Where in Ansonia is Tony Gasper?

Our first edition of a new feature on the blog....  Do you recognize the picture below?  Can you identify the source of the photo?  Do you know where it can be found?

Great Elementary Math Links

Thanks to Mike W. for passing on the following links for elementary math practice:

http://www.mathplayground.com/howto_regroupI.html

http://www.eduplace.com/math/mw/background/2/05/

http://www.homeschoolmath.net/worksheets/grade_2.php

http://www.dositey.com/2008/index.php?page=free_activities&sub=k2&subsub=m&sub_3=addition

The Common Core Is Coming!

It's likely that many of you have already heard about the Common Core States Standards (CCSS).  In essence, it is an effort to standardize learning expectations for all students on a national scale.  A lot of work has gone into developing these standards for language arts and mathematics and more content areas are on the way.  The Connecticut State Department of Education has tentatively said that our own CMT/CAPT tests will have a new iteration by the year 2014 or 2015 that will be based on the Common Core rather than Connecticut's own current standards.  So, in other words, moving to the CCSS is inevitable.  Here at the Department of Teaching and Learning we are in the initial stages of learning about the CCSS and planning for our transition over to these new standards.  You can find a general overview of the CCSS project and the standards HERE.

The CSDE has already begun a mapping process by which they've developed "crosswalk" documents to compare our current standards to the Common Core.  The good news is that Connecticut is in very good shape.  Most of our standards are either on or ahead of the grade level of the Common Core.  There are, though, several areas that will need adjustment.  You can find the CSDE work HERE.

I strongly encourage everyone to visit THIS SITE in which a full spectrum of curriculum has been developed in line with the new CCSS.  Even if you are not an ELA teacher, these curriculum maps are very informative and well developed.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your long weekend!

Great PD Videos and Resources from Ontario

At this link, you'll find a wealth of resources and videos from Ontario, Canada.  The topics vary from guided reading to algebra across grades K-6.  This is laid out in a way very similar to the Doing What Works website from the US Department of Education that I've referenced here before.  Definitely worth a few minutes of your time to explore.

Ontario On-line Teaching Resource

Excellent Description of Cooperative Learning

Thanks to Sara C. for passing along this page that does a great job of outlining cooperative learning in terms that are very clear and very easily applicable:

Prince George County:  Cooperative Learning Page

Validation: Data Team Process in Ansonia

Here is more great information from the federal Doing What Works website.  I hope that you'll take the time to view a few of the slideshows and videos found at the link below.  I think that you will see that our practices in Ansonia are very closely tied to those that are depicted and thus very strongly tied to research about how schools improve learning for all students.  We have much work left to do, but we're on the right track and continually improving our professional practice.  After seeing the videos, I recommend that you also click on the "Learn What Works" and "Do What Works" links to gain more information.

D.W.W. Videos on Data Teams