I have been reading Pathways to the Common Core by Lucy Calkins, Mary Ehrenworth and Christopher Lehman. Sounds exciting, I know, but honestly, I am gaining a great deal of information. And...lucky you, I'm going to share some of the highlights. The authors state that it is safe to say that "across the entire history of American education, no single document will have played a more influential role over what is taught in our schools." They also admit that there are two ways we can view the standards. We can view them as a curmudgeon - or as if they are gold.
One of the stories told in the book is that of Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey. It is a story he told during his commencement speech at Williams College in 2011. Booker told the story of how, as a young Yale law student, he decided to become a community organizer and thought the best place to start was Newark, the city that Time Magazine had called "the most dangerous city in the nation." People in Newark said to him, "If you want to help this city, you don't need to learn from all those Yale professors. You need to learn from the Queen Mother."
"The Queen Mother?" he asked. He said that it was suggested that he visit a woman who lived on the fifth floor of Brick Towers, one of Newark's most notorious developments.
Cory Booker climbed the stairs and knocked on the door of Virginia Jones' apartment. A seventy-something-year-old woman came to the door. Retelling this story, he recalled saying "Ma'am, I am Cory Booker. I am from Yale Law School, Ma'am. I am here to help you out."
The Queen Mother, unimpressed, responded, "Well, if you really want to help, follow me." They walked down five flights, through a courtyard, past a group of drug dealers, and into the middle of the street. "Tell me what you see around you," she instructed Cory.
In his speech, Cory began to describe the scene around him: "I see an abandoned building filled with people doing nefarious activities, I see graffiti..."
The Queen Mother stopped him. "Boy, you can't help this city," she said and stormed off.
Cory ran behind her, stunned. "Ma'am? Ma'am?" he asked. "What just happened?"
Virginia Jones wheeled around and said to Cory, "You need to understand something, boy. The world you see outside of you is a reflection of what you have inside of you If you are one of those people who only sees problems and darkness and despair, then that is all there is ever going to be for you. But if you are one of those people who sees hope, opportunity, and love, then you can make a difference."
If we are going to play a role in shaping the future, then we need to take the Queen Mother's adice to heart. We need to see hope and opportunity. As part of this, we need to embrace what is good about the Common Core State Standards - and roll ou our sleeves and work to make those standards into a force that lifts our teaching and our school. There is good in them. We would be very happy if students in our school could do the level of work independently that is required in the Common Core.
So...are we curmudgeons or do we see the standards or any initiative as if they are full of potential and with eyes of hope? I can answer that about Parma Elementary School Staff. We are full of hope and have always seen the potential in every child and every initiative. I know the Common Core will be no different as we work together to implement.
This week at a glance:
Tuesday, April 16: 3:45 Lighthouse Team Meeting
Tuesday, April 16: 6:30 PTA Meeting
Wednesday, April 17: Grades 3 - 5 Assembly
Wednesday, April 17: 3:00 Grade 5 Standard based Grading Discussion in Board Room
Thursday, April 18: School Improvement Conference in Lansing
Thursday, April 18: 6:30 Board Meeting, Our students will be presenting
Friday, April 19: 2:45 Pizza with the Principal
Links worth Looking at:
25 Apps that Support Reading and Writing for Struggling Students
Seven Must Have Centers for Math Class
50 Useful apps for Students with Reading Disabilities
Videos Worth Watching:
Three Minute Video explaining the Common Core:
Blooms Taxonomy according to Andy Griffith:
What is 21st Century Education:
21st Century Education: The Changes in Education
Have a great week!
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