Recommendations of the AFT Ad Hoc Comm. on Standards Rollout

http://www.aft.org/pdfs/teachers/reso_commoncorestandards.pdf

I took a lot of notes when reading this key points included:

1. "Less Superficial" content to cover each year and therefore more to devote to mastery, thereby making teaching and learning more effective for all;
2. AFT will increase its advocacy to ensure appropriate use of assessments and inclusion of all essential disciplines (e.g. science, social studies, the arts, physical education)
3. Collective bargaining and collaborative agreements between unions and school districts can an should be used to promote collaborative, effective and innovative approaches to rolling out the standards;
4. SHIF IN CULTURE: "The AFT believes deeply that the current test-and test-prep-obsessed approach to education has been harmful in many ways, including narrowing the curriculum, limiting the time for teachers to engage children, decreasing the emphasis and opportunity to engage in project-based learning and the building of critical and analytic thinking skills, and increasing stress on students, parents and teachers.
5. The current accountability system emphasizes teacher accountability and fails to hold any others accountable for student achievement.
6.. The AFT will develop a "tool kit"
FAQ
Sharemylesson.org
7. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AFT will support districts
School, district, and state admins along with teacher educators and professional orgs. must participate in the same professional develop.
8. ASSESSMENTS
"Assessments should be tools to help teachers guide and plan instruction and should not be used inappropriately-in ways that distort instruction and prevent students from developing the thinking and analytical skills described in the CCSS.