1. Thinking Deeply-The Common Core emphasizes critical thinking. It requires students to analyze more, discuss more, evaluate more, justify more and explain their thinking & understanding deeply, especially in writing. Parent take away tip: Really thinking deeply is hard. Let it BE hard, help them talk it out.
2. Integrating Learning-The Common Core emphasizes learning across disciplines (reading with math & social studies standards combined in one task.) Students spend more time working together with different settings, structures & tools. Parent take away tip: Problems & solutions happen everyday in real world.
3. Showing How They Know-The Common Core emphasizes proof & evidence. Long gone are the days of worksheets, fact memorization and skill & drill. Students are not taught this way and they are not assessed this way. Parent take away tip: Assessments and the Smarter Balanced test will require students to explain how they know.
