The Last Week? Let's go back to the beginning...

I can't believe that it's been almost a month since I started this blog!

I think that it's important to go back to where we started - with the curriculum. It can be so easy to be overwhelmed with the sheer size and scope of our work with students. I think that it's very cool that we have as much autonomy as we do in the teaching profession - the curriculum documents are our guides to our profession (sadly, we don't have a teaching manual...) so we always need to go back to them.

Consider:

• reading the front matter of all of the curriculum guides
• use the Achievement Chart as the basis for all assessment and evaluation (but remember, it's not a rubric!)
• cluster expectations together - we need to avoid the checklist mentality and so many expectations fit naturally together (even better, cluster expectations with a colleague)

There is no one size fits all model (if there was, then we would have a teaching manual) so please consider how you differentiate instruction and demonstrate equity (remember, fair isn't always equal...).

Do not be afraid to ask for help! Your mentor does not necessarily have to teach the same grade as you and doesn't even have to be in the same building!