# data[].attributes.headline
Building a Strong Mathematical Foundation

# data[].attributes.subject
Building a Strong Mathematical Foundation

# data[].attributes.body
Information on logging into student portals and platforms

# data[].attributes.body
Access different online websites and programs, grades TK-8

# data[].attributes.headline
How to Raise a Successful Mathematician Parent Ed Night 2018

# data[].attributes.subject
How to Raise a Successful Mathematician Parent Ed Night 2018

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
WR Raising a Successful Mathematician_2018

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Parents are bombarded with messages to read with their children, but it's rare to hear about the importance of doing math with them. Here are some helpful tips on why and how to instill a love of math in your children.

Early Math Matters
We may take for granted that our children will inevitably learn how to add, subtract, multiply and divide, but early math lessons establish the base for the rest of their thinking lives. "Mathematics that kids are doing in kindergarten, first, second and third grades lays the foundation for the work they are going to do beyond that," says Linda Gojak, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). "They are learning beyond just counting and numbers." That's why it's so important to help children love math while they are still young. Parents can build on those first preschool lessons by counting with their children, asking them to look for patterns and recognize shapes, then moving on to numbers, Gojak says.

The goal should be to make math "real" and meaningful by pointing it out in the world around you. That could include checking and comparing prices at the grocery store, driving down the street counting mailboxes, reading recipes, calculating coupons, or even measuring food or drink at the dinner table. Kevin Mahoney, math curriculum coordinator at Pennacre Country Day School in Wellesley, Mass., says when his children were little, his wife kept a small measuring tape in her pocketbook. While they were waiting for their order at a restaurant, the children would measure different items on the table.

Just as you encourage your early reader to look for familiar letters, ask your child to watch for math, regarding math as highly as you do reading. "Every parent knows that it's a good idea to read to your child every night, but they should also realize the importance of talking about mathematical situations with children every day," says Mahoney.

So What If It's Hard?
What if you hated math as a child? Parents should try to set aside their distaste for math and encourage their children as much as possible. Young children are eager to learn. "It's hard to learn to talk or walk. But they don't care," says Sue VanHattum, a community college math teacher in Richmond, Ca., who blogs about math learning on www.mathmamawrites.blogspot.com. "They just push themselves over their limits. They are going to come at math with that same attitude."

Avoid talking negatively about math, even if you have no need for trigonometry in your daily life. "A lot of people will only joke that they cannot do math or announce publicly, 'I'm not a math person.' When a parent does that in front of a child, it suggests that math's not important," says Char Forsten, education consultant and writer, who urges parents to create that desire to learn by constantly screening the environment for math. "Have you seen any good math lately?" she likes to ask students.

If your child believes that math doesn't really matter, he's not going to be as open to learn. "Attitude has everything to do with learning. You can't make anyone learn. If a child has learned not to love math, if they don't love math, and aren't willing to learn, you have to deal with that first," Forsten says.

If you are stuck on how to foster math enthusiasm, talk to your child's teacher about some ways to support math learning at home. There may be a new game that you have never heard of, which both you and your child will love.

Play Games
With so many facts and figures to memorize and apply to math problems, children learn early that math is something that requires work. That doesn't mean that it can't be fun; keep the pleasure in math by playing games with your children. Many games, even the ones adults play, rely on math. With countless websites, computer games and phone apps, parents have endless options, but don't forget about the nondigital games you loved as a child. The classics that require manipulating cards and game pieces, calculating along the way, may have the same appeal for your kids as they did for you. One game worth considering is Chutes and Ladders. A 2009 study conducted by Carnegie Mellon and the University of Maryland found that preschoolers who played the game improved math skills significantly compared to those in the study who played a different board game or did nonmath tasks.

As you play with your kids, try to tap into your own love for math. When you play Trivial Pursuit, you are using math to determine how many spaces you need to get to the next wedge or predict which category you can answer best. The game doesn't have to be about math, but should involve it. If you have a good game store in your area, stop by and ask the salespeople for help. Some of VanHattum's favorite games really push logic, which is the basis of math, and get children thinking visually. Check out Link, SET, Rush Hour, Blokus and Spot It, to name a few.

"Playing games is a great family activity," VanHattum says. "The more you have a tradition of playing games, the easier it is to bring in other games you like." So while you may not be passionate about your child's latest board game, you can work up to another game you like. Try to make the game personal to your family by playing it in your own special way. "Mathematicians make up their own rules," VanHattum says. "It's really important to be open to making up your own games. Change the rules. 'In our family, we play the game this way.'"

Flexing Math Muscles
Riding a bike, swimming in the deep end, and playing an instrument are just examples of our favorite childhood activities that require practice to master. So does math.

"Math is an intellectual muscle building; it's crucial for fully developing a child's potential," Mahoney says. "Those muscles can atrophy. If school is the only place you do math, then it becomes something you only do at school. Then you don't even think about using it in real life." So brush off those negative feelings about math and instill enthusiasm. Math will play a role in your child's life forever.

"It's important to remember that those basics are essential for later learning. A lot of the stuff we learn in math we apply in different ways later," says Gojak, who emphasizes the thinking skills that math provides. "I might not have to worry about what an isosceles triangle is, but it's still an important part of education."

As they grow, kids will learn that they are willing to work hard at something they love. It may just be math. Either way, remember that your child does not have to excel at math to enjoy it. "It doesn't matter if they're good, it matters whether they like it," VanHattum says.
Add Math to Everyday Fun with these Activities:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Parents are bombarded with messages to read with their children, but it's rare to hear about the importance of doing math with them. Here are some helpful tips on why and how to instill a love of math in your children.

# data[].attributes.body
Tips from Stanford math professor, Jo Boaler

# data[].attributes.headline
Where the Wild Fractions Are: The Power of a Bedtime (Math) Story. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Where the Wild Fractions Are: The Power of a Bedtime (Math) Story. 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Parents who are uneasy about their own math skills often worry about how best to teach the subject to their kids.

Well ... there's an app for that. Tons of them, in fact. And a study published today in the journal Science suggests that at least one of them works pretty well for elementary school children and math-anxious parents.

A team from the University of Chicago used a demographically diverse group of first-graders and their parents - nearly 600 in all - across a wide swath of Chicago. One group got to use an iPad app called Bedtime Math, built by a nonprofit with the same name. (The app is also available for Android, but we're told most used the iPad version) The no-frills app uses stories and sound effects to present kids with math problems that they can solve with their parents.

The control group was given a reading app with similar stories but no math problems to solve. The results at the end of the school year?

I reached out to University of Chicago psychology professor Sian L. Beilock, one of the paper's lead authors, to find out more.
I read to my child all the time. But I don't read bedtime math stories. After reading your study, maybe I should?
That's me! How big an increase and what kind of improvement did you see when kids used this iPad app?
Our study suggests that doing Bedtime Math with your kids can help advance their math achievement over the school year, and this might be especially important for parents who are a little bit nervous about their own math ability.
Your team found that the app worked even better for children whose parents tend to be a bit anxious or uncomfortable with math?
We compared kids who used the Bedtime Math app that involved reading stories and doing math problems with their parents to kids who did a very similar app that didn't have the math content. We showed that when kids frequently used the app with their parents, those who used the math app were three months ahead in terms of math achievement relative to kids who just did the reading app.
And you saw improvement even in children who used the app with parents as little as once a week?
Many adults in the U.S. and around the world profess to be uncomfortable or anxious about math. Oftentimes dealing with your kid around math can be a nerve-wracking experience - whether it's homework or just talking about it. We found that doing this Bedtime Math app with kids was especially beneficial for those kids whose parents tended to be the most nervous about math. In essence, these kids grew significantly throughout the course of the year and looked like kids whose parents weren't anxious about math by school year's end.
Bottom line for you: A little bit of math can go a long way, at least in terms of this one study's findings?
Yes, it was somewhat surprising to us that such little use would have such important benefits. One of the ideas is that we think that when parents get comfortable with talking with their kids about math - it doesn't have to be complex math problems, it could be anything from shapes to even counting - they likely engage in math talk even when they're not using the app. And we know that parents who talk more with their kids about math - whether you're counting out the number of cookies or counting the minutes to bedtime - those kids tend to achieve at higher rates in math.
There are a lot of apps out there. Why'd you choose this app in particular? What was special about it?
That's exactly what we're showing.

There is certainly a billion dollar education app industry out there. What we've realized in our initial work is that a lot of it isn't based on research. It's unclear what the benefits are. In fact, there has been some research that shows that apps with lots of bells and whistles can actually be detrimental to kids' learning because it distracts them. We base our investigations on learning science.
I admit I'm kind of a math-anxious parent. But when doing stuff like woodworking, I try to incorporate a little geometry and basic measurement whenever I can. "Hey, let's measure this again! Twenty-four inches - how many feet is that?" It's a fun way to sneak a little bit of math in.
We've shown that, when parents interact with their kids and talk with them about math, that really impacts what kids learn. We were interested in this because it really is a no-frills app, an easy way for parents to interact with their kids, to talk with their kids about math. It's not an app that they use by themselves. And we thought that that potentially had promise in terms of what math knowledge kids gained.
Culturally and socially, it seems we don't think about math as integral a part of parenting as reading. And few adults would say, "I'm not so good at reading." But many people say, "I'm not so good at math." And somehow that's socially acceptable.
And to realize that math is part of everything we do, and math is not something scary or that one should be anxious about. And it's really healthy to try to incorporate that into daily life. And often, as you said, parents think about reading bedtime stories, but there is a place for thinking also about bedtime math.
Where do you think some of that math anxiety comes from?

Yes, in my book, Choke, where I talk about stress and performance, I mention how you don't hear people walking around bragging that they're not good at reading. But very intelligent people brag about not being good at math. And it turns out that that anxiety and social acceptability has implications for our nation's success in math and science fields. And it's really important that we as parents and teachers and adults try to convey to our kids that math is something that's (a) enjoyable and (b) learned. You're not born a math person or not; it's something that's acquired. And every time we talk about it and we integrate it into our daily lives, children may see the importance of it and that math is not something to be fearful of.
Did you see any improvements in the parents' math ability by any chance [laughs]?
Math anxiety comes likely from lots of different places. Previous work that my group has done shows that teachers who tend to be anxious about math affect their kids' perceptions of math and what they learn across the school year. We also know that when parents are anxious about math they can transfer that to their kids, especially when they're helping a lot with math homework. We tend to point to the schools to be the source for math knowledge. But kids spend lots of time outside of school and get lots of information from parents and from other adults. So being cognizant of how we talk about math and how we integrate it into our daily lives is important - both inside and outside the classroom.
So there is hope for me?
Ha, well, that's a really interesting question. We are just looking into those questions now. You can imagine that for parents who have a fear of math or less than optimal math training, it might take more than one school year to move the needle for them. But we are seeing improvements with their kids. And that's a first step. And we will be looking (in future studies) at how parents think about math, how they do in math, and most specifically their attitudes when interacting with their kids.

There is hope for all of us! And, as you said, integrating these sorts of counting and math activities into daily routines is a great way to socialize both kids and their parents to the benefits of math.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Where The Wild Fractions Are: The Power Of A Bedtime (Math) Story

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Parents who are uneasy about their own math skills often worry about how best to teach the subject to their kids. Well ... there's an app for that. Tons of them, in fact. And a study published today in the journal Science suggests that at least one of them works pretty well for elementary school children and math-anxious parents.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Anybody can stick a lot of math in a book," says Ellenberg, a University of Wisconsin professor of math who also holds a master's degree in creative writing. "If it's a bad book, it's not going to interest kids."

The committee also looks for books touching on a range of interests. "A lot of kids don't think of themselves as math people, but the intention of the award is to help kids understand that math is for everybody," says Bohl.

Below are 10 books on the Mathical list, including this year's winners.

Written by Atinuke, illustrated by Angela BrooksbankBaby Goes to Market
Pre-K
2018 Mathical prize winner

At a Nigerian outdoor market, Mama shops while Baby attracts edible gifts from the vendors. Baby eats one of each treat before adding the rest to the basket. When the basket gets heavy, Mama hurries home to feed "Poor Baby!" who's "not had one single thing to eat." According to Ellenberg, the math in a children's book need not be announced in the title, but children should be able to recognize that it's happening. For example, Fran Wilson, one of the other judges, shared that second-graders in her classroom pointed out the subtraction at play in Baby Goes to Market without her prompting. "That's a sign of a real winning book," says Wilson.

A child narrator searches high and low for his pet in this multilayered counting book. Children will enjoy spotting the roving dragon amid a richly detailed, pen-and-ink cityscape. They will also practice counting via a set of objects featured in spot color on each spread: two hot dogs, five water towers, 12 pigeons, and so on - up to the 20 lanterns in a final scene where the child and dragon are reunited.

Sheep Won't Sleep: Counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's
Written by Judy Cox, illustrated by Nina Cuneo
Grades K-2
2018 Mathical prize winner

Clarissa tries all the usual tricks for falling asleep, including counting sheep. When that fails, the sheep suggest counting alpacas - this time in pairs. When that also fails, the alpacas recommend counting llamas - by fives. As the trend continues, Clarissa's room fills up with woolly animals in bold colors and patterns. The comical storyline and bright illustrations will engage early elementary schoolers as they practice advanced counting skills.

By Lauren ChildAbsolutely One Thing
Grades K-2
2017 Mathical prize winner

Big brother Charlie guides little sister Lola through the rules of numbers as they trek to the store to pick out a toy. Younger readers will enjoy correcting Lola's faulty number sense, while older readers can join Charlie in embedded calculations, such as: how many stickers does Lola have left after sticking five on the pavement, three on a tree, two on her shoes, one on her brother and one on the dog? (Answer: zero.) Although the pages are chock full of digits, a well-paced plot, sibling humor and funky illustrations make for a breezy read.

Written by Seth Fishman, illustrated by Isabel Greenberg A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars
Grades 3-52018 Mathical prize winner

How do you convey the immensity of numbers like three hundred seventy billion billion? Writing 37 followed by 19 zeros likely won't do the job. Instead, this book uses awe-inducing facts from the cosmos (a hundred billion trillion stars in the universe) and the ground beneath our feet (10 quadrillion ants on Earth) to explore scale and estimation. According to Ellenberg, literature can't replace classroom instruction in the practice of math but books like this one can spark a "dizzy excitement" that's also important to the learning process. "You can tell a kid there's no largest number," he says. "If they can feel it, that's a different story."

Written by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by Mike HolmesSecret Coders #1: Get with the Program
Grades 3-5
2016 Mathical prize winner

Hopper knows there's something strange about her new school. When she and basketball star Eni team up to find out what, things turn out weirder than she imagined. Readers are introduced to the principles of programming through logic puzzles, a robotic turtle and creepy birds in this adventure-filled graphic novel from the 2016 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. The book is the first in a series. Mathical also offers an educator tip sheet for Secret Coders.

By Melanie Heuiser HillGiant Pumpkin Suite

Grades 6-8
2018 Mathical honor book*

In addition to presenting calculations, figures, and puzzles, another way for a book to be mathematical is by portraying characters who love and practice math. In Giant Pumpkin Suite , math and cello enthusiast Rose deals with literal and figurative growing pains as she joins her shorter, nonmusical twin brother in a project to grow a record-breaking pumpkin for the state fair. "We want kids to see mathematics but we also want kids to see mathematicians, because math is in the end a human activity," says Ellenberg.

With frank, funny narration Schwartz takes readers on a numerical journey that begins at one and proceeds through mind-bogglingly large figures - but still ends very far from infinity. Complex ideas are tackled through everyday objects and patterns in whimsical, geometric drawings. Unanswered questions on some spreads will encourage readers to keep pondering and calculating after putting the book down. Mathical also provides an educator tip sheet for this book.

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race2018 Mathical honor book*

Better known as one 2017's hit movies, Hidden Figures tells the inspiring story of African-African women "computers" whose brains and grit helped launch NASA astronauts into orbit. With more depth than the film, this book illuminates the interconnections between math, careers and social history. A young readers' edition and a picture book version also are available.

Genius: The Game
By Leopoldo Gout
Grades 9-12
2017 Mathical prize winner

Three online friends and tech prodigies from diverse parts of the world connect in real life during a high-stakes global tech challenge. Together they embark on a quest not only to win "the Game" but also to solve their individual problems: Rex is searching for his missing brother, Tunde is on the run from a military warlord, and Painted Wolf must conceal her identity after exposing corrupt Chinese officials. Told in realistic, rotating voices and filled with suspensful plot twists, this book will grip teenage readers regardless of their prior interest in coding or programming.
*The Mathical selection committee did not name winners for middle or high school grades this year. According to Bohl, that decision reflects the lack of frontlist titles that were submitted by publishers for the older age groups.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Books to Spark a Love of Math in Kids of All Ages | MindShift | KQED News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"Anybody can stick a lot of math in a book," says Ellenberg, a University of Wisconsin professor of math who also holds a master's degree in creative writing. "If it's a bad book, it's not going to interest kids." The committee also looks for books touching on a range of interests.

# data[].attributes.body
This website has blogs and helpful tips to help talk math with your kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Parents know that we need to read 20 minutes a day with our kids.

But teaching math to your kids doesn't have to be intimidating. It can be fun. Just as children say goodnight to the moon, they can say hello to numbers, shapes and measurement.

Talking Math with Your Kids provides ideas and products that get children and caregivers talking about math with creativity and joy.

Whether you're reading books on the couch, cooking dinner, running errands, or scheduling your day, opportunities for math talk abound.

This website collects research about, and examples of, math talk with children. Each post offers suggestions for adapting the examples for your own children, interests, and lives.

Enjoy and let me know how those conversations are going in your home. Use the contact form to ask questions, send feedback or to send along a conversation for highlighting on this site.
Thanks for reading. Read more about Christopher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Parents know that we need to read 20 minutes a day with our kids. But teaching math to your kids doesn't have to be intimidating. It can be fun. Just as children say goodnight to the moon, they can say hello to numbers, shapes and measurement.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I've loved sharing these moments on Twitter and among friends, but I've been straining for ways to share these ideas with the broader world. There are so many parents of young kids who ask me for advice about math apps and workbooks, so I know there is a yearning in parenting culture for guidance about math readiness.

This video is my attempt to distill the big ideas of #tmwyk into an accessible video. Less charitably, it's eight minutes of my big dumb face. But I hope that this video helps parents find new ways of interacting with their kids on math topics. And if it's well-received, I'd love to make more.

So please watch the video and share it with people who might find it interesting!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
I Made a Video about Talking Math With Your Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Since winter break I've been working on a video about how to talk math with your kids. I hope you enjoy it. Some background: I began reading Christopher Danielson's website Talking Math With Your Kids right around the time my son was turning 1.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find *FREE* ways to have math-based conversations at home, on the road, or anywhere. From math specialists to parents around the world, a new idea will be shared each week.

# data[].attributes.body
District licensed adaptive program. Please find your grade and school to log in on the OUSD Student Homepage.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Select the appropriate grade to have students practice the math skills they're expected to know at their particular education level. You can then choose which skill(s) you want them to work on as they play an exciting, adventure-packed game or use our accessible digital textbook.

Entertaining Games: Our games are free to use and so much fun to play! Math Games understands that the best way to motivate children to study is to ensure that learning is enjoyable. With our incredibly popular online games and downloadable game apps, students will actually want to review math!

Common Core: Each learning activity or game is aligned with the math standards required by the Common Core for different grades. This means that pupils complete tasks that are not only fun but also directly relevant to what they will be assessed on.

Customized Learning: If a child is finding some activities too challenging or too easy, you can alter the grade level. Foundational concepts and old material can be reviewed, or students can push ahead to explore new principles.

Play Online or Offline: Our exercises and games can be completed on computers, tablets, or mobile devices. You can also download printable worksheets with grading keys for offline use. Quality math review can now happen anywhere!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
math games free practice common core standards pre-kindergarten kindergarten 1st grade 2nd grade 3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade 6th grade 7th grade 8th grade

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Find Games By Grade - Practice with Math Games

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Select the appropriate grade to have students practice the math skills they’re expected to know at their particular education level. You can then choose which skill(s) you want them to work on as they play an exciting, adventure-packed game or use our accessible digital textbook.

# data[].attributes.body
Provides engaging mathematics to middle school students of all abilities levels.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A 6-inch tall flower casts a 4-inch shadow at 5:00pm. One month later, when the sun was at the same position in the sky as it was at 5:00pm one month earlier, the shadow cast was 5 ¹/ ₃ inches long. How many inches taller was the flower when it cast the 5 ¹/ ₃-inch shadow than it was when it cast the 4-inch shadow?

Two years ago Melanie planted two trees. Tree A was 24 inches tall when she planted it and Tree B was 40 inches tall when she planted it. If Tree A grows at a rate of 8 inches per year and Tree B grows at a rate of 6 inches per year, after how many more years will Tree A be as tall as Tree B?

Last spring, Fredrico's favorite topiary bush formed a perfect sphere with a diameter of 16 inches. Over the past year the bush's diameter has increased by one inch. By what percent has the volume of the bush's sphere increased? Express your answer to the nearest tenth.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A 6-inch tall flower casts a 4-inch shadow at 5:00pm. One month later, when the sun was at the same position in the sky as it was at 5:00pm one month earlier, the shadow cast was 5 1/ 3 inches long.

# data[].attributes.body
Activities to play at home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Sharing in an app allows educators to pose problems and investigations for students by using an 8-character code or link. Students can share their thinking with their teachers and classmates. Share codes remain available for continued use for 18 months from the date they are last accessed.
Watch the video to learn how sharing works.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sharing in an app allows educators to pose problems and investigations for students by using an 8-character code or link. Students can share their thinking with their teachers and classmates. Share codes remain available for continued use for 18 months from the date they are last accessed.

# data[].attributes.headline
Multiplication & Division Number Bond Cards

# data[].attributes.subject
Multiplication & Division Number Bond Cards

# data[].attributes.headline
Addition & Subtraction Number Bond Cards

# data[].attributes.subject
Addition & Subtraction Number Bond Cards

# data[].attributes.body
Grab a pair of dice and play!

# data[].attributes.body
Math vocabulary organized by grade level K-5

# data[].attributes.body
Grades 6-8 Math

# data[].attributes.body
Grades 6-8 Math

# data[].attributes.body
Brief video lessons on math concepts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Math Antics | Basic Math Videos and Worksheets

# data[].attributes.body
A padlet of grade levelresources created by HCPS

# data[].attributes.body
A collection of resources on what it means to teach and learn math today.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Does It Mean to Teach and Learn Mathematics Today?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why Students in the US need Common Core Math

# data[].attributes.body
Quick guides to the CCSS math standards organized by grade levels. Clear, easy to understand guides to grade level math standards.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Parent Roadmaps to Common Core Standards / Parent Roadmaps- Mathematics

# data[].attributes.headline
10 Things You Should Know About Common Core

# data[].attributes.subject
10 Things You Should Know About Common Core

# data[].attributes.body
What it is and what it isn't

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
An enormous effort to implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is underway in more than 40 states and the District of Columbia. Districts are training staff, field-testing assessments, and evaluating technology requirements. Teachers are rewriting curriculum and instruction to prepare students for more rigorous coursework. Some states are further ahead than others. And as the 2014 - 2015 implementation deadline draws near, it's likely that the road has been-and will continue to be-a bit rocky. But schools are forging ahead with the initiative-even as it faces opponents who are determined to mislabel the effort as everything from "Obamacore" to a "national curriculum." The Common Core is a set of voluntary K-12 standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics. The White House did not create the initiative, nor is it leading it. The standards were developed by governors and state school officials, with input from a wide range of educators, content experts, national organizations (including NEA), and community groups.

The challenges surrounding implementation, however, are formidable. Teachers are concerned about adapting their classrooms to the rigorous new standards and receiving the proper training. Many are also wondering about the role of new assessments. But they also recognize the enormous opportunity that lies ahead.

"Educators desperately want to reclaim the joy in teaching-which means creative lesson plans, meaningful exploration of topics, and inspiring the joy of real learning in our students," says NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. "Common Core could help achieve that if the implementation is done correctly."

To reach that goal, all stakeholders must work together and take a leadership role in educating each other and the general public about the Common Core. It's a complex subject. The following facts are intended to clarify key points, allay concerns about what the Common Core isn't, and-most importantly-highlight how the standards can be the game-changer students need.

Are many teachers anxious about the Common Core? Absolutely. Are some die-hard critics? No doubt. But there is no massive groundswell of opposition to the Common Core among NEA members. An NEA poll conducted in July by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research found that 75 percent of its members-teachers and education support professionals -supported the standards outright or supported "with reservations." Whether it's tighter content focus or opportunities for deeper critical thinking, the majority of teachers see the new standards as something to get excited about. Another poll released by the American Federation of Teachers revealed similar levels of enthusiasm, again indicating some educator anxiety, but confirming that AFT member support of the Common Core is strong.

The standards don't dictate how teachers should teach. Quite the opposite. Teachers who support the Common Core-like Colorado educator Jessica Keigan-understand that teachers and their schools will determine how to help students meet the standards. "I understand the anxiety that many teachers may have," Keigan says. "What I remind myself of is that teachers are making the standards work in the classroom. We're taking the lead." For Sue Yokum of Pennsylvania, the creativity the standards allow will make her final year of teaching a memorable one. "The Common Core gives me guidance, but it does not tell me what materials to use. That's up to me," explains Yokum. "It allows me to do something different this year and next year so that when I go out at 40 years, it'll be the best year I ever taught."

Students from economically disadvantaged communities are often consigned to larger classes where they face an undemanding curriculum and outdated resources. As a result, too many students graduate without the basic knowledge and skills they need to successfully complete college or enter the workforce. Properly implemented, CCSS will ensure that all students- no matter where they live-will graduate prepared for college, careers, and citizenship. "The standards make things equal for all children in the U.S.," says Colorado teacher Cheryl Mosier. "We're not going to have pockets of high-performing students in one area compared to another area. Everybody will have a very high bar to meet, but it's a bar that can be met-with supports [in place] for all teachers."

In addition, alternative assessments are being designed to measure the growth of every student population. The World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment, for example, is a collaborative that advances the needs of English language learners. They have ensured that the new standards support and do not replace existing English language proficiency standards. Implementation of the standards should also address the needs of students with disabilities. The current plans for implementation should not in any way diminish access to the range of supports that students might need in order to learn.

Critics charge that the standards crowd out high-quality fiction, poetry, theater, and other imaginative texts in favor of nonfiction, "informational texts" believed to be an essential canon in the "college ready" arsenal. The standards explicitly say, however, that Shakespeare and classic American literature should be taught. While the standards do require increasing amounts of nonfiction, this provision refers to reading across all subjects, not just English.

For Arkansas English/language arts teacher Kathy Powers, it's not about fiction vs. non-fiction reading. It's about integrating them with other disciplines, like English and social studies, or literacy, math, and science. "The CCSS will change my classroom teaching practice because I'll infuse more of my instruction of non-fiction texts with fiction so the students get more of a content knowledge background," Powers explains. "I work with our social studies teachers to bring in more of their content and vice versa." The CCSS are designed to support cross-curricular learning and social studies, history, science, and PE teachers can and should be part of the effort. Many teachers already plan across subject matter, but the standards present a great opportunity to collaborate with colleagues in different classrooms. This will be a welcome change for many teachers-especially those who are new to the profession-who long to break out of classroom silos.

6. Success Depends on Better, Balanced Assessment and Accountability Systems

The next generation of assessments will provide better and more usable feedback for teachers, students, and parents. Most states that have adopted the CCSS belong to one of two assessment consortia, Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) or the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC). No one expects the transition to be easy, says Jim Meadows of the Washington Education Association. "It'll take some time for the system to realign to support student learning tied to the Common Core. The standards are more rigorous but they're also more focused. So the assessments are going to be different and there are going to be growing pains. When the initial assessment results come out, they may be lower," explains Meadows.

Teachers overwhelmingly support an implementation schedule that will enable them to get up to speed before these new assessments are used to evaluate performance. NEA has long called for an end to high-stakes testing consequences, particularly during the Common Core transition period. In 2013, NEA, AFT, and 12 national education groups called for a moratorium of at least one year on high-stakes decisions based on new assessments aligned to the new standards. Over the next year, NEA and its affiliates will make it a top priority to work with policymakers across the country to improve the assessment process.

Critical investments must be made to ensure educators have the time and resources to collaborate and make adjustments to classroom instruction. This includes more effective and sustained professional development-not just one-stop shop workshops and training videos, but the time and structure to collaborate with colleagues. Additional resources must be allocated to bring schools' technology up to speed. Sound and effective policies will reinforce the standards, and teachers, education support professionals, and parents must work together to ensure the best possible implementation occurs so students can reap the benefits of that collaboration.

As states begin implementation, teachers are advocating for the things that lead to success: resources, professional development, and time for collaboration. Teacher leaders are essential to the successful implementation of the Common Core. For this reason, President Van Roekel appointed 56 educators to an NEA Common Core Working Group last fall. The move is part of a nationwide effort to prepare educators to implement the standards. The group will ensure that teacher voice is prominent throughout Common Core implementation; facilitate communication about the standards; and assist in the development of engaging and relevant resources.

"This is an opportunity for teachers to discuss what isn't working," explains Kathy Powers. "We can use our voices collectively to critique areas of the Common Core that may need a little polishing."

Parents have always played a huge role in helping students learn, and the success or failure of Common Core implementation depends largely on collaboration between educators and parents. But results of a recent Gallup poll indicate only half of public school parents had even heard of the standards. Parents and community leaders should increase their knowledge of the standards and work together to ensure fair and successful implementation. Educators should reach out to parents and pressure lawmakers to provide the resources and to make implementation easier for teachers and students.

A wealth of online tools and resources are available to broaden educators' knowledge about Common Core content and the new assessments and provide sample lessons and links to individual state resources. NEA has released a Common Core toolkit designed to help educators prepare for implementation. The toolkit provides general background about the CCSS, separates truth from fiction about the standards, and offers hands-on practical assistance to help educators prepare for implementation. Users can download editable materials and presentations in small chunks that may be used in a variety of settings. Video resources suitable for use by individuals and teams are also available.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Things You Should Know About the Common Core - NEA Today

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An enormous effort to implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is underway in more than 40 states and the District of Columbia. Districts are training staff, field-testing assessments, and evaluating technology requirements. Teachers are rewriting curriculum and instruction to prepare students for more rigorous coursework. Some states are further ahead than others.

# data[].attributes.body
A must see video for parents!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Nothing goes viral like a bad Common Core math problem, something that takes a simple subtraction question and turns it into a multi-step process that confuses anyone over the age of 20.

But there's a reason the new math is complicated. One goal of Common Core is developing number sense: an understanding of how numbers can be broken down into units of smaller numbers. You might do this at the convenience store. If you're paying cash for something that costs $4.27, you could pay $5.02 to make sure you get all your change in quarters.

But learning math like a recipe, a series of steps you have to go through to get a result, doesn't always do that.

Just like dollars can be broken down into quarters, dimes, and nickels, ordinary numbers can be broken down into units of hundreds, tens, and ones. The new method of teaching math tries to help students understand how numbers are put together. But k ids still have to learn the standard algorithm - the basic, familiar, and usually fastest way to solve math problems.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Common Core math, explained in 3 minutes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Nothing goes viral like a bad Common Core math problem, something that takes a simple subtraction question and turns it into a multi-step process that confuses anyone over the age of 20. But there's a reason the new math is complicated.

# data[].attributes.body
Videos of math end of the year milestones. Arranged by grade level.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Math articles, book lists, videos, and milestones | GreatSchools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Articles, book lists, videos, and milestones related to Math