Information on this page includes educational resources that were presented to the Reuther Middle School staff during professional development and/or collegial conversations. Suggestions can be given for additions to the page.
“Traditionally, policymakers have focused on curriculum as the tool for transformation, naively assuming that teachers merely deliver curriculum to their students. Change the deliverable—Common Core, National Curriculum, International Baccalaureate Diploma—and you will have transformed education they assume. In reality, curriculum is something that is enacted with students. It plays out within the dynamics of the school and classroom culture. Thus culture is foundational. It will determine how any curriculum comes to life”
– Ron Ritchhart
Common Core State Standards Initiative
Learning Achievement Coalition – Oakland
From our Clarkston colleagues…“We have used the DOK chart as a tool to show teachers tasks that will lead students to deeper thinking. We have tied it into Cultures of Thinking (CoT) by explaining that most of the Level 1 and Level 2 tasks will not require students to think for true understanding. They may be important building blocks in your lessons, but they cannot really be used with thinking routines if you want true thinking as a result.
We were finding that teachers would use a Chalk Talk with their students but would ask students to “list” or “label” without connecting, explaining or citing evidence. The DOK chart has been helpful in explaining why thinking routines aren’t genuine when the task itself doesn’t expect deep thinking.”
We were finding that teachers would use a Chalk Talk with their students but would ask students to “list” or “label” without connecting, explaining or citing evidence. The DOK chart has been helpful in explaining why thinking routines aren’t genuine when the task itself doesn’t expect deep thinking.”
analyzing student work
The Master Teacher Project – Over 3000 free classroom-ready lessons for CCSS
Sign Up For Smarter News, an E-Newsletter
Smarter Balance Practice Tests
10 Online Key Testing Terms for Math
Critical Words of the Common Core
Oakland Schools Literacy Team