Posted inOpinion

Text Evidence in the Common Core: There Are Such Things as Facts

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were released in 2009. They are now seven years old. I will admit that I was not initially enthusiastic about the English Language Arts literacy standards.  I felt they were heavy in non-fiction…(no, wait.. heavy in “informational texts”). The CCSS suggested a typical student should have a reading diet filled with informational texts […]

Posted inHigh School, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Literacy

Information in Google Doodles Build Background Knowledge

That letter “O” morphing on your search engine for Mother’s Day? That spinning Globe for Earth Day? Those jigging leprechauns for St. Patrick’s Day? These are all the Google Doodles from 2015 to celebrate holidays. There are also Google doodle tributes to individuals. Emmy Noether (physicist), Laura Ingalls Wilder (author), and Anna Atkins (botonist), have been featured in doodles […]

Posted inCommon Core, Instruction & Curriculum

Asking vs. Training for Common Core

An ad supporting the Common Core State Standards posted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation featured a Missouri Teacher of the Year, Jamie Manker, saying, “I support the Common Core because it’s asking kids to think.” Manker  is asking kids to think, but what does asking mean? According to the Free Dictionary online, the first example given after defining the verb ask is a little ironic: […]

Posted inCommon Core, Current Events in Education, Uncategorized

"TestingTalk" Website Where Teachers Can "Be Brave"

Education historian and activist Diane Ravitch was the keynote speaker at the 86th Saturday Reunion, March 22, 2014, at Teacher’s College in New York City. Introducing Ravitch was the high energy Lucy Calkins, Director of Teacher’s College Reading and Writing Project, who took several minutes using her “teacher voice” to address the crowd with a litany of […]

Posted inCommon Core, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy

Hate the Language of the Common Core? Blame the Adverbs (Angrily)

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] I believe the author Stephen King would hate the language of the Common Core State Standards for one reason: unnecessary adverbs. His book On Writing has a section devoted to explaining why The adverb is […]

Posted inCommon Core, Literacy, Mathematics

Author's Craft Revealed Through Mathematical Patterns: Standard #7!

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] The year 2013 provided one of the best examples of real life detective work investigating a detective story as well as an application of the Common Core Mathematical Practice Standard #7: […]

Posted inCommon Core, Current Events in Education, Featured, Opinion

The Common Core – Finding a New, Common Path

Embattled Secretary of State Arne Duncan recently dealt with renewed policy blowback after he made a backhand comment about parents who were opposed to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).  He told a gathering of state superintendents that white suburban mothers are complaining suddenly because “their child isn’t as brilliant as they thought they were, […]