Since I've been asked many questions about Common Core and how parents can help.
Here are some ideas:
1. Thinking Deeply - The Common Core emphasized critical thinking. It requires students to analyzemore, discuss more, evaluate more, justify more and explain their thinking and understanding deeply, especially in writing. Really thinking deeply is hard.
What can you do: Let it BE hard, help them talk it out. ENCOURAGE your child to express their thoughts and ideas. Whether their ideas are "wrong" or not, they are taking time to exercise their thoughts.
2. Integrating Learning – The Common Core emphasizes learning across disciplines (reading with math and social studies standards combined into one task). Students spend more time working together with different settings, structures and tools. Problems and solutions happen every day in the real world.
What can you do: When you are at home, have them cook with you. If you are outside, give them the opportunity to try asking for things instead of always relying on you. Help your child to see and understand real world examples is truly the hands-on and memorable experience with you.
3. Showing How They Know – The Common Core emphasizes proof and evidence. It's not just worksheets, fact memorizations and skill and drill. The new tests will require students to show and explain how they know.
What can you do: Whether your child is looking at a math problem or answering the comprehension question, ask him/her how they know. A student of mind mentioned it best..."I get it. Instead of just memorizing how to do something, I need to understand why I believe _____ is the answer."
* Websites that further discuss Common Core and how you can help your child in detail...
Reading -
https://www.readingrockets.org/article/how-parents-can-support-common-core-reading-standards
Language/Writing -
https://www.readingrockets.org/article/how-parents-can-support-common-core-writing-standards
Math -
https://www.mathnasium.com/five-ways-to-help-your-child-with-common-core-math