ELA+Forum-Nov+16,+2011

Loguidice Educational Center, Large Group Room
 * November 16, 2011**


 * Today's topic:** Writing and the Common Core

"Read like a detective; write like an investigative reporter."
//David Coleman//

rss url="feed://feeds.nytimes.com/nyt/rss/Education" link="true" number="10"

This session, our focus will be on writing and the Common Core Literacy Standards. With the wealth of talent among our forum members, we will all benefit from the sharing of resources. **Please bring a copy of any writing assignments** you have used or are considering for use in addressing the CCLS writing standards (to narrate, argue/persuade, or explain/inform). If you have any representative student response to the prompts, bring those as well...please redact anything that would jeopardize student confidentiality.

8:00 - 8:30 Registration/Coffee/Networking
 * Please bring any Common Core resources/book/assignments that you would like to share.

8:30 - 8:50 Introductions/Review of Agenda Items
 * New members and returning veterans get acquainted

8:50 - 9:30 News & Notes from NYSED
 * New ELA assessments in grades 9 and 10 will begin during the 2012-13 school year and will be aligned to the Common Core, pending funding.
 * Notes on Common Core and other aspects on the NYSED Reform Initiative from Larry Paska's Presentation
 * Common Core Implementation Presentation (NYSED-Nov 2, 2011)
 * New York State and the PARCC Assessments (downloadable PPT presentation)
 * PARCC Model Content Frameworks for ELA/Literacy
 * Instructional Shifts in the Common Core Learning Standards
 * Jan 2012 ELA Regents Exam Answer Booklet info (schools must print answer sheet booklets prior to examination)
 * 2012-2012 Exams (Elementary & Regents): Teachers prohibited from scoring their own students' exams (Elementary/Regents)
 * All curriculum to be aligned to Common Core by 2012-2013 school year

9:30 - 10:00 District Dialogue
 * A representative voice from each district will brief the group on important and relevant developments


 * 10:00 - 10:15 Break**

10:15 -11:30 Best Practice: Writing and the Common Core
 * We've spent a fair amount of time discussion the changes in materials and instructional focus as it relates to reading. This session will focus on the common core writing standards and what will be expected of students. We will share our understanding of those changes, but this is a forum and we encourage you to share your thoughts, understandings, and approaches to the changes.
 * Sample Unit Outline (Argument-Grade 12)...example of Denny's approach to unit design...your mileage may vary


 * 11:30 - 12:30 Lunch**

12:30 - 1:30 Breakouts by Grade Level

Session Best Practice: Teacher2Teacher
 * Please bring an example of a writing prompt or assignment, and, if possible, we will share out these resources and activities and discuss how the lesson went and your plans for future implementation of complex text sources.

1:30 - 2:15 Unfinished business from the morning

2:15 - 2:45 Technology Talk
 * RSS Feeds (for example)

rss url="feed://www.worldwidewords.org/rss/newsletter.xml" link="true" number="6"

2:45 - 3:00 Debrief and Future Planning

NYSED Resources and Updates
The Commissioner's Press Conference regarding 3-8 ELA and 3-8 Math assessment results for 2010-11 has been completed and the following information is now available. The 3-8 conversion charts can be found at [|www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/ela-math]

Resources and Links
World Wide Words from Michael Quinion Poet Georgia Heard on the Common Core: Choice Literacy.com "Persuasive Writing Is a Key Focus in Common Core Standards": //Edutopia,// November 1, 2011 Regents Reform Agenda presentation by Larry Paska (NYSED -Curriculum Services) NYSED Common Core Professional Development Kit izzit.org NY Council for the Humanities The Charlotte Awards

Recommendations from THe Book Whisperer (Donnalynn Miller):
 * keeping it real in the classroom
 * full immersion in self-selected texts
 * just let them read...
 * suggests that students read 40 books per year
 * displays 40 books at open house
 * can include picture books, for example