Master Teacher Speaks Out on Common Core

Deia Sanders is a master teacher in Mendenhall, Mississippi. In this blog post, Deia talks about her experience with the Common Core Standards as both a master teacher and a member of PARCC Educator Leader Cadre.

When I was in college I decided to take physics classes as my electives so that I could find out exactly what a black hole was. I took space science for an entire semester in anticipation of finding the answer. The last chapter, the final week of class, covered black holes. After learning more than I ever anticipated about physics and space I only felt as if there was so much more to learn. For every answer I now had, I also had even more follow-up questions. It began a cycle of learning, finding more I wanted to learn about, and feeling as if it was impossible to know it all… but the cycle lead to growth and knowledge that were previously outside my reach.

This scenario parallels my current status in the search for knowledge and best practice as it relates to Common Core. I am currently questioning practices I didn’t previously know existed, and the more I learn, the more I want to learn, and I am caught in a cycle of growth and knowledge as I reach for what is so much bigger than myself.

I am currently writing units for both language and math, and I am serving on PARCC’s Educator Leader Cadre. From being in the fortunate position of liaison between administration and what is happening in the classroom, I feel like I can see what the future holds in terms of disconnects between administration and the common core classrooms. Administrators, please heed my warnings.

Obviously, you have to know the Common Core State Standards. You’ve got to know the progressions from grade level to grade level. Bill McCallum, lead writer to CCSS Math, said that looking at a standard at a particular grade level wasn’t that valuable. You have to look at the standards in the grade level below and above to know at what level you should engage your students with the standard. For an administrator this is valuable because we are reprogramming our teachers to not re-teach previous standards, and to let go of standards no longer in their grade level. An administrator will need to know what this looks like at all levels to know its appropriate performance and appearance in each grade level and classroom.

We are a PARCC State, thus we have the Model Content Frameworks to use as a guide to the CCSS and assessment. It’s long, less than exciting, and probably wasn’t on anyone’s “beach reading list” this summer. I’ve read it several times, and like space, when I finish I have more questions than answers. One question I had for a long time was where exactly the value in a document that’s so large. It wasn’t until we were writing units and deep in to the CCSS that I began to find value in the materials put out as “guides.” It’s not that the guiding documents weren’t valuable before, but to have a document as a guide when you’re not sure where you’re going, made it difficult for me personally to find value in it. I see this in administration as they read these documents with little impact or meaning because there is a strong disconnect between the document and the process… if you’re not knee deep in the process.

We are seeing that the curriculum directors and teachers are the ones with the true knowledge of the changes CCSS are bringing, and because principals aren’t typically in the planning and writing phases, they are now the least knowledgeable about the changes to come. From my unique perspective I can see that administrators are going to have to go deeper in to the journey of Common Core to remain true academic leaders. As an administrator, of course you have to be familiar with all things Common Core. But as with studying astronomy, it was great information, it left me with growth and questions, but I bet if I traveled to space my knowledge would bring clarity.

The questions that developed from that journey would be deeper than the ones developed from simply reading and studying. To know the Common Core, to find the value in everything that supports it you are going to have to take part in all parts of the journey. If there is a group of teachers meeting to write a unit, you need to be there asking questions. If there is a presentation on classroom practices, you need to be involved. Join your staff in ALL parts of the journey, or else they will reach the destination without you. The more involved in the journey, they more clarity you will find in the process.

Encouraging Entrepreneurial Behaviour at an Early Age

Here's a guest post that Isaac floated my way, and I must admit, I'm not sure that I agree with him. But rather than censor articles that I don't agree with, I'd like to see what you think. Are math, science, and logic the most essential skills to develop for entrepreneurs? Do children need to develop social behavior in order to succeed? As a creative guy (I'm a writer) who is also quite quirky (I repeat, I'm a writer), I'm inclined to disagree. What do you think?

Success at being an entrepreneur is all about innovation. Being able to see things in a new light by taking a more efficient road leads to a more productive society. This is why it is important to develop entrepreneurial skills at a young age to encourage growth in this area. The more young business people we have in the world, the better off and more efficient society will be as a whole.

image courtesy of patrickdriessen.blogspot.com

People are becoming billionaires at younger ages than ever. The developers of Google were college students when they first came up with the idea for the search engine. Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, was a young student at Harvard when he created his revolutionary social media site. Also young entrepreneurs were the makers of YouTube; a new platform for sharing videos online. These new ideas and developments came from minds of the youth and were successfully transformed into very profitable business ventures.

One of the biggest reasons it is possible for young people to be successful in the world of entrepreneurship is because persons are becoming competent with computers at earlier stages in life. Understanding technology is vital for many reasons. It allows for the transition of good thoughts into stellar products. Computers are one of the fastest changing technologies and innovation with software and programs allows for tailoring to fit a niche market. A young entrepreneur will need to be competent with computers to be successful. For this reason, instill a thirst for knowledge in the virtual world and a better society will rise because of it.

Similarly, it is important for young people to have a sound sense of logic. Computers are a manifestation of logic and are capable of only answering yes or no questions. However, asking the right questions enables programs to do incredible things. Math and science are also based in logic and person with good skills this area will have a leg up in the world of business. Young entrepreneurial people will need solid math and logic skills to achieve their life goals.

All of these skills must start developing as soon as possible. This starts with great teachers and instruction. Children with potential usually have early signs of their precociousness. Watch for keen insight, strength in math and science, and a willingness to learn not just for school but also for the love of knowledge. Encourage after school programs that develop logic and reason. Also, stimulating games like chess or bridge are a great way to further increase these skills.

Becoming a young entrepreneur will not be without its difficulties. One of the most priceless assets is life lessons. Many people who begin their business venture will run into situations they have not previously encountered. This is why it is also vital to have good relationships with other business minded people and mentors to encourage a person when faced with a difficult situation. Networking is the key to any successful venture. Knowing when and who to ask for help are essential.

This is why social development is also an important behaviour to develop at an early age. A closed off child who does not like to play with others may show tendencies to isolate in later stages of life. Encourage kids to have strong relationships with friends and family. Engage in conversations with children. One of the biggest mistakes parents can make is being overly dictatorial and not listening to what a child has to say. Instead of exclusively telling a child what to do, ask them what they think or what they have learned. A business person will need to lead; not to follow. Confidence will build in kids who are routinely allowed to express themselves and can do so in an interesting way.

Developing social skills later in life is also important in the world of business. Many people judge a person not only on content but also on professional appearance as well. Take speech classes to gain confidence when speaking in front of large groups. Business etiquette courses are also available. This will allow for young people to become competent and strong minded. First establishing connections and networking with other businesses requires confidence and an ability to present one's ideas not only in a logical manner but in a convincing way as well.

Isaac is a keen business blogger whose favourite writing subjects are successful entrepreneurship, automatic enrollment and social media.