Reconfiguring.

I'm amazed at the response I've gotten from my last two posts (and that doesn't count my weekly list of diigo tags).  Up until a couple of weeks ago the CCSS was something that was being thrown at us for implementation in a few years. I hadn't thought about how it could change the classroom now.  I realize that for some people it isn't like that - I just read yesterday where someone was changing their Algebra 2 topics to align with CCSS next year.  In my district we're easing it in slowly as to hopefully avoid making holes for kids.

After my two days spent looking at the Practices, though, I realize that I can do a lot more in class to help kids prepare than just teach the "right" topics.  So my plan is to focus that way a little more.  I want to continue to look for "rich" problems, be less helpful, and encourage the kids to struggle with an idea instead of swooping in to bail them out.

I think I'm going to add a tab to the top of the blog just for the CCSS resources I find.  That will help me (and whoever would like to read them) keep up to date with what I've found.  (Do you ever look back through your downloads or tags and think, "I wish I would've known that I had that a week ago?"  That's me.)

To get me started (and what got me thinking about doing that), I just saw this neat link on twitter.  It's a list of web 2.0 tools aligned with some of the CCSS standards from Herkimer Central School District in Herkimer, NY.  I just glanced through it, but it looks like something to definitely come back to!  (Click on AM or PM session.)