Most districts are currently working on aligning their curriculum to the shifts in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Has your district clearly articulated a vision for implementation, including expected results for students? Has it established a plan for implementation? Think of evidence you have seen on a school or district level (for instance, a document or a website that clearly outlines a consistent vision for CCSS practices).

Most educators are likely already quite familiar with the elements of the state frameworks that affect the subject(s) they teach.  However, all educators (even those who teach only one subject) will benefit from a thoughtful examination of the standards/curriculum alignment across different subjects and grade levels because the revised frameworks create substantial opportunities for cross-curricular learning.

For instance, in the 2011 Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy, the standards include a set of reading and writing standards for ELA and for history/social studies (including the arts), science, technical subjects, and literacy in the content areas. The 2011 Framework for Mathematics promotes universally applicable skills like abstract reasoning, modeling, precision, and perseverance—all of which will serve students well in any field.