “interactive and your grade level or subject area”. Interactive tools for SMART Board use can also be found at:

a. Thinkfinity – http://thinkfinity.com
b. SAS Curriculum Pathways – http://sascurriculumpathways.com
c. Professor Garfield – http://professorgarfield.org

5. Seek lesson activities on the Internet Go to the Gallery Tab in the Notebook Software and select SMART Exchange to view lessons others have designed for use with the SMART Board. Below is the website for SMART Exchange along with several other sites for locating SMART Board lessons. Lessons at any of these sites can easily be edited to fit your instructional needs.

a. http://exchange.smarttech.com
b. http://teq.com
c. http://www.scholastic.com/interactivewhiteboards/

6. Collaborate and share resources with others Below are a number of websites where you can go to learn and share SMART Board resources with other teachers.

a. http://gettingsmarterwithsmartboards.blogspot.com/
b. http://www.teacherslovesmartboards.com/
c. http://teachingwithsmartboard.com/

This is just the beginning of some of the tips and resources you can use to make teaching with the SMART Board more motivating for your students.

Author:
Susan Johnson
Literacy Education and Resource Network (LEARN)
Susan’s bio

Remembering is a complex process. According to Ed Bolles, specialist in memory and learning, “We remember what we understand; we understand only what we pay attention to; we pay attention to what we want.”

At the very least, remembering is linked to motivation, learning style, good planning, and past learning. It is a challenge. Because I do not want you to memorize too much all at once, I’ll cite the four essential ingredients that help us remember, and in this blog, address the first one.

1. Meaning
2. Modeling
3. Practice
4. Sequencing

MEANING
Meaning refers to having the learner understand or value the learning. Meaning does not exist in the material itself. It exists in the relationship of the material to the student’s past knowledge and experience. If you hear that the human body has 6 quarts of blood but have no familiarity with a quart, the concept of the volume of blood in an adult has no meaning.

REAL MEANING
Students want to make meaning of material they are learning. They ask: “is this like me, about me, of value to me? “Will it benefit me?” If the answer is no, the student will have more difficulty remembering.
So, to add meaning:
• use examples from real life to illustrate concepts
• make associations with things the students already know (past learning)

It may be hard to remember this number: 4082668921
But, the same numbers, given in a familiar way, 408-266-892, make remembering much easier.

ARTIFICAL MEANING
Sometimes it is difficult to give real meaning. In that case, you need to provide artificial meaning. Use memory devices called mnemonics, musical tunes, raps, and graphic organizers to provide artificial meaning. Remember these?

ROYGBIV
HOMES
FACE

How many of us remember the jingle, “In fourteen hundred ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue?” You can find wonderful music, videos, and sample graphic organizers on line. Even using the Cornell note taking method provides a visual that helps retain information. Using visuals that graphic organizers provide and putting words to familiar tunes, give artificial meaning and help the brain remember.

According to Eric Jensen, brain researcher and author of Teaching with the Brain in Mind, the brain is meaning driven. Meaning is more important than information.

If you want to increase the probability of retaining information, the first step is to make the material meaningful! Make it relevant and hook it to the student’s past learning and experience.

A school is a community and each of its adult members has the potential to be a positive influence on students.   Too often, the non-classroom support people are overlooked when considering the educational process. 

Support personnel interact with students in many settings and there can be many positive outcomes from these interactions. For example, attendance clerks can develop a relationship with students who have attendance issues and determine the source of the problem. Then they can make a referral to the appropriate professional.  Administrative assistants can be safe adults for students often sent to the main office or who frequent the guidance office by having positive interactions with the student.  Cafeteria workers see students daily and can build relationships by joking with students, learning their names and greeting them warmly.  Custodians have the potential to connect with students who hang out in the hall or obscure locations in the building and, at times, even let a student help them in small ways. The security person who makes an effort to connect in a positive way with a student may be the only adult the student interacts with on a particular day.

Conversely, these interactions can be hostile, combative and detrimental to students.  While some support people instinctively know how to interact with students, many do not.  They have no formal training and cannot be expected to work with students on the same level as professionals. 

The school can, however, take several steps to maximize the skills and performance of support personnel. Just as classroom personnel receive in service training, so should support personnel.  They need to learn about and practice communication skills. They also need to understand what is and is not appropriate for them to do, what the proper channels of referral and reporting are, and how the issue of confidentiality pertains to them.  The very act of providing support personnel with training lets them know that they are valued members of the school community.  This, in turn, leads to increased morale, job satisfaction and performance.

School leaders can promote a culture in which support personnel are treated with respect and dignity and their worth is acknowledged.  For example, support personnel may be invited to attend a portion of a faculty meeting where a special occasion is being celebrated with refreshments. In some cases, a provide information at a parent conference for a student with whom she has a relationship.  An employee of the month program, much like the programs many schools have for teachers, is an excellent way to recognize and motivate support personnel.  Training, including, and validating support personnel strengthens the school program, and enriches the students’ educational experience.

The fact is, you can and should teach kids tips to improve their listening skills.  Here are some listening strategies that are easy to do and that you can implement into your classroom routines.  

• Listen with a purpose in mind and listen to remember.   Remind them to listen for important information as you are teaching.   Ask them to prove they have been listening carefully by turning to the student next to them to repeat the statement they just heard- or ask a question based on information you have given.  When you have this expectation, most kids will listen more attentively.  Throughout the lesson, continue to randomly ask students to share and paraphrase what they have heard.   To make this more fun, call this the “Prove It” listening game- they are proving that they have listened well!
• Establish eye contact with the speaker.  If you want their complete attention, ask them to look at you and wait until all eyes are focused right at you.   Only then should you begin speaking.
• Avoid distractions.  Tell them that you are easily distracted, so have a no tolerance policy for tapping pencils, talking while you are speaking, and other kid-generated noise!  Close doors if hallways are noisy, and think carefully about your seating chart – talkers should be separated.
• Take notes.  Note-taking shouldn’t be a lost art in your classroom and it is an important listening tool.   Here is a task to try, and you can change it depending on grade level- but even third graders can try this.  First give them guidelines to help practice this skill.  For example, ask students to listen for five main ideas in a short introduction to a lesson.  Give number cues at first (first, second, etc.), so they clearly know which are the main ideas they should write as notes.  Encourage them to write notes or brief phrases and not sentences.  Eventually, they should be able to select main ideas on their own without cues.  

Another way to practice note-taking is to have students watch a subject video and give them an unfinished outline with topic headings.  Have them watch and fill it in as they listen for main ideas listed.  Lower grade levels will need more practice distinguishing the difference between main ideas and details.

• Teach students to be considerate.  Ask them to wait for an appropriate time to ask questions.  For students who can be impulsive, this is difficult, but you will be teaching them an important life skill if you can help them practice patience.

Practicing these strategies and improving listening skills will help students understand the difference between hearing and listening.  This will not only help them in school, but also in the workplace and in their relationships with family and friends.  Everyone loves a good listener!

Author:
Jan Gubiotti
Literacy Education and Resource Network (LEARN)
Jan’s bio