Common Core Chat: An introduction

Hello everyone!  I wanted to tell you about something new that I’d like to try.

For next seven weeks, I’ll be posting about a different common core ‘shifts’ in thinking for English and Language Arts.  First off, what is a ‘shift’…well, it’s a change in thinking.  For some teachers who enjoy change, this season of teaching nation-wide will be an exciting period of professional development.  For teachers who do not enjoy change, this season can create a lot of anxiety, frustration and resistance.  On our grade level, we are experiencing both.

I think that those of us who are up for the challenge of changing as we go must understand that as we learn we must embrace that our growth will be nuanced based on what we are learning as we move forward.   With the growth of teacher created resources on sites like Teachers Pay Teacher and Teacher’s Notebook, we must make sure that we are educating ourselves on what common core really is.  Just because someone says their literature unit is common core aligned, what should that look like?  What should it include?  This is not to say that our professional partners are misinformed, only that we are ALL growing….what we thought when we first aligned a unit to common core may become more nuanced over time.  There is nothing wrong with going back and refreshing things as we learn more, or confirming that our direction is appropriate! 🙂  Our weekly chats will include a brief discussion on a common core shift, and then a discussion on what that practically looks like in a resource.  So that we are all on the same page, if I am quoting something, it will come from the common core standards resources located at the site below.

Common Core Standards for English/Language Arts

This piece is ‘common’ to all of us that are utilizing the common core standards.

Much of what is out there in cyberspace is written to 2nd through 12th grades.  As a first grade teacher, common core implementation will not look the same for me as it would for someone who teaches a fourth grade classroom.  My primary focus here will be K and 1st grades, but those who teach other grades are welcome to join in our discussion as well.   I hope that you’ll join me.  I look forward to learning from you too as we walk through the shifts together.