I considered naming this blog "You want me to do what?". Its a rhetorical question I constantly ask myself. Every time I get an email from my triathlon coach I think this, usually with an expletive added. Sometimes I get calls from folks outside of education that make me think this too. Like the museum administrator who gave me 10 days notice about an exhibit that would happen during the first week of school. As if schools can plan and take field trips that quickly, or during the first week.
To be honest, I even ask this sometimes after talking with teachers and administrators.
The fact is, we are being held to a higher standard in Michigan, higher than most states and we all need to step up to meet the challenge. The content expectations are strong, they demand great work from our students and great work from us. To ignore these, to teach 'what I always have', to teach the same we always have is at best poor judgement and at worst a disservice to our students.
I'm looking forward to the hard work of implementation. I hope that the curriculum projects that I've already worked on will be helpful (hint hint, go to http://www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org/). I can't wait for our students to reap the benefits of a well planned sequence of social studies!!
I know, I know. I'm sort of a dork about social studies.
We could talk triathlon next...
