In 2010, the Illinois State Board of Education adopted new, challenging academic standards for mathematics referred to as the CCSS Common Core State Standards. Over the past two years, significant work has been done by our teachers, math specialists, curriculum director and principals to prepare for this implementation. At this time, OGS will be implementing the CCSS in Kindergarten through 5th grade. The CCSS is a powerful initiative and this is a significant time in mathematics education. Educators have greatly improved their understanding of how students learn math over the past decade, and we believe the CCSS document truly reflects our growing knowledge of best instructional math practices as well as developmentally appropriate grade level standards.
Here are some highlights about the CCSS and it’s implementation at OGS to help further your understanding:
Here are some highlights about the CCSS and it’s implementation at OGS to help further your understanding:
- The standards for math were based on documents describing the progression of a topic across a number of grade levels, informed both by research on children's cognitive development and by the logical structure of mathematics.
- The mathematical standards cover Kindergarten through 12th grade. Articulating grade level standards in mathematics affords greater specificity (deeper standards), higher expectations across levels (higher standards), while focusing on a few key ideas at each grade level (fewer standards).
- Concepts and skills appear across grade levels, but some specific ones have been switched to another grade level. Approximately 20% of each grade level shifted to or from different grade levels.
- Teachers can focus on fewer concepts at greater depth than in the past.
- The processes and procedures of algebraic thinking have been made more explicit throughout.
- The CCSS was written with conceptual learning in mind. To that end, it demands that our instruction emphasize the process of mathematics that leads to a deeper level of understanding, rather than simply finding the correct answer with an algorithm.
- The new standards define mastery of concepts and skills. Mastery means that a student has facility with a skill or concept in multiple contexts and can apply and transfer the skill in other situations.
- This year Oak Grove School has restructured their math department designating two math coaches at the K-5 level to ensure a smooth transition to the math standards as well as guide implementation of a new math series that is aligned to the CCSS.
- The CCSS is designed to encourage thinking processes, habits of mind, and dispositions that mathematically proficient students will require to develop a deep, flexible, and enduring understanding of mathematics. These proficiencies are a component of the CCSS and are referred to as the eight Math Practices.