Supporting Students in a Time of Core Standards: English Language Arts, Grades 6-8

This book takes you into the classrooms of middle school and junior high teachers who are meeting the demands of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) while staying true to their students and to their own knowledge of what constitutes effective, student-centred teaching.

Beginning with an overview of the CCSS, the first section of the book addresses some common questions and concerns about the new standards. Perry then spotlights individual grade 6-8 classrooms, showing the real learning and achievement that occur when teachers focus on students’ needs and interests rather than on trying simply to cover a list of standards. The teaching vignettes in Section II honour a variety of school contexts, cultures, and teaching environments, from struggling areas coping with the effects of diminished resources to more affluent districts that can offer students the latest in high-tech learning materials. In all cases, though, you see individual teachers’ innovative approaches, based on their experiences of what does - and doesn’t - work, as well as on NCTE principles of good teaching.

These rich vignettes, focusing on oft-taught books such as The Outsiders and The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963, feature student collaboration, writing for authentic audiences, and the incorporation of visual literacies through the use of photos and YouTube clips. The final section shows how to build instruction from and with the CCSS, offering ideas for teachers as individuals, as collaborators with colleagues, and as advocates for professional support.

Throughout, the teachers affirm the importance of professional development, by belonging to organizations like NCTE and the National Writing Project, by attending local and national conferences, and by participating in local communities of practice.