Since I majored in mathematics in college, I obviously have a love of numbers, but I am not Rain Man.  I can’t multiply two digit numbers by two digit numbers in my head quickly, and I figure out the lowest unit cost at the grocery store by using my calculator.  However, I do have a pretty good conceptual understanding of mathematical processes and how they can be applied to solve problems.  I’m not saying mental math is useless, but if we constructed a mathematical skills hierarchy, it wouldn’t be anywhere near the top.  Unfortunately, teachers often focus on memorizing multiplication tab

Have you ever been at odds with “Joe” over his vocabulary homework assignments?  Does he simply refuse to look up the words in the dictionary and then use them in a sentence even though on most days he’s engaged in the instruction in your classroom?

So have you hear the saying?…It's a journey, not a destination. Lately, I have heard that mentioned several times when discussing the implementation of the Common Core State Standards in math. Here are five websites that I believe will provide teachers with tools that make it a bit more of a comfortable journey.

Many teachers use formative assessments as a way to prep students for state testing.  Teachers, in many ways have been "forced" to use formative assessments in this way in order to reach a proficiency target.  However formative assessments are so much more than test prep, in fact I would say they should not be for test prep but rather a way to gauge where students are in relationship to the content goal.

I love the word “update.”  I’m always considering how to update my hairstyle, wardrobe, my home decor; even a password must be changed occasionally.  Updating suggests a fairly easy fix – a quick transition, however, it also suggests staying on the practical side.

The new common core standards are on the near horizon and one of the key components is that we need to help prepare students for both College AND Career. We have done a fairly nice job of preparing students for College over the years, but what of Career?

What is authentic learning?  Is it learning that is designed by teachers to do real work for themselves, their school and their community?  Is it project-based learning?  Is it making sure we "cover" the college and career standards?  I have wondered an appropriate answer to this question for the past ten years and I've had the opportunity to ask many staff and students what they believe is authentic.

Two definitions for "authentic" from the Merriam-Webster dictionary are:

It's a Friday evening and I have just drifted off into the loveliest dream.  I am the young and beautiful Julie Andrews falling for the dashing Christopher Plummer on the movie set of my favorite musical, "The Sound of Music".  Things are progressing right on cue.  I have sung the opening theme song, met the Captain with his "ridiculous" whistle, set on the infamous pinecone, cut up the curtains to make playclothes, and then "Up in the nursery, an absurd little bird, is calling out to say "You're" cuckoo, cuckoo...."

In the United Teacher Federation article, The Tortoise and the Hare and Teacher Evaluation, “Educational change that succeeds is a result of school leaders and classroom teachers working closely together, only implementing new policies and practices after practitioners really work them through. If a new evaluation instrument strengthens the teaching force it will be because they patiently and carefully develop teachers, not because they use data to sort them into incomprehensible percentiles.  That is the approach taken by the nations with the highest-performing school systems.”