Classroom Discussions around Text

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Aaron Grossman

In the video linked here, Dr. David Pearson describes the value of strong classroom discussions around text. He posits that there are three elements of strong classroom discourse which include 1) Selecting texts worth discussing 2) Planning discussion questions and scaffolding students into bigger questions by asking smaller questions and 3) Shooting for independence.

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In 77 Seconds: Accessible vs. Dumbed-Down Text

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Aaron Grossman

Dr. Freddy Hiebert takes literally 77 seconds to compare accessible and dumbed-down text. She notes that dumbed-down text relies on short sentences, bizarre topics , and phonetically regular words. This is contrasted with assessable text that Hiebert defines as complex text with a moderate number of rare words. Watch the full 77 seconds video here.

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NASBE Shares ‘Toolkit’ for CCSS Implementation

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Aaron Grossman

The National Association of State Boards of Education has released a toolkit for implementing the Common Core State Standards (here).  The toolkit includes an overview of the standards and context for why they were written. The document also outlines the major shifts in the Common Core:

The CCSS places an emphasis on building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction. This does not mean the end of literature in the classroom, rather a balance of informational texts and works of fiction. As a result, teachers in other core subject areas, such as history and science, will need to use more nonfiction and informational texts to help students master the CCSS.

The CCSS calls for reading, writing, and speaking that is grounded in evidence from texts.

The CCSS requires regular practice with complex text and its academic language.

The document includes a number of links in areas such as assessment, training, materials, and special populations.

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Accessing the CTP on Twitter

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Aaron Grossman

The CTP does not get many emails. In fact, there have never been any emails… until now! A visitor to the blog asked if the CTP has a Twitter account. The answer, Yes. You can access the Tweets by clicking here.

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Exemplar Tab Added

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Aaron Grossman

In an effort to make it easier for visitors to find the close reading exemplars we’ve been using, you can now find them in the page’s frame. Simply click on exemplar (here) or in the frame above to see what our community has created.

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Charlotte Danielson and the CCSS

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Aaron Grossman

In an interview with EdWeek, Charlotte Danielson shares her thoughts on the Common Core State Standards. She emphasize that teachers will need time to collaborate and the flexibility to experiment. Danielson notes, “I think the common core rests on a view of teaching as complex decision making, as opposed to something more routine or drill-based.”  You can read the entire article here.

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Close Reading Exemplar Shared by Aspen Institute

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Aaron Grossman

The Aspen Institute posted a close reading exemplar of Russell Freedman’s The Voice that Challenged a Nation here. The format is quite similar to what Student Achievement Partners has shared as well as the exemplars we’ve posted on this site.

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New “Link” for Washoe’s 6th Grade BAP

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Aaron Grossman

In order to access the Washoe’s 6th grade Basal Alignment Project resources on Edmodo, you will have to use this link. If you are already a member, you should have no trouble accessing the resources. The link is for new members.

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Close Reading Exemplar “Whatif”

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Aaron Grossman

Linked here is a draft of a close reading exemplar of Shel Silverstein’s poem “Whatif.” This is likely a 3rd grade exemplar although we are hoping that readers of this blog will pilot the exemplar and let us know where they think it fits best. Likewise, we wrested with question four and any thoughts you have on this would be greatly appreciated. Please share your feedback by using this email address: agrossman@washoeschools.net.

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Video Tutorial: Accessing the SBAC Training Test

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Aaron Grossman

Last week I posted a link to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium’s training test (here). If you are having any trouble accessing the test, you can watch this 90-second tutorial, uploaded by Jeff Gerlach, demonstrating how to get started

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