Brookline Public School curriculum in line with national

standards

By Laura Paine/staff writer

Wicked Local Brookline
Posted Oct 13, 2010 @ 06:07 AM

Brookline — Massachusetts may have adopted the national Common Core Standards, but
officials from the Brookline School Department are confident that there will be little change
within their already rigorous and competitive curriculum.
Superintendent Bill Lupini and Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Jennifer
Fischer-Mueller presented the background on the Common Core State Standards Initiative
and how they thought it would impact Brookline to the School Committee at the regular
meeting on Oct. 7.
“What I can tell you right up front is the implications in terms of change are not hugely
significant, and are changes that are supported in large part by our coordinators,” Fischer-
Mueller said. “It’s the understanding that, in fact, we are already aligned, so I believe there
will be some minor tweaks. However, as we come to understand [the standards] more deeply
and look at the materials and programs we use currently, many of the publishers have aligned
with the Common Core. We’re not seeing any significant changes.”
The Common Core Standards are intended to make sure that students receiving a public
education across the state learn at the same level and are prepared to compete academically
with students nationwide.
K-8 Common Core reflects a change in students learning to read nonfiction, in addition to
learning how to read science and social studies texts. Fischer-Mueller said students don’t stop
learning to read when they transition into third grade, and there needs to be focus on the idea
that students “learn to read, and read to learn.”
“It’s in the past five years that there has been attention paid to secondary reading, and
students in high school who don’t know how to read, and are not strong leaders,” she said.
K-8 math standards will be slightly different, and more rigorous at different grade levels.
Fischer-Mueller pointed to one example, in which first-grade students will learn to count
from one to 120, beginning with any number in that range — something she said is hard for a
first grader to do.
At the high school level, there are two Common Core “pathways” which can be taken for
mathematics. One is the traditional model, consisting of two algebra courses and a geometry
course, with some data, probability and statistics infused throughout each course. The second
pathway, which is typically seen internationally and considers “habits of mind,” has a
sequence of three courses, each of which treats aspects of algebra; geometry; and data,
probability and statistics.
“The habits of mind, or the practices of mathematical thinking, is addressed in the
Common Core,” Fischer-Mueller said. “At Brookline High School, it’s about continued
attention to those habits of mind, and in grades seven and eight, there is a very strong
attention to these thinking habits being developed.”
Lupini said the School Department’s understanding of what happens next is that in early
fall, ELA and math review panels will reconvene to consider the rule that states may vary
their curriculum 15 percent from the core standards. In late fall, the “full package” will go to
the Board of Education for approval, and January through June, professional development at
regional centers around the state will be available for educators.
Laura Paine can be reached at lpaine@cnc.com.
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