Articles from the Core Connections blog
For the past 10 months, our Success at the Core Fellows have shared, in this blog, personal stories of how they’ve utilized SaC resources to help them and their colleagues improve teaching and learning. They’ve talked about the issues that matter to them, the SaC tools they’ve used to address these issues, and the impact they’ve seen. If you’ve been a regular reader, you’ve learned how the Fellows, like you, are focused on differentiating instruction, effectively utilizing data and formative assessments, implementing the Common Core, gearing up for new educator evaluation systems, and strengthening their leadership teams. You’ve heard how SaC’s Leadership Development modules and Teacher Development … Read more
My Dual-Language fifth grade students recently started blogging on our Kidblog site. When Success at the Core Fellow Heather Byington suggested I show my class her recent Core Connections blog post, English Language Learners Will Succeed in This Classroom, and the SaC video that she references in it, I thought it would be a great opportunity for them to interact with a “real” blog post about a topic they could relate to: ELL students learning math. Kids would see the “form” a professional blog could take and learn how to respond appropriately in the comment field. Little did I know … Read more
I’ve spent a lot of time learning about the Common Core State Standards as I worked with a team to develop new curriculum for our school district in Decatur, Illinois. We’ve spent all kinds of time analyzing, discussing, and brainstorming as we contemplated the instructional shifts for ourselves and our students. But when it comes to assessment, I’ve noticed that everyone seems to be focused on one thing: the standardized Common Core assessments. In a way, it’s understandable. With all the discussion of teachers being evaluated, paid, fired, and hired based on student performance, these tests loom larger than ever. But … Read more
Friday Forum is a bi-weekly advice column for educators seeking guidance on educations issues. Please join the discussion – we want to hear your stories and suggestions, too! Q: As a classroom teacher, we are often encouraged to be “teacher leaders”. This, however, is really difficult to do without seeming pushy or threatening. Although I have seen direct payoffs in my teaching from using Success at the Core materials, I struggle with how to share it with my colleagues. We have a fair bit of time for professional development: late starts and teaming time. Often though, that time is used … Read more
Why do we make the choices we do? When we smell popcorn, why do we want to eat it even if we know it may not be the healthiest option? If we as educators know how kids learn best, why don’t we use best practices all the time? I have a side job as a receptionist at Weight Watchers, and when I recently read the book Switch – How to Change Things When Change is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath, I gained insight on these questions (as well as a better understanding as to why weight loss companies make … Read more
