Common Core State Standards

The State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) on July 12, 2010. The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers. The standards were developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and experts to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce.

These standards are modeled after the highest, most effective practices from states across the country and countries around the world and provide teachers and parents with a common understanding of what students are expected to learn. Consistent standards will provide appropriate benchmarks for all students, regardless of where they live.

These standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate with the ability to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs. These standards are aligned with college and work expectations; they are clear, understandable and consistent; they include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills; they build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards; and they are used by other top performing countries so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society.

These Common Core state standards are the first step in transforming our education system in Arkansas. For systemic change to occur in Arkansas, educators must be given resources, tools, and time to adjust classroom practices. Instructional materials will need to be developed that align to the standards; assessments will need to be developed to measure student progress; and federal, state, and district policies will need to be re-examined to ensure they support alignment of the Common Core with student achievement throughout the system.

The state of Arkansas, as well as our district, will implement Common Core State Standards over the next three years. K-2 will implement the CCSS this school year. 3-8 will implement the standards in 2012-2013. 9-12 will implement in 2013-2014.

Our district provided professional development for all K-2 this summer to prepare for the Common Core implementation this year. We will review the CCSS and plan for the changes coming in grades 3-12 over the next few years. Our district has established building-level and district-level teams to guide the CCSS process within our district. We plan to provide parents more information regarding Common Core during parent teacher conferences in October. Link to CCSS web page.

According to James Patterson…

How to get your kid to be a fanatic reader

By James Patterson, Special to CNN

updated 1:38 PM EST, Wed September 28, 2011

James Patterson says boys can be a little squirrelly when it comes to reading, but they need to be praised and encouraged.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• James Patterson says: Parents, it's up to you, not schools, to find books to get your kids reading
• He says get them motivated with books they like; rereading books and reading on tablets is fine
• He says there are numerous programs to guide parents; they also need to model reading habit
• Patterson: Boys especially need encouragement; movies, video games should push reading

Editor's note: James Patterson's most recent book, "Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life" is a No. 1 New York Times and No. 1 Indiebound best-seller. He is also the author of the award-winning "Maximum Ride," "Daniel X," and "Witch & Wizard" young adult series, and is the 2010 Children's Choice Book Awards author of the year. In 2008, Patterson created www.ReadKiddoRead.com, a site dedicated to helping parents find books that will get their kids reading.

(CNN) -- You're reading CNN.com, so maybe this isn't a stress-inducing worry in your house, but for too many kids in this country, reading is a dirty word. Fortunately, we know exactly whom we have to talk to in order to start a much-needed intervention.

Sorry, moms and dads, but it's your job -- not the schools' -- to find books to get your kids reading and to make sure they read them.

Here's some good news: This can often be as easy as teaching children to ride a two-wheeler or to throw a baseball. Case in point: When our son, Jack, was 8, he wasn't a gung-ho reader. Now, I'm sure my wife, Sue, and I have made a half-million mistakes raising Jack, but during that eighth summer of our stewardship, we did something right: We told him he didn't have to mow the lawn (hooray!), but he was going to read every day (boo).

We then told Jack we were going to help him find books we promised he would like: the Mom-and-Dad "Reading Can Be a Joy" Guarantee. We picked out "The Lightning Thief," a book in the "Warriors" series, "A Wrinkle in Time," "Al Capone Does My Shirts," a novel from my own "Maximum Ride" series, and a few others. By the end of the summer, Jack had read half a dozen books that he loved, and his reading skills had improved dramatically.

Here's a simple but powerful truth that many parents and schools don't act on: The more kids read, the better readers they become.

The best way to get kids reading more is to give them books that they'll gobble up -- and that will make them ask for another. Yes, it's that simple. 1 + 1 = 2. Kids say the No. 1 reason they don't read more is that they can't find books they like. Freedom of choice is a key to getting them motivated and excited. Vampire sagas, comics, manga, books of sports statistics -- terrific! -- as long as kids are reading. Should they read on e-tablets? Sure, why not? How about rereading a book? Definitely. And don't tell them a book is too hard or too easy. "Great Expectations"? Absolutely. "Finnegans Wake"? Well, maybe not. And remember, books can be borrowed free at libraries.

Some schools and school systems are on top of the reading problem. Is yours?

Many schools around the country are successful at getting kids reading. That raises the obvious question: How come so many schools aren't?

There are terrific models for success with reluctant readers, but many school systems and state governments need to set aside their "not invented here" and "we have more important problems than education" attitudes.

The Drop Everything and Read program is a brilliant learning tool used by more than a thousand schools. Drop Everything and Read schools devote one period a day to kids -- and their teachers -- doing nothing but reading, and mostly reading what they want to. The results can be dramatic.

The Knowledge Is Power Program schools in Washington require students to read at least 20 books a year and to carry a book with them at all times. Hooray! The Sun Prairie public schools in Wisconsin stopped buying textbooks and used the money to buy children's trade books. Reading scores improved, because the kids wanted to read. P.S. 8 in the Bronx, New York, has a rotating library of student-published and student-illustrated books. Kids love books written by their peers. One Texas school librarian has a club for fourth- and fifth-grade boys called the BUBBAs. The kids read books such as "It's Disgusting-- and We Ate It!," "Holes," the "Time Warp Trio" series, and the "Joey Pigza" books. Silly, funny, and it works.

Speaking of boys, here's how to get reluctant readers -- er, boys -- reading and loving it.

First, try to understand that boys can be a little squirrelly when it comes to reading, and what's squirrelly about them needs to be praised and encouraged.

Boys should be made to feel all squishy inside about reading graphic novels, comics, pop-ups, joke books, and general-information tomes -- especially the last. GuysRead.com has categories such as "Robots," "How to Build Stuff," "Outer Space, but with Aliens," and "At Least One Explosion." It's a wonderful site for finding books that will turn boys on to reading.

Teachers and school administrators might want to consider this: in many schools, there's a tendency not to reward boys for reading books like "Guinness World Records" or "Sports Illustrated Almanac" or "The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll." Too often, boy-appealing books are disproportionately overlooked on recommended reading lists.

Big mistake. Tragic mistake. Avoidable mistake. It's all about attitude. If your kids' school library isn't a boy magnet, the school probably needs to check its attitude.

Where to find books your kids will gobble up.

ReadKiddoRead.com, GuysRead.com, and Oprah.com's Kids Reading List are excellent resources, and they're simpler to use than an iPhone. The American Library Association and the Young Adult Library Services Association have recommendations for terrific books, easily found by searching "ALA reading lists." DropEverythingandRead.com has a "Favorite D.E.A.R. Books" tab on its home page.

Most libraries and bookstores are extremely generous with their time and help. Kids and parents should visit Scholastic and other book fairs. Free or low-cost books for schools are available (while supplies last) at ReadKiddoRead.com, FirstBook.org, and ReadertoReader.org.

Reading role models, please apply here.

Let's face it: Most of us don't realize it, but we are failing our kids as reading role models. The best role models are in the home: brothers, fathers, grandfathers; mothers, sisters, grandmothers. Moms and dads, it's important that your kids see you reading. Not just books -- reading the newspaper is good too.

The president and the first lady can be powerful role models if they are willing to pitch in and press the issue from their bully pulpit. In England, the entire country celebrates World Book Day. Every young lass and bloke gets a pound to buy a book of their choice, and most bookstores lower prices for the day. Cheers for former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was an active role model for getting kids reading.

By showing more respect for books, kid-influential organizations such as ESPN, the NBA, and the NFL could help thousands of kids become better readers. I cringe when I hear college-educated sports announcers scoff at books during broadcasts because they're afraid to man up to being readers themselves.

Hollywood studios and stars could inspire kids to read, but often don't. Apparently, some film directors think it's their civic duty to teach kids how to smoke. Magazines and newspapers could call attention to the reluctant reader and literacy problems on a daily or weekly basis. Fast-food chains could put stories in their kids' meal boxes -- most publishers will work with them. Video-game makers could incorporate written stories in their games; maybe it ought to be the price of admission for selling to kids. Many publishers could do a much better job of supplying free or low-cost books to schools in need.

Now, this entire article probably took you only a few minutes to read. Please don't let your effort end here. While you're thinking about it, send your thoughts, or even this piece, to your school principal or librarian. Heck, send it to the White House. If you have the means, offer to buy your local school a few good books. But most important, take your kids or grandkids or students to a library or a bookstore or go online to search for some books right now. If you have better ideas than the ones suggested here, terrific -- please share them with your school, or in the comments section below, or at ReadKiddoRead.com.

Your taking action will speak louder than words to kids about the power and glory of reading: First you read, then you get up off your seat and do something to fix the problem.

THE LITTLE PRINCE

The Little Prince online text.

Our first novel of the year is The Little Prince by Antoine de St. Exupery.  This novel begins our year of the universal them of “the journey.”

Students have completed Chapters 1 –4 and will continue with additional chapters this week.

There are a number of links on our Edline page that will be helpful throughout the year.  Please explore those.

PreAP students will begin the process of writing their research papers this week.  They will need their index boxes by Friday.  I will provide index cards as long as the supply lasts.

Book Club Ordering Online

INTRODUCING EDGAR ALLAN POE

Next week we will be taking a look at Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." Do you have a favorite Poe story or poem? Share your choice in the comments.

Excited!

I am so excited that my students will be able to interact with our class blog this year. I am anxious to get started with them on that.

I want to congratulate last year's Seventh Grade class on their outstanding ACTAAP scores! You worked so hard, and it paid off. Thanks.

#5 IN THE STATE

Benton Middle School 7th Grade Literacy Scores: # 5 in the State of Arkansas. Congrats to all of you!