Leading, Teaching, and Learning the Common Core Standards: Rigorous Expectations for All Students

About the Book

Leading, Teaching, and Learning is a resource for teachers taking action on Common Core State Standards to enhance student learning. Each chapter addresses various disciplines and grade levels with concrete examples. Chapters focus on research-based instruction, academic language development, thinking and complexity, English learners, non-proficient readers, rigor, and collaboration for ongoing professional capacity building.

Table of Contents:

List of Figures
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1 Introduction
Development of Common Core State Standards
Assessing Proficiency
Embrace CCSS for Students’ Success
Organization of Leading, Teaching, Learning CCSS
Practical Steps for Leaders
Practical Steps for Teachers
Useful Academic Language

Chapter 2 Effective Research Based Instruction
Scaffold Instruction
Lesson Introduction
Guided Practice
Independent Practice
Assessment
Sample Science Instructional Plan
Engagement
Teacher Led Small Group Instruction
Checking for Understanding
Feedback to Improve Learning
Practical Steps for Leaders
Practical Steps for Teachers
Useful Academic Language

Chapter 3 Academic Language
General Academic Language
Discipline Specific Academic Language
Research Based Vocabulary Instruction
Vocabulary Instruction Protocol
Instructional Strategies
Expected Language Acquisition Outcomes
Practical Steps for Leaders
Practical Steps for Teachers
Useful Academic Language

Chapter 4 Rigor—Levels of Thinking, Cognitive Complexity, and
Text Complexity
Making Sense of Levels of Thinking and Cognitive Complexity
Levels of Thinking
Cognitive Complexity: Depth of Knowledge (DOK)
Text Complexity
Misconceptions
Effective Use of Text Complexity
Close Reading
Motivating Students
Student Academic Goals
Writing is Thinking
Practical Steps for Leaders
Practical Steps for Teachers
Useful Academic Language

Chapter 5 English Learners and CCSS
Something More
Levels of English Proficiency
WIDA Language Proficiency Levels
Beginning English Learners
Beyond Beginning English Learners
Support for Intermediate and Advanced English Learners
Cultural Considerations
Learning Scales and English Learners
Practical Steps for Leaders
Practical Steps for Teachers
Useful Academic Language

Chapter 6 Under-resourced Students
School Factors that Leaders Control
Rewards and Sanctions
Academic Resources
Classroom Factors that Teachers Control
Collaboration
Project Based Learning
Research
Resilience
Responsibilities of Teachers and Leaders
Practical Steps for Leaders
Practical Steps for Teachers
Useful Academic Language

Chapter 7 Clear Goals for Student Self-monitoring and Teacher
Feedback
Clear Goals, Self Monitoring, and Feedback
Benchmark Scales with Evidence
Student Friendly Scales
Implementation of Student Self Monitoring and Teacher’s Feedback
Instructional Differentiation
Exceptional Student Education
English Learners
Making Learning Accessible
Practical Steps for Leaders
Practical Steps for Teachers
Useful Academic Language

Chapter 8 - Collaboration to Empower Teachers for Success on CCSS
Characteristics of Collaboration
Collaboration is Voluntary
Parity Among Participants
Mutual Goals
Responsibility
Sharing Resources
Shared Accountability
Improving Student Learning Outcomes
Collaboration on Mini-assessments and Data Analysis
Professional Learning for Transfer to Practice
Book Studies
Action Research
Data Study
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
Lesson Study Research Teams
Leadership for Effective Collaboration
Leading, Teaching, and Coaching to Improve Student Learning Outcomes
Practical Steps for Leaders
Practical Steps for Teachers
Useful Academic Language

Additional Resources
References
Author Information
Index

About the Author :

Rosemarye Taylor is professor of educational Leadership at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, and has published six books and numerous articles on improving school leadership.

Rebecca Watson is senior manager of instructional development with Orange County Public Schools in Orlando. She focuses on school improvement through induction, professional learning communities, and instructional leadership.

Joyce Nutta is associate professor of English for speakers of other languages education at the University of Central Florida. She is co-editor of The Tapestry Journal: An International Multidisciplinary Journal on English Language Learner Education, and she recently published Preparing Every Teacher to Reach English Learners: A Practical Guide for Teacher Educators with Harvard Education Press.

Review :

In today's American education system, teachers and students are facing the greatest challenges thus far in order to compete in our global economy. The educational war will be won with highly talented teachers in the urban setting. Our staple weapon is the belief that ALL students are capable of learning supported with research-based instructional strategies. This text is a roadmap for all K-12 educators, from district superintendents to classroom teachers, in order to implement the CCSS at unprecedented levels. The authors celebrate the hard work of teachers and simultaneously reveal how educators must be cognitive of their instruction as well as their planning in order to prepare tomorrow's citizens.
The authors of the text have captured the beauty behind the CCSS and its importance to our next generation of students. Their research indicates that all students are capable of learning as long as they have teachers and principals who are knowledgeable about the standards, are able to plan at high levels, and can delivery instruction at a level of rigor that will stretch every student. This text provides a roadmap of strategies for the reader that should be on every teacher's desk.

Who, What, Where, When, Why?” This text comes at a time when school leaders and teachers are asking questions, seeking ideas, and resources to address CCSS. The authors of this book have answered those inquiries by providing best practices that will deliver results. The book provides practical and valuable research-based strategies that will support teachers and assist with our most neediest student populations. This is a must read for anyone who cares about public education! Dr. Taylor shows and tells how to weave rigorous expectations for all students through the common core standards in every subject. She offers teachers new ways to fortify familiar teaching strategies by using effective research based instruction. I have used her expertise and knowledge to raise student achievement in my previous middle school and will definitely use this resource in my current work with teachers at my current high school. The authors of Leading, Teaching, Learning Common Core State Standards (CCSS) clearly know what it takes to deliver on the promise that all students, including English learners and students with exceptionalities, can meet rigorous academic expectations. The content is rich, strong, and engaging. It speaks directly to teachers and administrators and shows them how to reach and effectively teach all students in Pk-12 classrooms. This is your roadmap to purposeful teaching and evidence-based learning.” This book provides both the macro-approach to systemic change in how we plan for and execute meaningful CCSS learning experiences and the micro-approach to facilitating student accountability as we strive for mastery. Teachers and school leaders will find value in Dr. Taylor’s research based strategies because they provide focus to professional collaboration. Students will reap the rewards of this book because they ultimately have greater ownership over their learning and thus a stronger stake in the outcome.