Common Core State Standards in Mathematics
The Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSM) provide a unique opportunity in the history of education in our country. Students in different states will be held to the same rigorous achievement expectations, aimed to prepare them for college and careers. This consistency in desired achievement leads to the possibility of increased collaboration between different states involving teachers and school districts as we all work towards the same set of standards.
Common Core Projects at IM&E
Toward Greater Focus and Coherence: an Illustrative Mathematics Common Core Workshop
May 26–28, 2013 – Tucson, Az
This conference will deepen participants understanding of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics through three types of sessions:
- Large group presentations: Participants will hear from lead author of the standards, Bill McCallum, as well as classroom teachers implementing the standards in their classrooms now, and university mathematicians describing the mathematical focus in the Common Core.
- Break-out sessions: Teacher facilitated break-out sessions will focus on the major work of different grade bands, and mirror the focus of the standards by going in depth into a small number of standards, or a cluster.
- Small group activity: Participants will work in small groups to design an activity they can immediately use in their classroom, based on a task or set of two tasks from the Illustrative Mathematics website.
Common Core Toolkit
Apply to host the Common Core Toolkit. The Toolkit is a one day add-on to exisiting PD for either elementary, middle school or high school.
The Mathematics Common Core Toolkit is an interactive bank of information designed by teachers themselves with materials useful for understanding and teaching the standards as well as the philosophy behind the standards. With seed money from Math for America, this online Toolkit aims to address four main themes through multi-media content including training videos, example tasks, student work, progressions documents, excellent lesson examples, and illustrative essays. Themes include the structure and progession of the standards, specific language used in the standards, the eight Standards of Mathematical Practice, and the ability to align a task to a specific standard or cluster.
Illustrative Mathematics Project
The Illustrative Mathematics Project, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to illustrate each of the standards using high quality reviewed tasks from teacher leaders throughout the US. Each task undergoes a vigorous alignment process through multiple reviewers, some with experitise in Mathematics and others with expertise in classroom practices.
CCSSO MATH SCASS
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) was one of the organizations that came together, with the National Governors Association, to produce the Common Core. Within the CCSSO, the IM&E and the Illustrative Mathematics Project advise the MATH SCASS. The SCASS is a state collaborative focused primarily on assessment. Currently 14 states are members of the collaborative which meets in person three times yearly.
Tools for the Common Core Blog
As a math team coordinator in the writing of the Common Core in Mathematics, Bill McCallum keeps a blog on resources related to the implementation of the Common Core.
Progressions Documents
The Progressions Documents, funded by the Brookhill Foundation, are narrative documents describing the progression of a topic across a number of grade levels, informed both by research on children's cognitive development and by the logical structure of mathematics. Progressions documents can be used by multiple audiences including teachers as they understand the development of a topic across grade levels. Producing the final versions of progressions documents is an ongoing process.
Intel Math
Intel Math is an 80-hour professional development course in mathematics content for K-8 teachers. The program was adapted from the Vermont Math Initiative developed by Dr. Ken Gross. The course is collaboratively taught by a practicing mathematician and a mathematics educator. Intel Math is in the process of updating content to support teachers transitioning with their school districts towards alignment with the Common Core.
Descriptive Videos from the Authors
The Hunt Institute recorded authors of the Common Core State Standards describing the process of creating the standards, as well as the structure and flow within the standards. These videos can be useful in teacher professional development as well personal understanding of the standards, the goals behind them, and the vision of their creators.