I will be honest, I mumbled and cursed the slow to act district and wondered how they expect me (and other teachers like me) to plan for such a radical shift in pedagogy and instruction without providing us at least a rough outline of units. I have never been one for a rigid pacing plan mapping my every move, but I have always tried to follow the unit outline provided by my district to help me sequence the content to match the quarterly assessments I am required to administer.
Let me stop here to insert a point of clarification. Although testing is suspended in California this year, with a few exceptions, it has been made clear by my district that we will still be mandated to give the district's Periodic Assessments each quarter. What is unclear is whether they will be making new assessments or keeping the old ones. There have been no unit outlines released as of today, so I am at a loss for where they expect me to begin. How can I plan for their quarterly assessments if I don't know how they want me to chunk the standards? Basically, what do I do in the absence of guidance?
After much deliberation, I decided to go rogue. Really, it is what comes most naturally to me. I started my teaching career afloat in rough sees in nothing more than a dinghy. Why not approach this change in teaching in the same survivalist sort of way?
It's not to say I am totally alone. The math blogosphere is quite rich with resources, knowledgeable teachers and support networks. I am definitely more prepared for the journey this time around. I have years of experience, successes and failures, to help me map my course. I have a supportive administration. What does all this amount to? As I set out on my journey into the uncharted waters that are Common Core, I have upgraded my dinghy to a skiff. And so, I set sail...
