New standards. Old standards. What’s the difference?

While similarities certainly exist between the Common Core and previous standards, there do exist some key differences. This week we will take a look at these three key shifts:

1. Greater focus on fewer topics

2. More coherence

Greater Focus on Fewer Topics

The developers of the Common Core have aimed to create standards that focus on…

Here is the list of the top 10 PARCC and Common Core questions that many parents and educators often worry about in Massachusetts. This will help in guiding you and enhancing your understanding with regards to these standards.

1. Is Common Core a federal mandate that does not let the local power authorize control?

No, it is not. Massachusetts has played a lead role in creating a Common Core. Apart from this, the core has outlined all the aspects that the students should cover…

Enrichment

It seems like such a simple word, but it can be one of the most important aspects of a child’s education. In so many schools, enrichment seems to be the tool of pushing forward learning for gifted and advanced students. Between programs, special classes, and extra time, these students reap great rewards with enrichment.

The reality is, though; they shouldn’t be the only ones.…

It’s that time of year. Grading periods have closed, and students have come home with either Progress Reports or Report Cards, or possibly even both. As parents, we place the obligatory signature on the piece of paper and hand it back to our students to turn in the next day. We even review the scores and comments and might have a conversation with our child. But how to we actively engage in a conversation with them based on what the document says if we aren’t always certain ourselves? What…

Recently, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced his resignation effective the end of the year. Immediately, President Obama named John King, Jr. as his replacement, leaving many to speculate on what his tenure could mean for education.

Many consider the end Secretary Duncan’s term to be more than a simple changing of the guard; they are speculating it may be the end of a standards-based education era. From 1993-2015, the tenures of

Secretaries Riley, Paige, Spellings,…

As parents, we often worry about how we can actively help ours children’s education. Most of us aren’t teachers; we do not work in schools. In fact, we do not always even understand the standards they are supposed to learn, let alone know how to help them. But there is one activity we can do regularly that keeps us engaged with our kids, and helps their education at the same time: reading.

Reading is the most important academic activity you can do with your child.

When you read…

Lumos tedBook™: Mathematics SBAC Edition

Tool Kit:

• • Creative ideas and tips
• • Practical pointers to improve writing skills
• • Analysis of student written essays and stories
• • Explore different writing techniques
• • Recognize common mistakes in writing
• • Common Core State Standards aligned…

The story is an imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment. A story plays a vital role in progress and development of children. The books they read and the characters they get to know can be their friends. Reading helps children to boost their confidence level. Stories are a great way to introduce new words and ideas. Stories are also useful for teaching more complex ideas such as sharing, wisdom, and compassion for others. Reading stories can be helpful for relaxation,…

A prime number is a natural number greater than one that has no positive divisors other than 1 and itself. The main difference between prime and composite numbers is prime number has only two factors, 1 and itself whereas the composite number has more than two factors. All odd numbers are prime numbers. 2 is the only even number that is prime. List of prime numbers is 1,2,3,5,7,11 ans so on. Euclid’s proof and Euler’s analytical proof provides the number of prime numbers. Some of the…

Updated PARCC Performance Based Assessment Practice & End Of Year Assessment Question-Types Practice. Easy Access To Sample eCopy For Educators. 

An intermediate level between elementary and high school typically includes grade five to eight. Middle School is for student’s age between 10-13 years and sometimes called Junior high school. Students have large opportunities in middle school compared to an elementary level; they even learn new things; increase in homework and as well as in project work. Many students find the academic challenges of middle school far more difficult than in elementary school.

There are many apps for…

When teaching strategies, hints and clues about how to discover the main idea of a paragraph, it is best to begin with teaching the “wh-words.” Wh-words are those words that begin questions that are asked to gather information; for example, who, what, which, how, etc. Talk about detectives and police officers, who make a list of clues to help them get to the solution to crime puzzle; to solve a mysterious case. List them on the board allowing students to tell the class what each word means,…