CCRS: You Don’t Need to Know EVERYTHING to Start Doing SOMETHING!

Not in the CCRS cohort? HOW can you move ahead with CCRS implementation this year? WHY should you move ahead with CCRS implementation this year?

According to Brad Hasskamp, the Adult Secondary Credential and Education Policy Specialist at MDE:

“Local ABE programs need to be able to document their standards work by articulating three items in their federal ABE competitive applications (A.K.A. the “re-compete”) and ongoing through their ABE five-year narratives:

1. staff training in the standards;
2. the program’s multi-year standards implementation plan; and
3. examples of standards embedded in instruction across the program.”

ATLAS is here for you! We’ll be sharing resources and suggestions throughout the year via newsletter articles to help you with this important work.

Let’s start with some hard-won wisdom from some of your MN ABE colleagues: Don’t go through your instructional lessons and materials and simply play the matching game with standards. Evaluate your instruction through the lens of the math and/or ELA shifts, and revise and innovate from there.

Now, let’s take a look at some suggestions and resources to consider as you move forward:

Dig into CCRS Foundations for both math and English Language Arts (ELA)

• Managers: provide prep or paid time for staff to complete components of the online CCRS course and discuss during staff meeting or PLC times.
• Complete components of the online CCRS course during staff meeting time or PLC time and complete activities as a group or with partners.
• Follow up on course concepts during PLC or staff meeting time.
• The free online CCRS course CCRS Foundations: An Introduction to the College & Career Readiness Standards is available on Schoology.
• View and discuss a recorded CCRS webinar on the MNABE PD YouTube Channel (tinyurl.com/mnabepd)

Focus on the ELA and/or math shifts

The shifts in both content areas are a great way to start your work with the standards. Think about in what ways you are already incorporating the shifts and then consider how you can strengthen instruction that embeds the shifts. To observe shifts and standards in action, Watch a video of CCRS instruction and identify evidence of the shifts during the lesson clips. Following are some great sources of videos:

• Engage NY: https://www.engageny.org
• Inside Mathematics: http://www.insidemathematics.org/common-core-resources
• Teaching Channel: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos?default=1
• ATLAS CCR Standards resource library: will soon offer video viewing guides to help reflect on math and ELA videos

Explore CCRS resources

The following sites are full of information about the standards, including curriculum, background and research, videos, PD resources and more! Spend some time digging in:

• Teaching the Core: http://www.teachingthecore.org
• Achieve the Core: http://achievethecore.org
• EngageNY: https://www.engageny.org/common-core-curriculum
• ATLAS CCR Standards resource library, found under Resources
• LINCS CCRS resource library

Start using newly developed templates

These templates are learning tools, and there is no expectation that they be completed for every lesson or unit you are planning to teach. However, here are some suggestions:

1. Try to complete a template for a multi-day lesson or larger unit for practice
2. Work with one of the templates collaboratively
3. Use PLC time to compile and review completed or in progress templates

The templates are posted in the ATLAS CCR Standards resource library under ELA Implementation Tools and Math Implementation Tools on the right-hand side:

• Lesson planning template
• Individualized learning plan template

For more information on activities or ideas for working with the shifts and standards, contact Kristine Kelly at [email protected].

First published 10/24/16