PROJECT CRISS
CReating Independence through Student-owned Strategies
"Founded in over 30 years of research and classroom practice, Project CRISS provides high quality, practical professional development, and support materials for K-16 teaching and learning, including Common Core."
"Each element of the CRISS Framework for learning is grounded in research"
The development for Project CRISS began when there was a realization that students do not have sufficient knowledge about how to learn and consequently were dependent on having the teachers do the learning for them. It all began with the realization of a problem with methods of teaching, not the students.
CRISS strategies help students understand how to set their own goals for learning and through teacher modeling and guidance, students learn a variety of comprehension strategies for narrative and content text. Project CRISS is cross-curricular. Many of the strategies can be applied and carried over all subject areas where narrative or content text is utilized.
History of Project CRISS:
"Project CRISS started as an action research project conducted by a group of secondary content teachers interested in identifying classroom practices that truly make an impact on student learning. These teachers, led by reading specialist and IRA past president Dr. Carol Santa, scoured the available research on learning (in the fields of education, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience) and tested theories in their classrooms. Those practices which worked became the foundation of Project CRISS. Their early successes garnered recognition and grant awards first in Montana, and then nationally through the U.S. Department of Education National Diffusion Network. As their work spread across the United States, education practitioners contributed their expertise to develop the pedagogical frameworks for CRISS, the toolbox of powerful learning strategies, and the workshops which evolved into the Introduction to Project CRISS workshop (Level I). The original development leaders, Dr. Santa and science and math teacher Lynn Havens, established Project CRISS as a national professional development initiative and private business in 2001. Now in its 4th edition (2012), Project CRISS offers high quality, practical professional development and an array of support materials and curricula for teaching and learning across the United States, Canada, and countries throughout the world.
Philosophy of Project CRISS: Project CRISS's philosophy is based on classroom practice, professional reading, personal classroom research and cognitive psychology, social learning theory and neurological research on how the brain works. Their philosophy remains fluid as it is modified with new ideas learned from students, colleagues and research. The CRISS philosophy guides lesson planning and is based on a structure framework. The CRISS framework is also a basis for evaluation of lessons. The framework integrates strategies presented into a coherent whole. "
WWC What Works Clearinghouse
Two Studies of Project CRISS meet the WWC evidence standards. In total, the two studies included 2, 569 students in 4th-6th grade in the following states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
WWC considers a medium-large extent of evidence of Project CRISS on adolescent learners relative to comprehension. No studies meeting WWC standards include evidence for alphabetics, reading fluency, or general literacy achievement.
From WWC:
"Project CRISS® employs a teaching and learning process in which teachers model strategies for students and provide time for guided practice, with the goals of helping students (1) understand their learning processes and content, and (2) transfer strategies to independent learning situations. The CRISS training introduces teachers to the CRISS Strategic Learning Plan, which is intended to guide selection of content, setting of learning goals and objectives, assessment of student learning, and planning of instruction. The training is designed to instruct participants in ways to help their students interact with content, understand patterns and structures of text, engage actively in the learning process, write reports and essays, and learn new vocabulary. The training also addresses ways teachers can help students become more reflective (metacognitive) about their learning processes. Participants in Project CRISS® workshops receive a teacher resource guide that is designed to assist them in incorporating CRISS principles into their classroom instruction."
Components:
Project CRISS has several overlapping principles:
These principles help to guide lesson planning. "CRISS provides a philosophical framework for planning instruction. When planning and evaluating lessons, use CRISS as a tool to assess your teaching and as a way for your students to examine their learning".
- Start with Content
- Set Clear Goals and Objectives
- Plan How to Assess Students
- Develop a CRISS Strategic Learning Plan
COST:
Introduction to Project CRISS workshop w/ manual $57-$200 (with possible travel)
Training to become Project CRISS trainer: $1,000-$1,200
Ongoing Professional Development of best practices
Additional Materials: CRISS for Administrators (active guide and long range planning tool included), Teacher reference guide, classroom posters, Online access with printable classroom resources and support, Parent support guide
Project CRISS manual: (Provided with Introduction Workshop)
"Filled with high-impact, flexible strategies which cross grade levels and content disciplines, the CRISS manual is the classroom teacher’s go-to resource for effective instructional strategies. The book is organized with strategy explanations, steps for classroom implementation, student samples, and ideas for support and extensions. It comes with a one-year subscription to the Project CRISS online resource area, containing useful tools, samples, and classroom reproducibles for download."
Introduction to Project CRISS workshop w/ manual $57-$200 (with possible travel)
Training to become Project CRISS trainer: $1,000-$1,200
Ongoing Professional Development of best practices
Additional Materials: CRISS for Administrators (active guide and long range planning tool included), Teacher reference guide, classroom posters, Online access with printable classroom resources and support, Parent support guide
Project CRISS manual: (Provided with Introduction Workshop)
"Filled with high-impact, flexible strategies which cross grade levels and content disciplines, the CRISS manual is the classroom teacher’s go-to resource for effective instructional strategies. The book is organized with strategy explanations, steps for classroom implementation, student samples, and ideas for support and extensions. It comes with a one-year subscription to the Project CRISS online resource area, containing useful tools, samples, and classroom reproducibles for download."