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Since being asked to pilot my school's first iPad 1:1 classroom, I've been working through a paperless project-based learning unit with my eighth graders. It had been going on since the first day of 
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Scoop.it!
October 22, 2013Authors: Tim ShanahanAnn Duffett "Most teachers believe that the new standards promise better learning for their students, and an overwhelming majority of teachers say that their schools have already made significant progress toward implementing the standards, including relevant curriculum changes and professional development." Via Mel Riddile, Mary Reilley Clark
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
See my comments on an earlier scoop.
Mary Reilley Clark's curator insight,
October 27, 2013 3:31 PM
Reading through the findings from middle school ELA teachers, I see two key issues. The first is not whether teachers are using complex texts, but whether they're using the exemplar texts from the CCSS. Does it matter? Do you trust teachers to choose rigorous and challenging texts that may be more current (or interesting?)
Second, are other departments using informational text in a way that helps students develop close reading and critical thinking skills? If students are studying The U.S. Constitution, but doing nothing more than rote memorization of The Bill of Rights, we can't claim students are doing close reading in social studies. I still believe collaboration is the key to successfully teaching close reading and critical thinking.
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I have truly fallen in love with Falling in Love With Close Reading, the just-released book by Christopher Lehman and Kate Roberts. "
Mary Reilley Clark's curator insight,
November 20, 2013 5:13 PM
A great example of how close reading can improve writing--when modelled.
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"The shift toward applying more executive function (EF) within learning and assessment will cause some discomfort in teachers and students...Memorization, however, will not be adequate as meaningful learning becomes more about applying, communicating and supporting what one knows."
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
I think it's so important to discuss HOW we think with students. I love this quote at the end of the article: "...replace the fear of uncertainty with the joy of discovery, and the recognition that the memories they construct are durable."
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"An informational text reading diet relies on both access and time. We give students access by establishing and modeling a purpose for reading; providing guided instruction through the close reading process; and encouraging collaborative, text-based conversations. We also need to give students the time to read and use such texts for the purposes of investigation and to exercise choice in how they build knowledge."
Mary Reilley Clark's curator insight,
November 3, 2013 7:31 PM
I am not a classroom teacher, but fortunately heard Douglas Fisher speak at a library workshop. His work with Nancy Frey has given me insight into reading instruction and has made me better able to assist students and teachers. This article is one that should be shared at all professional development about informational text!
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Close reading is one of the buzz words that is being emphasized with the Common Core Learning Standards. By close reading I am interpreting as the reading, rereading, and analysis of text for the p... Via Dr. Dea Conrad-Curry, Mary Reilley Clark
Dr. Dea Conrad-Curry's curator insight,
January 6, 2014 6:56 PM
I am a longtime fan of Kylene Beers and Bob Probst. This blog gives a quick rundown of the basic tenets of their highly popular book, Notice and Note and shares an instructional activity. You'll want to go out and buy the book! 
Dr. Angela C Gordon's curator insight,
January 24, 2014 2:40 PM
Close reading using Six Signposts! Great strategy!! 
Linda Burke Dooling's curator insight,
January 26, 2014 4:27 PM
Students need to develop the skills to notice/note what is important -- in literature and in non-fiction -- by themselves. This is a tool that can help learn how to do this and also to practice doing it.
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Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
"This Action Brief for school librarians is... designed to provide these stakeholders — who are faced with dramatically increased expectations in the context of fewer resources — with a deeper understanding of the standards and their role in implementing the standards."
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Feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of dense information out there about the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)? You're not alone. Here's Edutopia's guide to resources that will help you make sense of it all.
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
Perhaps an overwhelming list to share--it might be best to share links to some of the resources listed!
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"Essential questions should make a connection to major issues, concerns, interests, or themes relevant to students’ lives. They are open-ended, non-judgmental, and meaningful. They invite an exploration of ideas and encourage collaboration. And, surprise, they integrate technology to support the learning process!"
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
Be sure to click through to the guide for more resources!
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There is a panic amongst writing teachers that is based on the myth that our baby, narrative writing, is shunned by the Common Core standards. I'm here to encourage everyone to take a deep breath an
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
Several useful ideas in this post! Via @Edutopia and @Tweenteacher
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Introducing a new feature, in which we pair a Times article, past or present, with an often-taught literary, historical, scientific or mathematical text. We invite teachers to send us ideas.
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
Focus on close reading of two texts, with graphic organizers included.
Mark Gillingham's curator insight,
October 10, 2013 4:50 PM
A wonderful cross-text activity for readers.
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4 Important Ways To Make The Common Core Transition Easier On Students
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
Share this with teachers today!
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Common Core-related resources and news for the September, 2013, edition of PW's Cut to the Core column
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
Solid list of resources for librarians learning about the Common Core.
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The ‘jobs’ that drive the literature circle have not changed much over the years, but the means of accomplishing those jobs has. I sat in on Tiffani Brown’s presentation on Literature Circles at the CUE Conference. She has infused different web-based applications into the jobs, making them more fun and engaging for the students. Here are some of her suggestions:
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
Simple ways to update your lit circles.
Dr. Angela C Gordon's curator insight,
January 24, 2014 2:35 PM
Infusing technology into Lit Circles!
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Over the last few years in my seventh grade reading class, I’ve asked students to do more visual analysis and creation. This has nothing to do with the fact that my twin sister is a talented artist...
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
Visual literacy is a key factor in developing critical thinking skills. Lots of great examples here.
Mary Reilley Clark's curator insight,
December 11, 2013 4:12 PM
Hands on insights and examples for helping students analyze and create visuals. Such an important part of criticial thinking!
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"Infographics are everywhere! We see them on the Web and in our professional journals. Students see them on Facebook and on advertiser’s pages. How can the use of infographics be used to address the Common Core State Standards?"
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
It's all here, folks--examples of how to use infographics, the CCSS they align with, rubrics, sites to easily create them...Kathy's gathered everything you need to know in one very helpful article.
Patrice Bucci's curator insight,
January 14, 2014 11:06 AM
"infographic literacy rubric".....hmmmm.....
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Our list of lesser-known Times features that regularly yield rich material for teaching and learning, categorized by subject area. What would you add?
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
I love the Op Docs section! Plenty of free resources here for every subject!
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"Arguments against the wide use of informational text with students lack an evidentiary foundation and ignore the reading demands that students will face in college and the workplace. The argument for informational texts is not that students should read more information and less literature but that they surely should read more of both (Jago, 2013). Righting the current imbalance will simply require increases in the reading of information."
Mary Reilley Clark's curator insight,
December 16, 2013 1:08 PM
This makes me think of all those 1st and 2nd grade boys who wanted to check out stacks of nonfiction, only to be told they had to start reading chapter books. Sweet redemption for them, if they haven't already lost all enthusiasm for reading. Key takeaway--read, then read more!
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Teaching students how to think and analyze are important goals of today's teacher. See how one high school teacher uses a two day lesson to get students to analyze texts and develop more critical ways of thinking.
Mary Reilley Clark's curator insight,
January 8, 2014 1:42 PM
This video would be great for professional development. It's short enough to share during an hour long PD session, leaving time to discuss and create ideas for implementing in the classroom.
Dr. Dea Conrad-Curry's curator insight,
January 9, 2014 9:55 AM
So many good videos on this website. This lesson reminded me of one I typcially taught as my students moved into analytic literary research. Like Wessling, I would work with students to generate a list of all the aspects within a piece of literature that one could analyze throughout the text. And the, I would ask them to choose two or three and explore not only how they found the aspects interacting, but what literary critics before them said about the text's development in those areas. 
Nalya Ovshieva's curator insight,
October 25, 2014 4:48 PM
A great way of thinking - looking for concrete and conceptual patterns, and then draw conclusions..
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As your students look around their classroom environment, does a visually stimulating array of primary sources surround them? As a teacher, you can saturate your classroom with primary sources to promote critical thinking and inquiry.
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
All of these tie into the ELA/Social Studies standards for using primary sources, integrating visual information, etc. Great ideas that would be easy to implement!
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Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
This PDF provides examples of essential questions, defines the specific features of essential questions, and has excellent resources for further exploration!
Beth Panitz, Ed.D.'s curator insight,
November 23, 2013 11:22 PM
Essential Questions are an important concept for teachers to learn as they guide students in close reading of text.
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Many teachers this year are updating existing curriculum for the Common Core. And it's going to be a long process for everyone.
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
Nothing new here, but it's all in one article to share with that teacher who is panicking over a lack of resources. Oh, and point that teacher to the library, too! We have lots of great resources for you!
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How do we equip students with the increased rigor of the Common Core? The answer, according to Paul Tough and KIPP, could be quite simple.
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
I just flat out love this so much it makes me almost want to have a classroom so I could try it out! I do speak to students a lot about this, but I'd love to see how a sustained conversation about grit would impact students.
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Get free K-12 video lessons; mobile apps; audiobooks, ebooks and textbooks; foreign language lessons; test prep materials; and web resources!
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
Loads of great free resources that you can incorporate into CCSS lessons!
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How To Add Rigor To Any Lesson, Unit, Or Assessment Rigor is a fundamental piece of any learning experience. It is also among the most troublesome due to its relativity. Rigorous for whom? And more importantly,... Via Charles Fischer, Mary Reilley Clark
Mary Reilley Clark's insight:
I love and fervently hope for lots of # 6!
Mary Reilley Clark's curator insight,
September 29, 2013 10:50 PM
I love and fervently hope number 6 becomes more common! |
Great lesson here that demonstrates the shift in instruction--I did a similar project as a freshman in college!