Common Core State Standards -Writing

select below for argument
http://bleckblog.org/comp/node/266

This blog title is a bit misleading. When I'd originally been asked to put something together on the Common Core writing standards, I presumed I'd be focused on three areas: narrative, informational, and argumentative.

However, as you'll see, the embedded slide show  focuses mainly on one of the three Common Core writing approaches -argumentative writing; and it is no accident that it happened that way.

The Common Core asks for three areas of writing to be nurtured and developed with students: narrative, informational, and argument writing. The narrative form, which comes under a large umbrella of styles from poetry to narrative non-fiction, is highly familiar to teachers and students alike, precisely why little attention is given to it. The same thinking applies to informational writing, because high-stakes testing has dominated the educational landscape for many years, everyone knows expository writing well.

So, if you haven't guessed by now, that leaves one approach to writing on the outside looking in -argumentative writing. The Common Core wants students and teachers alike to revert to the earlier practice of reading passages with a keen eye, one that spots and collects text evidence then uses logic to draw conclusions or form hard-to-refute claims.

Writing for argument is not about screaming louder than the other guy, as many political debates seem to do, nor is it about writing in the persuasive style, where loaded words and a complete disregard for the other side of the issue is the normal method of expression.

Writing as argument is more gentlemanly -and, if possible, almost entirely sterile. Below is one of the purest forms of written argument and logic.

All humans are mortal.
Aristotle is human.
Therefore, Aristotle is mortal.

Good luck arguing against that conclusion!

Of course, not many arguments are so easy to lay out. Evidence can be interpreted incorrectly and reasonable claims made on each side of an argument, but the model serves to remind educators and students alike as to the type of thinking required when writing to argue. If a pure, logical argument cannot be made, then one steps over a bit and adopts as much reason as possible.

At least, this is my ham-fisted understanding of what to emphasize for the Common Core writing standards.

Common Core State Standards -Writing from RLagana

Common Core Strategies

I'm going to do something I struggle to do all the time. I'm going to try, try, try to be brief with this post.

The skinny: Attached is a PowerPoint presentation I've shared with colleagues at the school where I work. I expect it will make the most sense to those who are in the profession of teaching, but anyone who is interested in learning what one reading teacher's take is on the Common Core standards and what kinds of activities would do well to support it, are more than welcome to view it too.

Goal: My aim in putting this together was to use the ideas within the presentation to begin a short series of round table discussions with colleagues as what we can do cross-discipline to begin meeting the Common Core standards coming our way very soon.

Several notes to know:

• There is no narration. I've been using the slides as the backdrop to my talks with colleagues. So, I expect some of the threads in the video may be confusing.
• There are numerous links and attachments that come with the PowerPoint which won't be available in this video. If you want a copy of the PP, email me or post here and I will figure out how to get it to you. 
• I do not profess to be the guy when it comes to, well... anything. I think I have a decent handle on the Common Core standards and approaches (mainly from a Language Arts angle, of course) and I do know something about reading and writing strategies. Still, there are far smarter people at work on these things than I. So take what I've slapped together with that in mind. 
• Finally, like anything in teaching, there's really nothing new here. I borrowed from many sources to put this together and it's far from all inclusive either. Again, the aim was to put something together quickly for my colleagues and I to begin the process of discovering what we want to do collectively to meet those Common Core standards. I'm sure this video will go through several alterations before I finally put it to bed.

OK, I'm running off at the keyboard again. Enjoy.

Common Core State Standards -Reading & Writing from RLagana