4/10/2007 8:53:00 AM National conference enriches teachers' curriculum
Nancy Gulbranson, Corby and Nick Preus, Jason Cognac, Al Lochner and Leanne Kingsley waiting for their shuttle while in Washington, D.C. Not pictured is Missy Bratland (photograher).
Recently a group of six teachers from Spring Grove Schools attended a Core Knowledge Conference in Washington, D.C.
The concept of Core Knowledge curriculum is building knowledge upon knowledge. The curriculum is for grades kindergarten through eighth grade and sequences topics so that the information builds on a topic from one year to the next.
"The Core Knowledge curriculum spells out all the things that we should address so there are no holes in our curriculum," explained Principal Nancy Gulbranson.
The Core Knowledge curriculum was started a couple years ago after some teachers heard about it at a conference. The Social Studies portion of the curriculum began first with plans to continue to incorporate more of the topics.
Core Knowledge is a body of content that still gives teachers the leeway to teach the information how they want, but insures that the content will be taught.
"The teachers have been amazed at what the students know," commented Rachel Udstuen, curriculum director. "This program makes it easier for the high school teachers to go into more depth." Teachers receive large handbooks with a plethora of information for them to use.
The Core Knowledge handbook describes why this type of curriculum is important, "Grade-by-grade sequencing of topics is important because it gives teachers some assurance that children will come prepared with a shared core of knowledge and skills, and because children learn more effectively when instruction follows the basic psychological principle that we learn new knowledge by building on what we already know."
The recent conference in Washington, D.C., was a national convention that is held yearly in different locations across the United States. Those attending listened to different speakers as well as hearing teachers share what they have been doing in their classrooms with the Core Knowledge curriculum.
"It is fun to hear the ideas because everyone is so enthusiastic about the program," said Udstuen. Each year teachers can submit units that have taught under the Core Knowledge curriculum, which are then reviewed and some are chosen to be presented at the national convention.
Those attending from Spring Grove this year were: Missy Bratland, Jason Cognac, Nancy Gulbranson, Leanne Kingsley, Al Lochner and Corby Preus.
