By Rob Novit
Editor's note: This is the second in a periodic series on the new Common Core academic standards in English/language arts and math that the Aiken County School District and others throughout the state are implementing this year.
For many years Cathy Martin taught second grade at Redcliffe Elementary School, recognized as the district teacher of the year in 2003.
She then served as a guidance counselor before moving into the district office in a variety of roles. Most recently, Martin worked as an English/language arts partner teacher focusing on literacy.
This year, she is located at Jefferson Elementary School as an instructional coach - among 25 assigned to all the elementary schools and six middle schools.
Those coaches are a key part of the new Common Core academic standards. A total of 45 states are participating in the state-driven initiative in an effort to provide more rigor and consistency in classroom instruction.
"The focus right now is to make sure teachers understand the relationship of curriculum documents we've created, and to help with instruction and assessment," Martin said. "It's about implementing Common Core, but also about being creative in delivering it."
A key component in that implementation is a greater emphasis on critical-thinking skills. It's not just getting the right answers, but understanding the process of how the answers were obtained.
Martin recently stopped by the fourth-grade classroom of Kristle Banks. The students were going through the steps of the scientific method - asking questions, doing background research, constructing a hypothesis, testing it through experiments, analyzing data and drawing a conclusion and communicating results.
This wasn't a discussion exactly; the kids were singing the steps and even dancing to them with Banks and having a great time. This wasn't especially surprising, as Banks coaches a competitive and successful clogging squad.
Technically, she doesn't have to worry so much about Common Core this year. State Department of Education officials decided that the state's existing standards in science are already rigorous. King Laurence, the Aiken School district's associate superintendent for instruction, agrees with that decision.
Currently, the State Department is still using the standardized battery of exams called PASS, which, in turn, replaced the much-maligned PACT exams a few years ago. In 2014-15, a new assessment for Common Core in English and math will be introduced.
"We have made the jump earlier so we have more time to prepare for that," said Anita Alexander, the lead coordinator for Common Core implementation. "Our office is providing the professional development and instructional coaches."
The district has laid the foundation and groundwork for Warrenville Elementary School, first-year principal Brad Weston said. The challenge for the administration is to provide teachers with the information and getting them ready to implement it without overwhelming them, he said. Administrators are breaking down the new standards in logical sequences.
"Full implementation will be fairly smooth, and there are numerous online documents that are user-friendly," Weston said. "It's great to have an experienced instructional coach like Cat."
"Cat" is Catherine Hamilton, whose educational career includes service as an literacy and science coach and three years as a middle school partner teacher through out the district. The Common Core standards will provide what the name suggests - a common set of standards.
"It's equity for the children when they go from one place to another," Hamilton said. "It won't matter what state or schools they transfer to. My role is to support the administrators and teachers in building a familiarity with the standards. I can help them navigate around the Common Core site. It's just an extension of learning."![]()
Editor's note: This is the second in a periodic series on the new Common Core academic standards in English/language arts and math that the Aiken County School District and others throughout the state are implementing this year.
For many years Cathy Martin taught second grade at Redcliffe Elementary School, recognized as the district teacher of the year in 2003.
She then served as a guidance counselor before moving into the district office in a variety of roles. Most recently, Martin worked as an English/language arts partner teacher focusing on literacy.
This year, she is located at Jefferson Elementary School as an instructional coach - among 25 assigned to all the elementary schools and six middle schools.
Those coaches are a key part of the new Common Core academic standards. A total of 45 states are participating in the state-driven initiative in an effort to provide more rigor and consistency in classroom instruction.
"The focus right now is to make sure teachers understand the relationship of curriculum documents we've created, and to help with instruction and assessment," Martin said. "It's about implementing Common Core, but also about being creative in delivering it."
A key component in that implementation is a greater emphasis on critical-thinking skills. It's not just getting the right answers, but understanding the process of how the answers were obtained.
Martin recently stopped by the fourth-grade classroom of Kristle Banks. The students were going through the steps of the scientific method - asking questions, doing background research, constructing a hypothesis, testing it through experiments, analyzing data and drawing a conclusion and communicating results.
This wasn't a discussion exactly; the kids were singing the steps and even dancing to them with Banks and having a great time. This wasn't especially surprising, as Banks coaches a competitive and successful clogging squad.
Technically, she doesn't have to worry so much about Common Core this year. State Department of Education officials decided that the state's existing standards in science are already rigorous. King Laurence, the Aiken School district's associate superintendent for instruction, agrees with that decision.
Currently, the State Department is still using the standardized battery of exams called PASS, which, in turn, replaced the much-maligned PACT exams a few years ago. In 2014-15, a new assessment for Common Core in English and math will be introduced.
"We have made the jump earlier so we have more time to prepare for that," said Anita Alexander, the lead coordinator for Common Core implementation. "Our office is providing the professional development and instructional coaches."
The district has laid the foundation and groundwork for Warrenville Elementary School, first-year principal Brad Weston said. The challenge for the administration is to provide teachers with the information and getting them ready to implement it without overwhelming them, he said. Administrators are breaking down the new standards in logical sequences.
"Full implementation will be fairly smooth, and there are numerous online documents that are user-friendly," Weston said. "It's great to have an experienced instructional coach like Cat."
"Cat" is Catherine Hamilton, whose educational career includes service as an literacy and science coach and three years as a middle school partner teacher through out the district. The Common Core standards will provide what the name suggests - a common set of standards.
"It's equity for the children when they go from one place to another," Hamilton said. "It won't matter what state or schools they transfer to. My role is to support the administrators and teachers in building a familiarity with the standards. I can help them navigate around the Common Core site. It's just an extension of learning."