Going back over my blog posts was interesting, especially as this was my first foray into blogging and I was honestly not sure how I felt about posting my thoughts and opinions for others to critique or comment on. I will continue to blog and encourage teachers to use this tool with their students. Because of the public nature of the blog students would be more thoughtful in their responses because others would be reading them, I found I took more time when creating my posts then I might have if I was just sending papers to my professor.
Some highlights that occurred to me after reading the blogs again were that I feel fortunate to be in a private school that does not feel the pressure of common core or being measured by testing. Many issues that other have to overcome in curriculum are non issues at my school. Yes we have other problems that need to be overcome, such as, formally written curriculum and review possess, but the freedom with which we teach is a perfect platform for change.
We have the technology, resources, funding, global market, and expertise but we need the leadership to push for change. As the vision for our school unfolds and curriculum is examined, I feel prepared along with the Director of Studies, to step up and make suggestions and help guide our school to the next level.
There are pros and cons to working everywhere; however, at this stage in my life I don't think I would mind not worrying about MLR's, PEI's, CCSS. These and other state and federal mandates often suck the life out of me. I feel that I am a good teacher, but when reforms keeping being thrown at you, just when you are learning another it gets frustrating. I think back to Ravitch comment that it will take 12 years to know if CCSS work. We don't have that long. In my interview with a curriculum director, when asked how long it would take to know if your curriculum was successful, she felt 5 years. That's more realistic than 12. Twelve years is a child's entire school years. We can't afford to waste their time on something that doesn't work.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your curriculum planning!
I feel the same as Wendy. It would be nice to not have to worry about all these changes in standards that we have going on right now. We get comfortable with one thing and then they change it to something else. Mary, since you don't have CCSS to follow, what does your school use to measure growth, is it the curriculum you have in place? If you don't use standardized testing, are there tests that the state requires you to give, or no because you are in a private school? When students graduate, they will get a diploma from your school and one from a public school saying they met all the standards. When your students go to college, how will it be different for them since some colleges are changing to CCSS?
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