To Ace the Common Core Assessments, Move Beyond Just Covering the Standards

With the Common Core Standards, there is the problem of "covering" the standards while failing to achieve the deeper learning that will lead to improved performance. A teacher might put one or more standards at the top of their lesson plans and post the standards in the classroom. This can lead to disappointing results. It is important to pay attention to the actual assessments in order to achieve success.

For example, the Common Core Standards require students to be proficient in grammar and punctuation. This is similar to existing standards, so it is tempting to simply recycle old grammar lessons with the idea that you are covering the new standards. But the new grammar standards will not be tested in isolation. Grammar will be tested through actual student writing, not on stand alone questions. If you are relying on old style worksheets and textbooks that have students practice grammar in isolation, your end of the year results are not going to be pretty. It is essential that your students practice the use of grammar and punctuation in the context of actual writing.