It's Not What You Teach But How: 7 Insights to Making the CCSS Work for You

How do we prepare students to become problem-finders, innovators, and entrepreneurs who can thrive in a global society? The Common Core charts a pathway to success, yet we know that checking off each standard one by one will not achieve the kind of results we want. This powerful book by bestselling author Nancy Sulla has the answers. She explains how teachers can bring students to deeper levels of learning by shifting from the what to the how of the CCSS. She offers seven insights that you can use to teach the standards in a more meaningful way, to bring all of your students to true understanding and application.

You’ll uncover how to…

• Incorporate ends-based teaching to ensure that the instructional focus is on the ultimate goal of each standard and not just on the basic skills;
• Encourage grappling with content through structured techniques such as problem-based learning, questioning, and simulations;
• Use cognitive progression, by understanding how the brain learns, to produce real results.
• Harness the power of language in all disciplines, not just in English language arts;
• Build executive function in the brain rather than focusing on academic function alone;
• Increase retention by using learning and practice activities in different ways and by differentiating instruction; and
• Become a true facilitator, not just a responder to students’ questions.

Throughout the book, you’ll find a variety of practical examples from across the curriculum, as well as "Your Turn" opportunities to help you try the ideas in your own classroom.

The future may not be easily defined, but it can be shaped by teachers who are right now preparing the next generation of world citizens.

Nancy Sulla is the founder and President of IDE Corp. (Innovative Designs for Education), a consulting company specializing in instructional and organizational design. She is also the author of Students Taking Charge: Inside the Learner-Active, Technology-Infused Classroom (Routledge, 2011).