CCSS Video Series

The NNSTOY Common Core Video Series

TEACHERS AFFIRM THE VALUE OF

RIGOROUS STANDARDS

Drawing from our expert teachers across the country, these videos provide unique perspectives on the value of rigorous standards and how they can be used by skilled teachers to improve learning. Each three-to-five-minute video highlights one teacher and their expert work applying rigorous standards in the classroom. Ultimately, the videos answer the question, “Why are rigorous standards important to our young people?”

This video series will help education stakeholders to:

1. communicate the value of rigorous standards from multiple demographic perspectives,
2. highlight expert implementation, and
3. raise appreciation for excellent teaching.

As we add to the videos in our collection, each set will highlight a different focus area. And each set will provide educators with evidence and talking points to help communicate with other educators, parents, administrators and policymakers about the importance of rigorous standards. As the video series grows, NNSTOY will include supporting materials such as blogs, podcasts, talking points, and tweets to help educators reach their networks.

We begin with videos about the value of implementing rigorous standards, each from the perspective of a teacher recognized for teaching expertise. As you watch, ask yourself, “Who do I know that would benefit from hearing about this teacher’s experience?” and then let them know.

Common Core: The Right Tools to Succeed
Bill Day, Washington, D.C., State Teacher of the Year 2014, shares how he opens his math classes and explains how the Common Core State Standards give his students the tools they need to succeed.

Talking points on the value of rigorous standards featured:

Students make sense of problems and persevere solving them
Students practice the art of critical thinking
Students recognize meaning and usefulness in these learning goals

Sample tweets: (Simply click to launch a tweets and edit it in Twitter.

Common Core: A Global Community
The Common Core State Standards draws on students’ abilities to think critically, communicate globally, express creativity and connect across the curriculum. Because he immigrated to the United States from Iran, Mohsen Ghaffari, the Utah Teacher of the Year, 2015, clearly understands the need for these rigorous, global skills. In fact, Ghaffari says the Common Core’s emphasis on communication and collaboration help build community in his classroom, a classroom where many students come from homes where English is their second language.

Talking points on the value of rigorous standards featured:

Students face rigorous content and the application of knowledge through higher order thinking skills
Students work on collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills which are interwoven into the standards
Students pursue a deep, authentic command of concepts

Sample tweets: (Simply click to launch a tweets and edit it in Twitter.)

Common Core: Time to Raise the Bar
Julia King, the Washington, D.C., Teacher of the Year 2013, says the Common Core State Standards gives her the autonomy she needs to challenge her students. Her students are encouraged to think deeply about mathematics and collaborate about their thinking. Julie says she needs to be disciplined with her time since the Common Core raised the bar on student expectations.

Talking points on the value of rigorous standards featured:

Encourage the best use of limited time
Provide opportunities for deeper learning to achieve high goals
Allow for student autonomy and teacher creativity

Sample tweets: (Simply click to launch a tweets and edit it in Twitter.)

Common Core: Prepping for Life
Sean McComb, National Teacher of the Year 2014, uses the Common Core State Standards to teach his students the basics of writing through real world investigations. McCombs taps into his students' passions as they work to solve real world problem. The big picture goal, as one students puts it, is simple, "We could change the world, essentially."

Talking points on the value of rigorous standards featured:

Students conduct research to solve problems
Students build strong communication skills using standard English
Students write arguments using valid reasoning and relevant evidence

Sample tweets: (Simply click to launch a tweets and edit it in Twitter.)

Common Core: Engaging with Text
Josh Parker, Maryland State Teacher of the Year 2012 and NEA Global Fellow 2013, uses the Common Core State Standards to teach his students how to back up their claims with cited evidence. The standards provide him with a clear continuum of learning, and the core empowers him to prepare his students to be college- and career-ready.

Talking points on the value of rigorous standards featured:

Arguments must be supported with evidence
Provide a challenging pathway of learning
Demand rigorous preparation for college and career
Empower both teachers and students

Sample tweets: (Simply click to launch a tweets and edit it in Twitter.)

Common Core: Everyone Grows
The Common Core drives mathematics teacher Mary Pinkston and Mary drives her students to succeed. The 2010 Delaware Teacher of the Year works in a school situated between rural and urban areas. The student body of Brandywine High School is diverse. Success, however, is not dictated by a student’s upbringing. Regardless of her students’ backgrounds, Pinkston's Common Core approach ensures all her students come out of her class prepared to succeed.

Talking points on the value of rigorous standards featured:

All students make meaningful progress
Students grow skills needed for all three--college, career and life
The learning process is organized logically and the teaching is constructivist.

Sample tweets: (Simply click to launch a tweets and edit it in Twitter.)

Common Core: Parents Learn Too
Like many teachers, Allison Riddle has challenges when dealing with the large number of students in her classroom, and she need the support of parents to make it work. Common Core are the rigorous but flexible standards she needs to challenge each and every child. Some parents have reservations — or even hostility — toward the standards. Some parents are anxious because this was not the way they learned. Allison says she must communicate why higher, rigorous standards, which focus on problem solving skills, are important.

Talking points on the value of rigorous standards featured:

Focus is on the application of knowledge through higher order thinking skills
Teachers have the autonomy to meet the needs of each individual student
Develops the critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills students need to be successful.

Sample tweets: (Simply click to launch a tweets and edit it in Twitter.)

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