Happy Spring Break to ALL Who Celebrate!

Today marks the first day of my spring break.  I have no exciting travel plans.  I suppose I will have to live vicariously through someone else’s beach getaway.  I will be spending time with my furry friend, gardening, spring cleaning, catching up with friends, adding to my blog and completing some materials for TPT.  I may even refinish a piece of furniture somewhere in there.  I have been looking forward to working in my yard, and since I live in the south, it has already been VERY beautiful outside–reaching a balmy 83 today :).  So staying at home will almost be like the beach!

Other updates since I haven’t posted in a while:  I have been selected to attend a series of  math common core meetings which are led by Linda Griffith.  Linda Griffith has had experience working with researchers such as Constance Kami (one of the constructivist researchers I learned about in college).  She is an excellent professor who works at a state teachers college here.  She is funny, practical, and extremely smart.  I have learned so much from her!  The teachers and coaches who were selected to attend these meetings are responsible for training others in the district about common core math standards.  I will be eventually sharing what I have learned in pieces on my blog.  I will have to say that attending her meetings have sparked a passion in me again to teach mathematicians and NOT test takers!  I am sure many of you share the same divided feelings that I do when teaching.  You want to teach the child to mastery of a skill and ask probing questions to lead students there, however you have to COVER the material.  And so we sacrifice mastery for covering material.  Then when kids don’t score well, we scratch our heads and say, “Well, I covered it?”  Now, the common core standards will allow us to teach to mastery and let students learning and understanding guide our lessons instead of our need to COVER material.

Oh, and Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you all!