Instructional Practice Guide
The Instructional Practice Guide is a webpage on the Achieve the Core website that provides tools for teachers and those who support teachers in making the Key Shifts in instructional practice required by the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The purpose of the tools is to “provide common criteria framed around the Key Shifts required by the CCSS that can be used to facilitate conversations between teachers and coaches about aligning content and instruction.” These tools help teachers and instructional leaders reflect on practice, Common Core-aligned lesson planning, and classroom instruction. The tools are divided into two sections: coaching and lesson planning.
These instructional guides, focused on coaching support and lesson planning, have the potential to be very useful for educators in implementing the CCSS. They are focused on the shifts in the CCSS and provide a clear picture of what classrooms embodying these shifts look like. Also, the electronic versions of these material make it easy for teachers and coaches to know what to look/plan for and to record their lessons and notes.