Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/315828
Feature i n s ma l l - gro up an d c l a ss co l la b o ra t io n , an d m a t h s t a n d a r d s f o r f i n d i n g t h e v o l u m e o f a rectangular solid. Students first shared what they knew about volume in groups, then reported out to the class, then used boxes and rubber balls as manipulatives. Finally, students came up with a collaborative defi- nition of volume as a "measurement of space inside a three-dimensional object." It differs from the traditional approach of mem- orizing the definition from a book, says Harris, a POEA member and Common Core coach, who believes students will likely remember what vol- ume means from such a discovery process. "Lessons in the Common Core make you think more," says sixth-grader Valentina Medina after the volume lesson. "When we can work out answers among ourselves, it makes things simpler." A d a m E b r a h i m , a n e i g h t h - g r a d e h i s t o r y a n d t e c h n o l o g y d e s i g n t e a c h e r a t C o o p e r Academy in Fresno, says the CCSS are trans- forming his teaching. "I've worked hard to encourage student auton- omy. In my classroom you'll see groups engaged in a task. There is a leadership structure at each table with captains reporting progress to me as I rotate among tables. The groups in my technology and design class are currently investigating the food production networks in the United States to understand why their school lunches look the way they do. In this unit, called 'Forks over Sporks,' I am one of the test subjects. They are holding me to a plant-based, whole foods diet, and will be measuring my weight loss and feelings of well-being." This type of instruction is liberating for teachers and powerful for stu- dents, says Ebrahim, an FTA member. It's about learning, not testing From the beginning, CTA supported the new standards because they emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed in today's world. They give teachers more flexibility. And CTA led efforts that resulted in Gov. Jerry Brown adding an initial $1.25 billion in the state budget to help fund implementation. CTA believes there are many ways the new standards will benefit students. With fewer standards, teachers can cover topics in depth and go slower. There were so many old standards that many teachers felt they had to rush through them. The new standards ask students to explain how they arrive at their answers, rather than rely on rote memorization. The CCSS tell teachers what their students need to know, but not how to how to get them there, which allows creativity and flexibility in lesson planning and curriculum. Kathy Harris was a member of California's Academic Content Standards Commission and of the Text Complexity Development Team, working on K-2 standards with researchers in the areas of comprehension, vocabulary and reading. Math teacher Katja Jackson grew up in Germany, where students routinely collaborate with each other and explain their work, just as the CCSS encourages. 12 M AY 2 0 1 4 Educator 05 May 2014 v1.6 int.indd 12 5/16/14 3:21 PM