Teaching the Core

A Non-Freaked Out, Focused Approach to the Common Core — Part 5 — Every Kid Talks

davestuartjr — Thu, 16 May 2013 01:40:02 +0000

Prior to the Common Core, I nurtured a belief that not all of my students needed to talk. After all, some are shy (I was, as a secondary school student), and mandatory speaking events can bring about fits of visceral terror for the introverted.

But since then, my thinking has changed significantly.

My first cognitive …

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Non-Freaked Out Common Core — Part 4 — Argument and Debate

davestuartjr — Wed, 08 May 2013 22:29:52 +0000

If there is one way that you can begin implementing the writing and speaking/listening portions of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in a simplified, manageable, high bang-for-your-buck fashion, it’s simply this: have students argue.

Frequently.

Whether you teach science, social studies, technical subjects, ELA–even math–argument is a dependable path to enlivening your classroom, …

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A Non-Freaked Out, Focused Approach to the Common Core — Part 3 — Close Reading

davestuartjr — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:47:21 +0000

So there’s been lots of talk about close reading this year, even though it’s far from new. And the hype makes sense; close reading is pretty much the heart of R.CCR.1, the very first of the reading anchor standards in the Common Core. With this in mind, my colleague Erica Beaton and I have written …

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A Non-Freaked Out, Focused Approach to the Common Core — Part 2 — Complex Texts

davestuartjr — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:33:41 +0000

Recently, I posted an overview of the non-freaked out approach to the Common Core that I’ve been experimenting with in my ninth grade world history and comp/lit (ELA) classes during the last year and a half or so. In this post (Part 2), I’m going to dive into the what, why, and how of getting …

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A Non-Freaked Out, Focused Approach to the Common Core — Part 1

davestuartjr — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:19:14 +0000

When I set out in June 2012 to blog through the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), I was, as long-time readers know, a diehard standards avoider. To me, standards were nothing more than codified wish lists created by committee. They were useful for getting good grades on School of Ed lesson plans, and that was …

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What’s YOUR Common Core Story?

davestuartjr — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 22:15:52 +0000

I’m switching it up with this post; I want the bulk of the content to come from you, the intrepid readers. I hear what so many of you are saying on Twitter or Facebook or your own blogs or in newspapers and books or at workshops and conferences, and I’m just like, “Dude, there’s a lot …

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How to NOT Freak Out about the Common Core

davestuartjr — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 23:14:37 +0000

Here’s what’s up: despite our circumstances, a majority of the 3.5 million of us teachers still want to do something that matters with our careers; we still want to impact student achievement in a way that promotes long-term flourishing for our kids. And when something like the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) come out, our frontal …

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Simple Rubrics for Common Core Speaking and Listening Standards

davestuartjr — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 22:34:33 +0000

One search term that seems to regularly bring folks to the Teaching the Core blog is “speaking and listening rubric for Common Core State Standards.” Up to this point, those good-hearted yet unfortunate rube-seekers haven’t found what they were looking for here.

In the words of William Wallace’s Uncle Argyle, “That is something we shall …

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Goals for 2013

davestuartjr — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:00:25 +0000

During the last two weeks, I’ve had time to enjoy my beautiful ladies (my wife and our 2-year old and 6-month old), visit with family, reconnect with friends, rest my mind, and reflect on the year to come. I am certainly thankful for the holiday break that our profession affords us.

And from that gratitude …

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Discussions that Promote Societal Belonging

davestuartjr — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 21:34:41 +0000

They are a recurring nightmare in the United States, a horrifying symptom of some dysfunction in our culture. In the past six months, victims have been theater-goers, Sikh worshipers, and, now, first graders.

A big part of me hates writing this post, instead wanting simply to admire and affirm Jim Burke’s noble call to continue the …

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